West Hartford Summer Arts Festival Presents The Addams Family

In its 42nd season, the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival (SAF) proudly presents The Addams Family. Composed by Andrew Lippa and written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, The Addams Family made its debut on Broadway in 2009. Sara Demos Avery, West Hartford Summer Arts Festival Artistic Director, shares, “The Addams Family is a relatively new musical, but it evokes a lot of nostalgia for people who grew up watching the television show and the movies. As a result, it has been such a fun adventure to bring the classic characters to life with these young actors. The show also has a wonderful message about acceptance and the importance of family, which makes it a great evening out for people of all ages.

SAF was founded by current executive producer Haig Shahverdian in 1977 as a venue for West Hartford high school and college students to perform in high caliber productions of some of Broadway’s most famous musicals and plays. The role of Morticia will be played by Hayley Beth Eicher, a Kingswood Oxford graduate who is now attending Syracuse University. Speaking to SAF as an educational summer theater program, Hayley says “I love being a part of SAF because I always make great friends within the show and it is always fun doing the hard work to put the show together. The Addams Family has something for everyone and I think people who watched the show growing up will enjoy watching a new interpretation of their favorite characters. Morticia is a very strong woman who really owns who she is and holds her own. I think that she is really the glue of the Addams Family.” Since its inception, the program has found its focus centering on musicals and expanded to include participants outside of West Hartford. This year SAF has cast members from West Hartford, Avon, Simsbury, Berlin and many more.

In addition to Avery, the SAF creative team includes director and choreographer Kate Morran, music director Emmett Drake, staging director Michael Graham Morales, technical director and set designer Rorie Fitzsimons, and others.

Performances of The Addams Family will be held at Northwest Catholic High School on July 26th, July 27th, and July 28th at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20.00. To purchase tickets, please visit www.westhartfordsaf.com. For any questions, contact westhartfordsaf@gmail.com or call (860) 969-1723. SAF is sponsored by the Town of West Hartford’s Human & Leisure Services Department and the Department of Fine & Performing Arts.