By Larisa Hicken
There’s something in the moat down in Payson this summer. As a part of the Onion Days Celebration, Payson Community Theater is performing The Addams Family, a new musical with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and lyrics by Andrew Lipps. The show is based on the deliciously dark characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams and made famous in the popular 60s television show, The Addams Family. In the 90s, two movies came out that brought this kooky family out of the shadows once again.
In a continuation of The Addams Family storyline, Wednesday Addams (daughter of Gomez and Morticia Addams) (Madelyn Shearer) has grown up and fallen in love with a “normal” boy and wants to get married – every parent’s nightmare. In order to see if the two families can possibly come together, Wednesday and fiancé Lucas Beineke (Charlie Flint) invite his family to dinner at the Addams’ home. Before dinner, Wednesday confides in her father about her wedding plans and asks him to keep a secret from her mother – something Gomez has never done in his life. On this one fateful night, we wonder if there really is such a thing as “normal” and what it really means to be a family.
The narrator of the story is Uncle Fester, the bald dark-eyed brother of Gomez. Played by Evan Kaiser, Fester is determined to enlist the dead Addams’ Family ancestors to help him bring together two people in love. Kaiser has great comedic timing and totally owns the stage with his ukelele. Having seen four different productions of this show, I have historically dreaded the scene where Fester sings “Moon and Me” to his true love – the moon. The song is long and repetitive and usually feels superfluous, however I have to take my wig off to Kaiser and director, Steve Poulsen, for turning this song into a fantastically delightful scene. I was giggling like a maniac through the whole thing. It’s worth the price of the ticket just to see this one number in the show. Props to Music Director Shannon Eden for this and many other beautiful melodies in Payson’s The Addams Family.
Part of what makes this scene (and really the whole show) so interesting to watch is the wonderful lighting design by Richard Lindsey. Not only does the contrasting warm and cool lighting show the audience where to focus their attention, but it also supports the character development and storyline. The use of black light in the graveyard scenes is fantastic with the all-white costumes of the ancestors. This show demonstrates how terrific a production can be with the perfect marriage of lighting and costumes.
The costumes, by designer Carisa Ewell, are a lot of fun. You know that when a show includes lots of yellow tear-away pants, and a transforming dress, it’s going to be spectacular. Many of the dead ancestors created their own unique characters and costumes, with coordination from assistant costumer, Miranda Duke, and they do a really nice job of bringing The Addams Family to life. The jaw-dropping set, designed by JD Madsen, creates the perfect background for the show’s chaos and catastrophe with delightful levels and textures.
The space is used well by the cast and choreographers Emma Black and Chantelle Wells can be proud of their dancers. The movements are ideally suited to support the story and perfectly aligned with the capabilities of the cast.
Madelyn Shearer portrays a tormented and obsessive but also endearing Wednesday Addams who feels “Pulled in a New Direction” by her love for her fiancé Lucas Beineke. Flint does a nice job as the “ordinary” boyfriend who wants to break free from what his parents and society expect of him. His gentle earnestness is a nice contrast to Shearer’s more intense characterization. Their chemistry is great and their voices blend beautifully.
Shearer also has great interactions with her father Gomez, played by Richie Trimble. Trimble manages to play Gomez well in both of his personalities as the tender father and husband and as the feisty and protective Spaniard. His voice has a rich timbre that is well-suited to the part.
Trimble is well-matched by Amanda Angerbauer as Morticia. Angerbauer has a spectacular voice and nearly flawless vocal technique. I would like to see even more fire and tension between Gomez and Morticia, especially during their tango, but they work well together and the blend of their voices is to die for.
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The Addams Family is rounded out by the masochistic son Pugsley, played by Ethan Hancock, and the senile but spunky Grandma, played by Julie Hancock. Ethan holds his own as one of the youngest cast members, and he could take his character even further if he continues to tap into his darker side. He has nice intonation and facial expressions and I expect great things from this young actor. Julie Hancock delivers her lines with just the right inflection and a dose of crazy. I would like to see even more tenderness between the grandma and Pugsley in their scenes together.
Mal Beineke, played by Stanley D. Johnson, has the perfect look for a traditional business man from Ohio. Johnson’s gorgeous voice is a pleasant surprise near the end of the show and is complemented well by his stage wife Alice Beineke, played by Tia Trimble. Trimble steals the show as Alice with a well-developed and interesting characterization. Her physical antics, facial expressions, and vocal modulations are fantastic and I continue to be impressed by the versatility of this beautiful actress.
After the show, I asked audience members what they thought of the production and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Guest Hannah Cary of Spanish Fork said, “It was a fun and interactive play. 10 out of 10!” and Tia Lee, also of Spanish Fork, said, “I loved all the humor and the dance numbers. I would definitely go again!”
Payson Community Theater’s production of The Addams Family is freakishly fantastic so make sure to buy your tickets in advance and don’t miss out on the opportunity to see this hilarious musical performed by a talented cast and supported by a spectacular crew.
Payson Community Theater presents The Addams Family, by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, and Andrew Lipps.
Payson High School, 1050 S Main St, Payson, UT 84651
August 31-September 2 7:30 PM. Sept 2, Sept 4 2:00 PM Matinee
Tickets: $10.00
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Cousin it was awesome along with all the ancestors the leads were great also but everyone should be mentioned when it was that awesome of a play they should take it on the road like the Egyptian in park city or even Tuacahn down in St Georgeif anybody has any ties get a hold of them because this is that good