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Broadway has found its Willy Wonka.
It was announced that Christian Borle will play play the world-famous candy man in the musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, due to begin performances next March at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Borle, a two-time Tony Award winner — most recently for playing Shakespeare (as a preening pop star) in last year's Something Rotten —is also known to TV fans for his roles in Smash and Masters of Sex, as well as the NBC specials The Sound of Music: Live! and Peter Pan: Live! He'll next be seen on the stage in Lincoln Center Theater's new production of Falsettos this fall.
"Christian was the first — and in truth, perhaps the only person I could imagine to create the role of Willy," said three-time Tony winner Jack O'Brien, who will direct Charlie, in a statement, adding, "His combination of child-like fantasy, edge, mystery, and sheer star power seemed destined for this role. I confess I prayed a lot! But this one, at least, was answered!"
Wonka was previously played in screen adaptations of Dahl's book by Gene Wilder and, later, Johnny Depp.
