LOCAL – STATE Monday, August 6, 2012 Page 7The Chronicle-News Trinidad, Colorado

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By Tim KellerSpecial to The Chronicle-News

RATON — Willy Wonkais coming to Raton thisweekend. Not the 1964Roald Dahl novel, “Charlieand the Chocolate Factory,”which arrived at the libraryalmost 50 years ago, nor the2005 Johnny Depp movie ofthe same name. Not the 1971Gene Wilder movie, “WillyWonka and the ChocolateFactory,” either.

Willy Wonka is cominglive to the Shuler Theater inRaton Youth Theater’sannual summer musical,“Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka,Jr.,” with shows Friday andSaturday nights at 7:30 p.m.,plus a Sunday matinee at2:30 p.m.

Featuring 22 songs and acast of several dozen chil-dren, the production stars16-year-old NathanColeman as the eccentriccandy maker Willy Wonkawho is looking for an heir totake over his business. Hesponsors a contest with fivewinning Golden Ticketshidden in chocolate barsdistributed around theworld. Winners get to travelwith a parent to tour thechocolate factory; WillyWonka will choose one totake over the whole opera-tion.

There’s big eaterAugustus Gloop and hismom, played by JohnnyGentry and Zoë Gomez.There’s Veruca Salt and her

mom, played by ClairWillden and NathalyTorres. There’s gum chewerViolet Beauregarde and hermom, played by Ila RaineMedina and Lijah Medina.

There’s TV addict MikeTeavee and his mom, playedby Meigan Deater andJacque Alcorn.

Most important, there’sCharlie Bucket and his

Grandpa Joe, played bySpenser Willden and IsaiahDuran.

The five children touringthe chocolate factory mustlearn to follow Wonka’s

rules — or else.With musical numbers

directed by Bill Crary andaccompanied by pianistCarol Simmons, “thisscrumdidilyumptious musi-

cal is guaranteed to delighteveryone’s sweet tooth.”Gail Dixon-Willden directedthe action, designed the setand choreographed theshow. Costumes for thehuge cast were created byMisty Gomez, Kay Medina,Lisa Robertson, Ila Medina,Lori Clark, MaryanneDailey, Mollie Freeman,Ursula Garcia, andRosabelle Sneed.

Additional actors incredited roles include KateLittle, Elijah Clark, LauraRobertson, AlexandraMuniz, ChristopherMandonado, BreanaBrown, Zeb Medina andAsia Gomez.

Thirty-four more youngactors, singers, and dancersjoin the on-stage fun asassorted squirrels, CandyMan Kids, and OompaLoompas.

With titles like “I EatMore,” “Chew It,” “BurpingSong,” “Think Positive,”and “I See It All on TV,” theplay’s 22 songs are packedinto a one-act show thatlasts 90 minutes.

A treat for all ages, gen-eral admission tickets areavailable at the door — $10adults, $8 seniors, $5 chil-dren. Additional informa-tion is available at theShuler Theater, (575) 445-4746.

Special to The Chronicle-News/Gail Dixon-Willden

Local children dance around Willy Wonka as he distributes candy as the Candy Man, in a Shuler Theater rehearsal for this weekend’sRaton Youth Theater Summer Musical, “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, Jr.” Pictured from left are Spenser Willden as Charlie Bucket, ZebMedina as James, and Nathan Coleman as Willy Wonka.

Raton’s summer musical comes chocolate coated

By Michael BoothAssociated Press

DENVER — DorisEkblad-Olson is not too oldto feel childish wonder atthe idea of fixing her ailingeyes by letting someonesuture in a tiny telescope.

But age does allow her tobe blunt about her anxietyas the first Colorado patientto have the pea-size tele-scope placed in her righteyeball.

"I would rather I was his100th patient," chucklesEkblad-Olson, 82, as she dis-cusses the surgery withophthalmologist Dr. StarckJohnson.

The former teacher wasstill game to be theColorado guinea pig,though, and went underJohnson's micro-knives atSky Ridge Medical Centeron July 17. Doctor andpatient hope the successful-ly implanted telescope willbring vision back to eyesdimmed by a severe form ofmacular degeneration.

"There hasn't been a lotwe can do for thesepatients," Johnson said."We've been waiting a longtime for this to come tofruition."

Johnson assisted on clin-ical trials of the surgery inMichigan, but implantingthe device in Ekblad-Olson'seye will add Colorado to thesmall handful of sitesapproved for the procedure.Medicare will pay for peo-ple who meet strict criteriafor age and condition.

Ekblad-Olson suffers

from "wet" macular degen-eration, an end-stage formof the common, chronic dis-ease, where blood vesselsare leaking and destroyingcentral vision.

"I can't see the faces ofthe people across the tablefrom me," she said. "I can'tsee the food on my plate."

She wants to finish amemoir of teaching semi-nary in Hong Kong, andbeing limited to a sliver ofperipheral vision makeswriting a challenge.

The device, calledCentraSight, is placedbehind the iris. It projectsand enlarges central imagesonto the still-healthyperipheral portions of theretina.

Over time and withtraining, Ekblad-Olson'sbrain will balance the newimages with her other,intact eye.

She previously tried ahand-held telescope thathas a similar effect andimproved her vision bythree lines on the tradition-al eye chart.

"So I'm going to have a'holy' eye," she cracks, asJohnson began a preparato-ry procedure.

"That's right," Johnsonsmiled.

And that's appropriate,she responded, since shebelieves "God has promisedhe has my best interests inmind, and all these thingswill work together."

That faith did not stopher hard-edged questionsfor Johnson. What's the

biggest risk? How longbefore noticing improve-ment? Will people notice theimplant?

The biggest risk is notachieving as much visionas she had hoped for.

She'll have a good idea ofher new vision in aboutthree weeks. Others willnotice "a glint" in the mid-

dle of her eye.Explanations over with,

Ekblad-Olson faced a thickpile of consent forms whoseblurriness underlined theirown purpose. As a friendhelped her sign, she neverhesitated.

"I'm ready to take whatchances I have to improve,"she said.

Associated Press

Dr. Starck Johnson puts an implantable miniature telescope intoDoris Ekblad-Olson's eye so she can overcome macular degen-eration, at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colo., on July,18.

New surgery fixeswoman’s eyesightswith telescopic eye

Associated PressDENVER —

Metropolitan StateUniversity of Denver ismoving ahead with its newtuition rate for illegalimmigrant students.

Former House speakerand Metro trusteeTerrance Carroll told TheDenver Post that theschool is not looking for afight. But he adds theschool is willing and ableto defend its decision.

The school's decision inJune drew criticism fromRepublicans who rejectedDemocrats' legislation this

session to make highereducation less expensivefor illegal immigrants.Attorney General JohnSuthers has issued a legalopinion that says theschool's decision is "notsupported by governinglaw."

The new tuition ratelets certain illegal immi-grants attend college atabout $3,578 per semester,about half the nonresidentrate.

Officials say 72 new and24 returning students haveregistered under the newrate.

University to offer lowertuition rate for illegal aliens