Oompa loompas!

The sweet, sugary goodness of chocolate and all things candy fills hearts and minds in a revisit to the workings of "Willy Wonka" - that celebrated confectionery concocter of Roald Dahl's imagination.

It's a magical, award-winning tale of opportunity and misdeeds accented by a fantasy world of candy delicacies - made famous through the 1964 children's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which led to the 1971 movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and the 2005 release of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Now Wonka and Charlie are back with an all-new stage version of the musical classic and Odessa's Permian Playhouse is playing a lead role as a pilot theater for the two-act script by Timothy McDonald.

Director Mark Tenniswood said he heard of the developing play and contacted the author about piloting the production - receiving e-mailed updates as changes were made to the project.

"We're one of the first theaters in the world to do this two-act version of the play," he said.

"Willy Wonka" not only includes familiar songs from the 1971 movie, but it's also packed with 10 new tunes from the movie's original songwriters, not to mention some revised dialogue.

Jeremiah Ray Leija, 10, said he really gets into his part as an Oompa-Loompa - Wonka's diminutive factory workers who sing after key parts of the plot.

"We're going to wear hats with green hair coming out," Leija said. "We dance, and we sing our Oompa-Loompa songs - they're the ones from the old movie."

Billy Baker, 13, plays the ticket holder Augustus Gloop - a gluttonous child with an enormous appetite.

"He's the fat kid who falls into the river and gets sucked up a pipe," Baker said. "I get to eat a lot of marshmallows on stage."

With a solo in the song "Chew It," 13-year-old Abi Smith plays a spirited girl named Violet Beauregarde who has an addiction to chewing gum.

"She chews gum a lot," Smith said. "I've seen both of the movies, but in this version, she's pretty psycho - she always yells at her mom."

Packed with the same intriguing characters, "Willy Wonka" at the Permian Playhouse displays Dahl's magical world on stage with a large cast that's mostly made of children.

The Aug. 15 performance will also include a candy reception at 7:30 p.m. and the Aug. 16 show will be captioned for the hearing impaired.

MEET THE CAST
>> Willy Wonka & Candy Man: Dominic Lopez.
>> Phineous Trout: Alec Fuller.
>> Charlie Bucket: Garrett Tarpley.
>> Grandpa Joe: Dan Spencer.
>> Grandma Josephina: Kelli Deann Olvera.
>> Grandma Georgina: Michelle Collins.
>> Grandpa George: Josh Smith.
>> Mrs. Bucket: Katie Engebretson.
>> Mr. Bucket: Daniel Ormsby.
>> Augustus Gloop: Billy Baker.
>> Mrs. Gloop: Sharon Ormsby.
>> Veruca Salt: Seneca Mick.
>> Mr. Salt: Marvin LeMaster.
>> Violet Beauregarde: Abi Smith.
>> Mrs. Beauregarde: Angela Fox-Thompson.
>> Mike Teavee: Truett Hilliard.
>> Ms. Teavee: Denise Rivas Abdellatif.
>> Squirrels: Presley Bettis, Chloé Bustamante, Nastasia Corrales, Elisabeth Geddes, Cynthia Hernandez, Norrin Hodgson, Kyleigh d'Lyn Johnson, Analise Deann Olvera, Hailey Prentice, Taylor Thompson and Isabella Windham.
>> Oompa-Loompas: Aubrey Ann Arnold, Abby Ann Arnold, Whitney Barber, Madison Bettis, Garrett Collins, Shauna Devitt, Samantha Garibay, Allison Gray, Elliott Hillaird, Draven Hodgson, Judith Camille Hubert, Azure Nyree' Johnson, Jordan Juarez, Jeremiah Ray Leija, Bri Lewallen, Ariah Quiñonez, Shauna Star Roach, Shauna Ripken Roberson, Parker Russell, Vianka Suchil, Morgan Thompson, Danielle Thornton, MacKenzie Woods and Matthew Winingham.
>> Adult ensemble: Kristie Bettis, Virginia Ormsby, Dorothy Smith and Devin Tarpley.
>> Youth ensemble: Kierstin Chapman, Skylar Geddes, Kirsten Geddes, Nathan Gonzales, Micah Greenfield, Vanessa Hernandez, Abi Hoffman, Gabby Lechuga, Bailey Chapman Rhea, Carla Richards, Nicole Richards, Autumn Skye Roberts, Kendal Shellenberger, Shelby Smith, Vivian Suchil and Glendon Warner.
>> Director: Mark Tenniswood.
>> Music director: Debbie Butler.

WANT TO GO?
>> ‘Willy Wonka' plays at 8 p.m. Aug. 15, 16, 22 and 23 and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 17 and 24 at the Permian Playhouse, 310 W. 42nd St.
>> A candy reception is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 15 and the Aug. 16 production will be captioned for the hearing impaired.
>> Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and $8 for teachers.
>> Call 550-5456.