After Glasgow’s notorious Willy Wonka knockoff event turned into a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons, a group of renowned writers from film, television, and stage have banded together to transform the disaster into a musical satire titled ‘Willyfest – A Musical Parody.’
Scheduled for a late 2024 premiere, the production, helmed by Kraft-Engel Productions, promises to infuse humor and creativity into the infamous incident.
The creative minds behind this parody musical include Emmy-nominated Riki Lindhome (‘Garfunkel and Oates,’ ‘Another Period‘), Emmy winners Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell (‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,’ ‘Julie & The Phantoms‘), and Broadway songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (‘First Date,’ ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time‘). Adding a modern touch is TikTok sensation Daniel Mertzlufft (‘Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical,’ ‘Grumpy Monkey: The Musical‘).
“In a world captivated by immersive experiences, our aim is to turn this chocolate-less catastrophe into a melodic spectacle,” expressed Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner, reflecting on the project’s unique inspiration.
Producer Richard Kraft of Kraft-Engel Productions praised the unconventional approach of assembling theatrical songwriters, predicting that it would yield satirical and unexpected results.
Describing the endeavor as a blend of Ed Wood’s eccentricity and P.T. Barnum’s showmanship, Kraft emphasized the transformative power of creativity, even in the face of disaster.
‘Willyfest – A Musical Parody‘ offers a fresh perspective on a turbulent event, promising to entertain audiences with its comedic take on an otherwise sour episode in Glasgow’s history.
