The Ziegfeld The Addams Family Brings Spooky Fun to Ogden

By Skyler Bluemel

My thoughts as I drove to Ogden’s Ziegfeld Theater to see the fun Halloween musical The Addams Family ran something like this: As an ardent thespian and performer in the Salt Lake community, I have heard a few things about the Ziegfeld Theater (nicknamed “The Zig”) in Ogden, but not enough to actually form any sort of opinion. Every once in a while, I see marketing for a show here and there, or I know someone in one of the casts, but I hadn’t actually been there myself until now.

Unfortunately, the website does not say much about the theater itself nor the history of the company – just about their focus of providing entertainment of “professional standard, community spirit.” When I walked in, I first noticed the crowded lobby, the enticing smell of popcorn (in large buckets), and the expected spooky atmosphere of a production of The Addams Family. I was greeted by the hostess and informed that, in honor of opening night, they were provided some complimentary refreshments. Nice touch, Zig.

As I entered the theater, my first thought was of a re-purposed movie theater. I am not sure if that’s what it used to be, but that is the exact feel and set-up of the current theater. It reminded me of the scary movie theater in the Disney series Halloweentown – which, having grown up looking forward to watching it, caused me to get even more excited about the spooky, zany Addams family to welcome such Autumnal traditions.

I have seen productions of The Addams Family: A New Musical, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and music/lyrics by Andrew Lippa, every year for the past three years, and this one was easily one of my favorite productions. The story tells of the familiar and loved Addams family (from the TV series) thrown into an eventful evening when Wednesday Addams confesses her love and engagement to a “normal” boy from Ohio, Lucas Beineke. Hilarity and heartwarming lessons ensue when Lucas’ family comes to visit Wednesday’s for an evening of drinks, dinner, and—THE GAME! Filled with humor, despair, nostalgia, award-winning music, and life lessons to discuss on the drive home, this musical is easily one of my favorite October traditions.

The Zig’s production has everything – lights, atmosphere, humor, vocals, costumes, choreography, it is all superb. Morticia Addams, played by the beautiful Teanca Rossouw, presents the epitome of love and forgiveness; this beautiful woman simply oozes sexiness, which is a MUST for this iconic character. Her dancing ias exotic, controlled, driven, and fluid, while her vocals and character tell of beauty, strength, and a well-researched character. One thing I loved about her performance was the obvious dedication to her decisions – she  is Morticia because she convinced me that she can only act as Morticia would.

The entire cast is polished, dedicated, and precise in their movements and character-work. Gomez Addams (Jeremy R. Gross) performed very well, making me believe the part is easy to learn (though I know this is far from the truth). Pugsley Addams, played by young Isaac Allred, caught me by surprise with his energy, something I haven’t quite seen with the character before. I was pleased to realize that he stood his own against this cast of A-list performers, creating a beautiful dichotomy of ages while maintaining the required level of performance.

This production was directed by Eb Madsen. The show is filled with references to other classics, like The Sound of Music and Little Shop of Horrors. They brought a comedic flair to the performance, while not detracting from the mood nor the story. The choreography by Heidi Potter Hunt and the vocals directed by Jamie Balaich are nearly flawless. The dancing is so beautifully done that I experienced a rush with each musical number because I couldn’t wait to see what they would do next. The singing is nicely styled for the show and added a layer of intrigue to the ensemble that I hadn’t paid attention to in previous productions; the harmonies are tight, the production is healthy and supported, and the characters are enhanced through their vocal choices.

One last thing I would like to comment on is the song “The Moon and Me” sung by Uncle Fester, played by Daniel Akin. Almost every production that I have seen, has played off this number as humorous, silly, and melodramatic. I mean, the guy is in love with the moon, for goodness’ sake. However, in the Zig’s version of The Addams Family,  wise Madsen decides to validate Uncle Fester’s feelings toward the moon and her beauty, creating an authentic and riveting musical number. I find that in doing this, Madsen provides a deeper level of emotion and thought in the story. Most of the numbers in Act 1 are upbeat, belty, heavily textured, or thickly choreographed. While these are all fantastic, “The Moon and Me” sung tenderly and authentically provides a break in the story where the audience can reflect on the beauty of love (one of the loud messages of this show) and its inclusivity to all. Taking it one step further, Madsen has Rossuow dance the part of the mysterious and lovely moon, becoming the object of Fester’s love, and creating the very Greek idea that Morticia is the embodiment of all love, adding another layer to the family’s relationship, and especially Gomez and Morticia’s marriage. If I am mistaken and it was not performed by Rossuow, then whoever danced the part was just as beautiful, but I would like to believe that it was a lunar version of Morticia Addams.

The Addams Family: A New Musical is fun for the whole family. It is really the Halloween show and is played in several venues across the state every year. Make your way to the Ziegfeld Theatre in Ogden and see it with some touching touches you may have never seen before and the fun, spooky laughter you’ve come to expect.

The show runs October 12 to November 3 at the Ziegfeld Theater in Ogden, UT. There is a special fundraising performance for a new sound system on Saturday, October 20.
Tickets: $17-19
Ages: suitable for all ages, with just a few innuendos
3934 S. Washington Blvd. Ogden, UT 84403