Manheim Central townlively.com
MARCH 26, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Bringing “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” to life
BY CAT SHANNON
Participating as a clown is a fun and easy way to support the effort, said Amy Nolt, whose clown name is hArMonY. “Pretty much anybody can be a clown,” she said. “I used to be very introverted, but I love doing this.” To help people get into clown character, Amy holds classes at her Lititz home. “We teach people how to put See Clown pg 2
The cast of “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka”
Home School Productions has been providing homeschool and cyberschool students with theatrical opportunities and staging theater productions for 25 years. For senior Ian Riethmiller of Camp Hill, playing the iconic title character has been a lot of fun. “I think it’s really important to take the character in my own direction,” he said, noting that while he’s never watched the 2005 movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” featuring Johnny Depp, he is familiar with the 1971 Gene Wilder version. “I’ve also read the book multiple times. It was one of my favorite books as a small child. I’m trying to take things from myself and put them into this character so I’m not copying anyone.” Playing Wonka has also presented a challenge because the character is complex, he said. “Wonka is such a diverse character, and he’s doing all sorts of different things at different times,” Ian explained. “He’s sort of putting on a show inside of this show. For the first half of the show, he’s undercover as the Candy Man, catching the audience up on what’s been happening. Then in the second act, Wonka is fully on stage, and audiences will feel like they’re part of
the story just as much as the kids on the tour are.” Brock, who lives in Annville, noted that audiences will find the show entertaining and interesting, and he added that it’s full of comedy. “There are so many scenes that are so funny that we as a cast have struggled to get through in rehearsal without laughing,” he said. The show features well-known songs such as “The Candy Man” and “Pure Imagination,” as well as lesser-known, but equally entertaining numbers, Ian said. “You should come see ‘Willy Wonka’ because it’s going to be a good time,” he said. “There’s also a really strong message of making sure that somehow, someway, you get to be doing what you love. Whether it’s your main job or your side job, you should always be chasing those things in your imagination. Chase those things you love, because overall, that’s what’s going to make you happy, and in turn, that’s what’s going to make the rest of the world a better place as well.” Tickets for “Willy Wonka” are available at www.itickets.com/ events/482303 or via the Encore! website at www.encorehsp.org.
Clowns participate in a previous year’s Make-A-Wish Mother’s Day Truck Convoy.
A chance to power up Faith-based sports camps scheduled BY ANN MEAD ASH
When young people ages 8 to 12 who attend Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Power Camp asked for more sports to be offered at camp, area representatives Diana Roth, Kyle Martin, and Emily Johnson responded. This year, the New Holland camp will offer baseball and track and field in addition to five other sports, and the Manheim camp will offer lacrosse, in addition to six other sports. The New Holland Power Camp
will be held at Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland, from Monday, June 16, to Thursday, June 19. The Manheim Power Camp will be held at Manheim Brethren in Christ Church, 54 N. Penryn Road, Manheim, from Monday, July 14, through Thursday, July 17. Roth said that the theme for this year’s camps is “Glory,” based on II Corinthians 3:18. The faith-based curriculum will focus on the question “What are you chasing?” by examining See Power Camp pg 5
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atch a per formance of “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” by Encore! Home School Productions and be prepared to experience a wide range of emotions, cast members said. “This is a super funny show, but it’s also very heartfelt, which I think is a little unexpected,” said Brock Sunday, a senior who plays Grandpa Joe in the production. “You might not think of this story as super heartfelt or meaningful, but there are a lot of parts that are emotional.” “ Willy Wonka” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, at The Junction Center, 1875 Junction Road, Manheim. The musical follows Charlie Bucket’s magical journey inside Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Audiences will meet a cast of quirky characters, including the eccentric Wonka and the energetic Oompa Loompas. As the story unfolds, it highlights the importance of kindness, honesty and humility in a family-friendly adventure. Learning to embody a geriatric character has been a fun challenge, Brock said of playing Charlie’s grandfather, who joins his grandson on the factory tour. “I have had so much fun trying to figure out the physicality of this character,” he shared. “He’s old, but he’s got a sense of youth to him. He’s spunky.” The show features a cast of performers ranging from elementary school-age children to high school students. Students come from towns throughout central Pennsylvania, including Landisville, Mount Joy, Elizabethtown, Harrisburg and Hershey. Encore!
Spread joy as a Make-A-Wish clown Each year, the Make-A-Wish Mother’s Day Truck Convoy travels through the county, bringing smiles to the faces of people along the route and raising funds for children facing life-threatening illnesses. You can be part of the fun by joining the event as a Make-A-Wish clown.
BY CAT SHANNON
VOL LXVI • NO 9
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