By Breanne Sanders
When you step into the Hopebox Theater in Kaysville, Utah, this month, you’ll be transported to the graveyard where the Addams family’s ancestors rest. You’ll pass by caution tape and headstones. Fog hangs in the air, and red lights behind the set glow like the light of an eerie dawn. Flickering candles complete the spooky vibe. Friendly chatter from the audience mingles with the fog until the production begins with the words, “Welcome, foolish mortals.”
The Addams Family Musical (book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa) begins with the classic theme song from the 60s television show, which quickly has the audience snapping along. The Addams then enter the stage and dance on the graves of their ancestors to awaken them and spend one night honoring them. As the ancestors come to life, they bring loads of personality with them, which is enhanced by the meticulous costuming by Jan Williams (with the help of Kelsey Porter, Makayla Riddle, and Julie Williams). Each ancestor’s costume and mannerisms are unique and delightful to watch.
When the dance is over and the ancestors try to return to their rest, Uncle Fester (Chris Thomas/Spencer Mack) explains that they must stay in the realm of the living to help Wednesday Addams (Isabelle Steele/Kate Potter) with her latest problem—being in love with a normal boy, Lucas Beineke (Wyatt Welch/Ethan Hoffman).
Wednesday and Lucas invite the Beinekes over to the Addams home for dinner. The set design of the Addams’s house by Curtis Dalton and Sadie Day is the picture of a haunted mansion. The Beinekes attempt to be polite but are clearly put off by their unusual hosts, especially Cousin Itt (Brent Johnson/Nate Spackman) and Lurch (Joseph Stamps/Ross Lobato), whom they refer to as a “zombie butler.” Soon, chaos ensues as the bright, “normal” family clashes with the dark, kooky one.
As the two mothers, Morticia (Sarah Johnson/Brighton Sloan) and Alice (Maddie Lallie/Mollee Steele), attempt to bond, they share a fantastic dance number, choreographed by Heather Sessions. Meanwhile, Pugsley (Coen Beckstrand) sings the plaintive song “What If” in a crystal-clear voice, revealing his melancholy that his older sister has turned her attention away from torturing him. Grandma Addams (Mikelle Atkinson) tries to comfort him, always including plenty of comic relief with her advice.
Through it all, stalwart Gomez Addams (Adam West/Brett Johnson) tries to lead his family through this new territory. We see his love for his wife and children as he tries to please everyone and uphold the family values. The lighting design by Derek Raynor adds to both the dramatic and comedic effect of Gomez’s thoughts as Gomez sometimes steps into a spotlight to ponder his decisions. As tensions run high throughout the evening, Gomez does his best to welcome Lucas’s father, Mal Beineke (Craig Hovorka), despite their obvious differences.
Directed by Sadie Day (assistant director Feliciana Lopez Goodman, music director Karlie Ady, music assistant Kelsey Porter), The Addams Family Musical will make you laugh and possibly cry as you connect with the frustrations of life changes and relationships. But as Gomez says, “I’m sad and happy, why should I choose?”
The Hopebox Theater’s mission is to help the community, specifically those battling cancer, and their wall of hope recipient for this show is Stephanie Fisher, a single mother of three who is battling breast cancer. The donations Hopebox collects will go to Stephanie to help her adjust to a new normal and make positive life changes as she strives to put her “family first, and family last, and family by and by” just like the Addams do.
The Addams Family Musical with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Based on The Addams Family characters created by Charles Addams
Hopebox Theatre, 1700 S Frontage Road, Kaysville, UT 84037
October 14–29, 2022 (Silver and Teal casts on alternating nights.)
Tickets: $14 to $20 (Discounts for children, seniors, and military. Extra cost for closing night.)
Contact: 801-451-5259, hopeboxtheatre@fron2177
Hopebox Theatre Facebook Page
Hopebox Theatre Website
Addams Family Electronic Playbill
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