WAYNESBORO – Members of the community are invited to kick off the new year by reading “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and then attending a showing of two movies based on the title.
The Owls Club of Waynesboro and McDonald’s of Waynesboro are sponsoring “Read, Watch – Awesomesauce! Act 4” Jan. 1, a winter book-movie challenge initiated in 2022, according to organizer Doug Tengler of Waynesboro, also a sponsor.
On Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 1 p.m. “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” will be shown at Waynesboro Theatre, 75 W. Main St., followed by “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at 4:30 p.m. Tickets to the movie are $3 each and include admission, popcorn and a drink.
Prior to Jan. 1, free copies of the book (while supplies last) will be available at the theater when it is open for movie showings and at Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library during regular hours.
“In case it’s sold out, we’re advising people to get there early. The first film is the 1971 version starring Gene Wilder, and at 4:30, it will be the 2005 movie starring Johnny Depp.” according to Tengler. “Both are based on the book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ by Roald Dahl.”
Waynesboro Area Senior High School students in the 2025 all-school production, “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” March 14 to 16 will be on hand to sing and distribute fliers about the show prior to the movie.
“Read, Watch – Awesomesauce” is a challenge sponsored by the Waynesboro Community Theatre Project and the Waynesboro Theatre that was initially funded by the Nora Roberts Foundation “to celebrate reading, movies and learning a thing or two or three,” noted Tengler, who helped launch the program. “It is a way to help promote literacy – kids are encouraged to read the book first – and the reward is they get to see a movie at a reasonable price. This is our 11th program since it started. We took a break due to a lack of funding … we’re thankful to the Owls Club and McDonald’s this year.”
