By Eliza Een
Using characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938 to satirize the ideal nuclear American family, this musical by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, and Andrew Lippa frolicks in the frightening and delights in the dreadful while connecting to wholesome family values. The Addams Family musical features Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandma, Fester, and Lurch Addams as they meet Wednesday’s new boyfriend, Lucas, and his parents Alice and Mal Beineke. The ensemble of the show is made up of the ghosts of Addams family ancestors, there to ensure that love wins the day. The Addams Family originally opened on Broadway in 2010 and has since astonished audiences all over the US. Now, it is brought to you by the talented director Julie Bonifay and her crew.
Even before the curtain rises, the cast catches your attention and the beat with the familiar Addams Family theme song. And this really sets the stage for the rest of the show, which is one delightful and high-energy surprise after another. Much of this energy is brought by the ancestors, who are certainly the liveliest bunch of stiffs you’ll ever meet! While the grayscale costumes (designed by Kelsey Seaver) of the ancestors could make them blend into the background, each one stands out in their own unique way and adds to the dramatic flair of the Addams family.
Wednesday Addams is a spunky girl with a violent streak who has found herself hopelessly in love with a perfectly normal guy, and Sydney Swalberg brilliantly balances both sides with loveable charm and spunky charisma. Swalberg has a unique relationship with each of her family members as Daddy’s little girl, the teasing older sister, and Mom’s mini-me. Her chemistry with Lucas (Danny Kenny) grows throughout the show as they find their way to accept each others’ crazy. Kenny’s Lucas is every bit the loveable boy next door, but with Wednesday he can embrace his wild side. Kenny charms the audience and his prospective father-in-law in “Crazier Than You.”
Wednesday and Lucas’ love story may be the driving force of the plot, but Gomez and Morticia are not to be outdone when it comes to marital affection. Garrett Smit’s Gomez plays the enamored husband with delightful eccentricity. Torn between letting down his daughter and keeping a secret from his wife, Smit tries to navigate his duties as a husband and father with emotions that are “Happy Sad.” Morticia (Lauren Billings) is the object of his adoration and the mistress of misery in the Addams house. Billings is glamorous, and she commands attention from the audience and her husband Gomez at all times with her charisma and her dexterous dancing. Her intuition and confidence in her marriage relationship shows Alice Beineke (Lauren Slagowski) how to liven up her own marriage.
Alice and Mal Beineke (Joel Griffiths) are average, everyday Ohioans who find themselves out of their depth in the Addams household. Slagowski and Griffiths are uptight and tidy in their portrayals at first, but like their characters, they have a wild side as well. Slagowski is a standout for the range in her character. Pugsley (Iuli Peters) is the doting younger brother who starts to wonder “What If” he’s no longer going to be his sister’s favorite person to torture. After talking with the kooky and spooky Grandma Addams (Alyssa Perez), Pusgley comes up with a plan to keep the status quo. The Addams family just wouldn’t be the same without the zombie-like presence of Lurch (Merick Masters), who towers above the others and quietly stole the show. Uncle Fester (Samuel Benson) serves as a narrator of sorts for the show, and has their own romantic pursuits that send them over the moon! Benson is our connection to the Addams ancestors and keeps the focus on love in all its forms.
The set itself, designed by Shawn Herrera, is bold and versatile like the Addams themselves, with practical fog effects that help to set the mood. There isn’t a bad seat at the SCERA, so those wishing to avoid the fog zone can enjoy the show from a comfortable distance.
This fun musical with classic characters is family friendly with a few adult jokes and a fascination for the macabre. It’s the perfect show for spooky season! Bring your boys and ghouls to make a call on The Addams Family at the SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem, UT!
SCERA Center for the Arts presents The Addams Family by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, and Andrew Lippa
745 S State St, Orem, UT 84058
September 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 29, 30, October 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 at 7:30 PM
Tickets: Child (3-11) $12, Senior (65+) $12, Adult $14
Contact: 801-225-2787
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