Legally Blonde and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory might not seem like they have a lot in common but this summer in Vancouver they do.
Both stories started out as books before being turned into movies that were then turned into stage shows, and both will be on stage at the Malkin Bowl this June, July, and August.
Legally Blonde: The Musical and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have been announced as part of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) in Stanley Park. Each summer TUTS puts on two shows.
This will be TUTS 85th season. The season runs from June 27 to Aug. 16, 2025.
“From the imaginative playfulness of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which we’re thrilled to present for the very first time in our history, to the vibrant positivity of Legally Blonde The Musical, returning to the TUTS stage for the third time due to popular demand, our summer season is chock full of heart, humour, and hope," said TUTS general manager Kevin Woo in a press release.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in 1964, adapted many times (including the iconic 1971 film), and became a cultural touchstone (including introducing the term "golden ticket"). It tells the story of young Charlie on a tour of a chocolate factory.
Legally Blonde is a much more recent franchise; the book was self-published in 2001 before becoming a film later the same year.
"The fan-favourite musical follows sorority girl Elle Woods, who is determined to win back her college sweetheart after getting dumped on the eve of her graduation – even if that means following him to Harvard Law School," reads a press release from TUTS.
The plot focuses on her challenges in the law department as she's dismissed as a ditzy blonde.
The pair of shows will be performed on alternate dates. For example, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is on Aug. 1, 3, and 5th. Legally Blonde is on Aug. 2, 4, and 6th.
Theatre Under the Stars
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Legally Blonde: The Musical
When: June 27 to August 16, 2025. Shows start at 8 p.m.
Where: The Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park (610 Pipeline Rd)
Cost: Early bird single show tickets start at $35 (starting May 22). Two-night tickets (one for each show) are available now for $99.
