By Nate Brown
There was no question in my mind as I entered the Desert Star Playhouse in Murray that this production of Adams Family Reunion: A Series of FUNfortunate Events! would be a night to remember. The lighting by Bronson Todd and the set—designed and built by Louis Bitterman, Sterling Allen, Rick Bergsma,and Russ Gallegos—immediately evoke a spooky atmosphere that is one part Addams Family and one part Scooby-Doo. The audio by Jasmine Evans and Greg Nuismer has an upbeat, modern feel. With Jenna Farnsworth at the helm as light and sound tech, I settled into my seat and let the theater beckon me to relax, enjoy my food, and prepare to laugh.
If you haven’t been to the Desert Star Playhouse, you should know that this is a theater experience that will be different than other places. Catie Omer Quigley, our accompanist for the evening (David Slack,the musical director, also plays this part on some nights), starts the show by greeting those new to the theater and welcoming those returning. She goes on to teach the specific rules for the evening and banters wittily with . . . a skeleton.
Adams Family Reunion, written by Ben Millet and updated for 2019 by director Scott Holman, is the story of two families. The monstrous Adams clan has a property that is coveted by a greedy oil baroness, Mrs. Measley (Sara McDonald), who seeks to control real estate and her son Horace (Tynan Portillo, also played by Danny Eggers) with equally melodramatic fervor. As love develops between the children of the two families, perplexing questions arise that guide us through the rest of the show. Will young love survive? Will all the characters make it out of the show alive and with bodies intact? Will property rights require years of litigation to unravel the delicate equilibrium between homeownership, mineral rights, and corporate greed?
Horace Measley and Dementia Adams (Madison Bartell) develop a relationship that feels fresh out of a high school soap opera. Portillo comes across as young and naive, just the right amount of rebellious toward his mother, and just sweet enough to catch the eye of the Frankensteinian Dementia. Bartell brings the idea of “humanoid ragdoll” to life brilliantly on the stage. She floats with just enough strange movement and poise to trick the brain into wondering if she really is made up of hundreds of girls’ body parts. The romance between the two develops into a cute and innocent crush that warms the heart as they interact onstage.
McDonald’s appropriately exaggerated portrayal of Mrs. Measley and her short, barky attitude aptly create the domineering presence of the unethical baroness. Whether McDonald is opposite the Adams, her son’s imposed fiancé Heather (Brittany Shamy, also portrayed by the show’s capable choreographer, Hillary Akin Carey), or her husband (also Shamy and Carey), McDonald plays the villain with just enough heart to give you pause before you boo.
Shamy shows quite a range as Heather and the other characters she portrays and is a pleasure to watch onstage. Her role-swapping scenes with the comedic disembodied head, Bob (Lee Daily, also played by Daniel Akin), are uneven around the edges, but a hilarious diamond in the rough. I expect it will be incredibly amusing as their timing improves.
Daily’s portrayal of Bob Adams is limited dramatically by the lack of being able to use anything but his head. He makes the most of it, however—even his tongue becomes part of the stand-up routine. And yes, stand-up comedy from a comic without legs, torso, or arms is given its ironic due.
The rest of the Adams family support the cast honorably and move the story adeptly. The matriarch Cruella Adams (Samantha Isom, also played by Jessica Pearce) is beautiful and confident as one might expect. Her channeling of John Astin’s fits of passion at spoken keywords was a delightful gender-swapped bit. Patriarch Groucho Adams (Rick Miller, also played by Dann Howard) is equal parts mad-scientist and Marx Brother, and he brings a pleasant fatherly presence to the show. Akin, as the live-in uncle Cosmo (also played by Matt O’Malley), is enjoyable in both human and simian forms. Sometimes you may have difficulty remembering which is the actual Akin.
The costumes (Lynn Funk) and props (Collin Anderson, Brady C. Wilkinson, Kenz RaNae) flood the stage with color and support the cast unobtrusively. We saw more of stage manager Colin Anderson (also Brady C. Wilkinson) than I suspect was intended in the rough corners of this early-run performance. His cameos, however, seemed to heighten the comedy with a refreshing rawness rather than diminish it. It is worth noting that the second act does feel perhaps one song too long. I suspect as timing, pacing, and diction improve this feeling will pass.
As always, the show ends and the Desert Star Playhouse Olio begins, and in this case, the “spooktacular” music review might steal the show. Funk’s costumes become a significant centerpiece as actors sing out beloved spooky-themed hits, reminding us why Halloween is some folks’ favorite holiday.
Adams Family Reunion: A Series of FUNfortunate Events is appropriate for all ages and can be enjoyed as a date or as a family. Food is served right at your table from an a la carte menu, including gourmet pizza, fresh wraps, appetizers, and scrumptious desserts. There is also a full-service bar.
You will likely see advertisements for many Addams-Family-themed events this year, and I recommend seeing them all. Make sure that Adams Family Reunion: A Series of FUNfortunate Events is at the top of your list of spooky shows this season!
Desert Star Playhouse presents Adams Family Reunion: A Series of FUNfortunate Events by Ben Millet.
Playhouse Theater, 4861 S State Street, Murray, Utah, 84107
August 29 – November 9, 2019, times vary
Tickets: Adults $26.95, Children $15.95 (11 and under)
Contact: 801-266-2600
Desert Star Facebook Page
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