Inside the Factory: A Conversation with Case Dillard on Playing Willy Wonka

Photography by Royce West.

Case Dillard doesn’t approach Willy Wonka as a fixed character—he treats him as something constantly shifting. In Argenta Contemporary Theatre’s production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, that unpredictability becomes the engine of the performance.

For Dillard, the role isn’t defined by familiarity, but by contradiction.

“The musical theatre canon has few roles that are as diverse and nuanced as Willy Wonka,” he says. “You never know what you’re going to get from him. He’s your trusted guide in one moment and your harshest critic in the next. He’s not a stock character. He’s part Howard Hughes and part Walt Disney.”

Rewriting What We Expect

Willy Wonka is a character audiences arrive with already formed expectations about—shaped by decades of performances across stage and screen. For Dillard, the work begins by letting go of imitation.

“So many great actors have played this role, but each has played it differently than the last,” he says. “This particular version opens up a lot of freedom to play around and find my own arc.”

That approach is informed by his experience playing Bert in Mary Poppins on Broadway—another role deeply embedded in cultural memory.

“If I tried to impersonate Dick Van Dyke or Gene Wilder, I’d be setting up the audience for disappointment… I do an okay DeNiro, but no one really wants to see that.”

Instead, he leans into the live, evolving nature of theatre—where discovery happens in real time, night after night. And when it comes to the relationship between characters at the heart of these stories, Dillard finds an unexpected symmetry:

“Charlie Bucket is the grounding force behind Willy. Wonka is wild and magical, and Charlie is honest and pure and of this earth. He’s the yang to Willy’s yin. Or vice versa? I don’t know. Strike that. Reverse it.”

The Child Who Never Left the Factory

Dillard’s Wonka embraces unpredictability—but also reveals a deeper, more human disconnection.

“Willy has a severe lack of social awareness,” he explains. “He’s been locked in a factory for over a decade, only talking to Oompa Loompas, so going out into the world and talking to other humans is pretty awkward for him.”

At the same time, there’s something in Wonka that remains intact—something many adults lose over time.

“As children, we all had a beautiful sense of imagination, but as we got older, we got bogged down by reality. Willy never did. He kept that childlike sense of wonder, which is innate in all of us. In my opinion, it’s something we should all reconnect with.”

A Community That Spans Decades

This production is not just about a single performance—it’s about a network of artists whose histories are deeply intertwined.

Dillard is working alongside collaborators he’s known for decades, some dating back to his earliest experiences at the Arkansas Arts Center. These aren’t just colleagues—they are artists whose paths have crossed over years of shared work, training, and performance.

At ACT, that kind of long-standing collaboration isn’t incidental—it’s foundational.

“I’ve known so many of my castmates and crew members for so long,” he says. “It’s such a joy to be working and reconnecting with such great friends after so many years.”

That sense of continuity connects directly to how Dillard understands the work itself.

“When I first started doing theatre almost forty years ago… I was introduced to a world that felt like home. It was a place where playtime wasn’t just allowed, it was required.”

A Shared Vision in the Room

Working with director Coburn Goss, Dillard found a balance between a clear artistic vision and room for exploration.

“Coby had a very specific vision for this show—something audiences haven’t seen before,” he says. “But he gave me so much freedom to explore. He’s such a great collaborator, and made the whole process a ton of fun.”

That combination—clarity and openness—shapes a production that feels both grounded and alive.

What Audiences Will Experience

While the story may be familiar, Dillard is clear: this version isn’t about repetition.

“Even though the story is familiar, this version is much different than anything you’ve seen before… it’ll surprise you.”

Step Inside

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Argenta Contemporary Theatre is more than a retelling—it’s a convergence of artists, histories, and shared imagination.

It’s an opportunity to encounter a familiar story through a new lens, shaped by years of collaboration and a continued commitment to play, discovery, and connection.