Karylle recounts how a leg injury prepared her for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

Karylle has been announced to join the musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory,” playing the role of Mrs/ Bucket, the mother of Charlie. According to GMG Productions, the play will be staged in July at The Theatre in Solaire.

The much-talented triple treat (sing, dance, act) recounted to GMA News Online how a nearly career-altering event made her stop doing theater for a long while.

“Late last year, I got injured on stage. I went through therapy and tried to avoid surgery," Karylle narrated to GMA News Online.

"One day, while on the train at Changi Airport, I forgot to hold onto the rail as I stood with my luggage. In that moment, I felt the injury again and it hit me that I might not be able to fully do theater with this knee. That was the moment I knew I had to consider surgery," she said.

Realizing she was gonna get a long Christmas break, the "It's Showtime" host decided to schedule the medical procedure. 

Then "unexpectedly, I got a message that the GMG team wanted me to audition for ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. So, even with my injury, I recorded my audition tape. And then came the waiting," Karylle continued.

“When we finally got confirmation, it felt almost magical — like everything suddenly made sense. Maybe the reason I had to go through surgery was so I could be ready to give my all for this production.”

“I’m very excited to start working on the show. Magic, after all, is very important so we can continue dreaming of a better world,” Karylle said.

Despite juggling “Showtime” and acting projects like “Quezon,” Karylle makes it a point to do theater in between. Among her most recent roles include "REP Unplugged" last March, Sandbox Collective's 2024 staging of "Little Shop of Horros," and Repertory Philippines’ 2022 staging of “Carousel."

Before COVID-19, Karylle also played major roles including “The Sound of Music” as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder, which was produced and presented by Broadway International Group at Samsung Performing Arts Center. In “West Side Story,” she played Maria.

She also played lead roles in “The Little Mermaid,” “Seussical,” “Cinderella” and the original Filipino musical “Rama Hari,” for which she was recognized by major award-giving bodies like the Aliw Awards.

As Mrs. Bucket, Karylle joins the eccentric and imaginative Bucket family featuring Oliver T. Wong and Cohen Toukatly alternating in the role of the hopeful young dreamer Charlie Bucket, Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe, Mychal Phillips as Grandma Josephine, and Michael Dalke as Grandpa George.

The role of Mrs. Bucket was made popular by Helena Bonham Carter in the 2007 Tim Burton movie starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket.

The stage adaptation has the music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman with book by David Greig, based on the novel by Roald Dahl. The songs from the 2007 motion picture were by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is about young Charlie Bucket’s golden-ticket adventure into the mysterious and magical world of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

From chocolate rivers to nut-sorting squirrels and mischievous Oompa-Loompas, the musical dazzles with eye-popping visuals, larger-than-life characters, immersive delight for the audience, and toe-tapping music.

The musical features iconic songs from the classic 1971 film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” along with original music by Grammy and Tony Award winners Marc Shaiman andScott Wittman (“Hairspray,” “Mary Poppins Returns”).

In a statement, GMG Productions said the musical is a dazzling fantasy for everyone from everywhere because it features miraculous special effects and cutting edge “hologauze 3D technology” based on advanced magic principles.

“We are so excited to share the breathtaking world of this beloved Broadway musical about the power of imagination, and the art of invention with Manila audiences in this spectacular new immersive production from an all-Broadway creative team!” Simone Genatt and Marc Routh, producers and co-owners of Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia said in a joint statement.

Transforming Willy Wonka’s fantastical factory into a world where the impossible feels possible, renowned Las Vegas magic and illusion designer Tim Clothier joins the Broadway team and says, "Willy Wonka is the king of imagination, and being able to design new stage wizardry for that character is a dream come true.”

Presented by Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, in association with AMA Group of Companies and GMG Productions, and the special participation of Auro Chocolate, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” makes its Manila premiere at The Theatre at Solaire from July 8 to July 26, 2026.

The Broadway production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” premiered in 2017 running for more than 300 performances, followed by a four-year North American tour through 2022. It also ran on London’s West End, where it received two Olivier Awards.

The global tour is scheduled to tour for two to three years in Asia, the Middle East and India in leading cities around the world including Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou, Taipei, and Seoul.

The musical has the original direction by four-time Tony Award® winning director Jack O’Brien, and original choreography by Joshua Bergasse, the global tour features direction by Matt Lenz, choreography by Alison Solomon, and musical supervision by Nate Patten and Greg Jarrett. Other members of the creative team are Mark Thompson, set and costume design; Christine Peters, tour scenic design; Jeff Sugg, projections design; Rory Beaton, lighting design; Mike Thacker for Orbital Sound, sound design; Basil Twist, puppet design; and Tim Clothier, illusions. Orchestrations by Doug Besterman, and musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman. Casting is by Paul Hardt Casting.

Joseph Longthorne serves as general manager and Tayn Yeo as associate manager for Broadway Asia International. Simone Genatt, Marc Routh, Broadway International Group, and Broadway Asia are Producing, along with co-producers HY Culture Company, Doug Meyer Productions, Bergamot Front Row Fund and Willette Klausner.

The musical is presented in special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), and Broadway Asia Company.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by GMG Productions (@gmg.productions)

— LA, GMA News