Jack O'Brien to helm Broadway's Charlie And Chocolate Factory

Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien will direct the Broadway musical "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
The stage adaptation of the popular Roald Dahl novel, which also spawned a 1971 movie, previously opened in London's West End in 2013, when filmmaker Sam Mendes took charge of the show.
The "Spectre" director had been due to stay on when the production transferred to New York City, but he had to step down from the job in December last year due to scheduling issues, reported Variety.
Mendes remains on board as a producer, through his Neal Street Productions firm, and he has since helped select Hairspray's O'Brien to take over the reins of the show, which will open in the Big Apple in the spring of 2017.

Joshua Bergasse will choreograph the production, which features music by another "Hairspray" veteran, Marc Shaiman, and lyrics co-written by Scott Wittman.
"Sam and I have both spent our careers putting our personal spin on classics, be it by William Shakespeare or Roald Dahl.
"Since the first production was created for London it's only fair we do an American version, and in America, our connection is to the 1971 movie and the indelible impression of Gene Wilder as the slyly wicked Wonka," O'Brien said.
Details about the cast, theatre and launch date have yet to be announced.