The Addams Family returns from the dead
They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky … and now they can sing! The classic show The Addams Family comes back from the dead in a new musical of the same name. The 11-time Tony Award-nominated musical is funny as well as clever.
Most of the musical focuses on the relationships between Gomez (Douglas Sills, Little Shop of Horrors), Morticia (Sara Gettelfinger, Seussical the Musical) and their daughter Wednesday (Cortney Wolfson, Legally Blonde: The Musical). While the three get along fairly well, Wednesday's newfound love for Lucas Beineke (Brian Crum, Grease) brings tension, as his family differs greatly from the Addams'. Lucas' family are guests at an Addams family dinner when Wednesday and Lucas decide to announce their engagement. Disaster ensues between the two families, and Gomez and Morticia's love is put to the test. In the end, with Uncle Fester's (Blake Hammond, Sister Act) help, love conquers all.
Creatively written, each song takes a stereotypical theme and tweaks it to fit the bizarre world the Addams family creates. For example, Pugsley (Patrick D. Kennedy, it is his first major role), Wednesday's younger brother, sings a sad song, "What If?" when describing how heartbroken he would be if his sister spent all of her time torturing Lucas instead of him. The audience easily relates to the brother's emotions, making the song successful even though the humor is quite dark and twisted. The final song, "Move Toward the Darkness," also showcases the sinister humor of the writers. Many musicals finish with an uplifting piece that inspires the audience members as they travel home. "Move Toward the Darkness" captures this inspiring tone quite well but subverts the conventional happy melody with dark lyrics.
The cast for this musical is the best overall cast I have ever seen on a Broadway tour. Each cast member sings perfectly on pitch and is completely audible the entire show. Even the younger members of the cast that play Wednesday, Lucas and Pugsley hold their own on stage, managing to keep up with the more seasoned performers.
From the graveyard to the Addams Family castle, the sets are all elaborate and spooky. During Uncle Fester's song, "The Moon and Me," the glow-in-the-dark set gives a terrific illusion that Fester is in fact flying toward the moon while serenading it with love poetry.
Overall, this musical is a delight for the whole family. Clever lyrics, a solid cast and great technicality make this show a success and worth the ticket price.
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