A world premiere staged reading of Willy's Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody is set to play Edinburgh Festival Fringe August 9-26. Based on the viral underwhelming Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow, Scotland, the new musical will be staged at the Pleasance King Dome. 

Hear "I Was Never That Way," a new demo track from the production, in the video above, with an introduction from Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca Salt in the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film.

Willy's Candy Spectacular features a lineup of songwriters including Riki Lindhome, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (First Date), Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Daniel Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical), and Jennifer Lucy Cook. 

Previously titled Willy Fest, a musical parody, the project was unveiled earlier this year, shortly after the event on which its based became a viral sensation.

The Glasgow "Willy's Chocolate Experience" blew up on social media in late February, when families expecting an "immersive experience" based on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and the 2023 prequel film Wonka were greeted by halfhearted candy decorations, flimsy backdrops, and a menacing masked character named "The Unknown" (with no connection to the films). Parents reported their kids leaving in tears, police were called, and photos of the whole fiasco spread like wildfire on social platforms.

“It’s not every day I get a chance to parody so many musical styles within the same song," Cook, who penned "I Was Never That Way," said in a statement. "When a bit of polka is next to cowboy, rock, and even a little classic Broadway, it creates an absurd chaos that was an enormous amount of fun to put together!”

In the weeks leading up to the staged readings, the production will release additional demo songs each Sunday.

Willy's Candy Spectacular is produced by Richard Kraft.

Visit WillysCandySpectacular.com.