Cultural Events

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Published: May 09, 2026 7:00 am

Reed Intermediate School had a weekend of comedy, golden tickets, and "scrumdiddlyumptious" chocolate with its spring musical production of Willy Wonka Jr, performed to three sold-out audiences on May 1-3.

Presented at Reed Intermediate School, this colorful production involved over 120 fifth and sixth grade students. Auditions took place back in December and the kids started rehearsals in January.

Erin Loucks directed, choreographed, and co-produced the show with Dawn Field as assistant director and co-producer/set designer. Rounding out the team were musical director Jennifer Sisco and costume designer Kristin Castaldi. Eileen Celli of Newtown High School was the lead painter on the production.

The show featured Liam Fox as Willy Wonka, Jakob Tanner as Charlie Bucket, and Gigi Ribiero as Grandma Jo. Some other lead roles were played by Sadie Miller (Veruca Salt), Javier Ballarino (Augustus Gloop), Peyton Golesky (Violet Beauregarde), Nick Gibson (Mike TeeVee), Ian Wismar-Burger (Mr Bucket), Leah Pierzchala (Mrs Bucket), and Charlie Strout (Candy Man). Student stage managers were fifth grade students Madelyn Reef and Nick Hillyer.

Loucks said she feels incredibly lucky to have worked with so many talented kids on Willy Wonka Jr. She added that it was many students' first time being involved in a musical. To be able to introduce them to the stage, share her love of theater, and watch them grow throughout the process, Loucks said, was incredible.

"It's incredible how our theater community in Newtown has grown and how all of the kids at all of the schools come out to support one another," Loucks said. "I've seen first hand the positive impact that theater can have on kids, from helping them build confidence and community, to teaching them the value of working hard towards something they can be proud of."

Reed Intermediate School students Gigi Ribiero, who played Grandma Jo, and Jakob Tanner, who played Charlie Bucket, are all smiles for their school’s production of Willy Wonka Jr, which ran May 1-3. —photos courtesy Jamie Tanner and Janet Kuzma

Liam Fox played the titular Willy Wonka.

Peyton Golesky, who played Violet Beauregarde, stands on stage with a bunch of Oompa-Loompas.

Javier Ballarino (left), who played Augustus Gloop, takes a bow on stage alongside Jacquie Sprague, who played Mrs Gloop.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

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Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

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