Kooky, Spooky, All Together Ooky - The Addams Family Musical

“They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, The Addams Family!” First a cartoon strip created by Charles Addams in the 1938 issue of The New Yorker, then a TV series in the mid ‘60s, The Addams Family is now a modern musical comedy. The beloved, but bizarre Addams Family comes to life on the Dennis Flyer stage at Camden County College July 27-29th.

Mainstage Center for the Arts presents this Broadway smash hit written by the creators the Jersey Boys’ Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with score by Drama Desk Award-winning composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa. It’s directed by Tom Weaver and assistant director Anne Marie Weaver of Cherry Hill with choreography by Grace Szczepkowski of Marlton and vocal direction by Jillian Clark of Gloucester Township.

The Addams Family is all about a clash of cultures, the story of Wednesday Addams (Alicia Cosena of Cherry Hill), the original ‘princess of darkness,’ and daughter of Gomez (Kevin Naddeo of Cherry Hill) and Morticia Addams (Annie Locke of Stratford). Now 18 years old, the snarky Wednesday has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke (Jackson Feudtner of Cherry Hill), a ‘normal’ young man from Ohio, whom she met while hunting with a crossbow in Central Park in New York City. The Beinekes (Alice/Courtney Bird of Cherry Hill and Mal /Alex Brown) come to dinner hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, her brother Pugsley (Dylan Stevens), Uncle Fester (Jack Granite of Cherry Hill), Grandmama (Allison Granite of Cherry Hill), and Lurch (Peter Slattery of Cherry Hill) headlong into night that will change the family forever.

“I am super excited to be playing the role of Wednesday Addams this summer at Mainstage Center for the Arts! This role has always been one that intrigued me. I thought that she would be a really fun challenge since she is a very complex character with many different layers to her. It has been fun to experiment with the different ways that she can react to different situations,” said Cosena. “This show is so entertaining; there is not a moment of the show where you won’t enjoy yourself!”

Locke is also enjoying developing her character, Morticia. “I personally grew up with the TV show adaptation of The Addams Family. Carolyn Jones was just genius in her portrayal of Morticia and I am so honored to be playing the same character, on the stage!” she added, “We have been having so much fun in rehearsal, and I am so looking forward to seeing how our audiences react to seeing The Addams Family singing, dancing, and as eccentric as ever.”

Weaver notes that this is a show that appeals to audiences of varying ages, “I’m taking inspiration from the situation comedy that many baby boomers will remember. Younger audiences may be more familiar with the recent Broadway production. Both are humorous and fun.”

Additional characters include: Puritan (Spencer Levy) Flight Attendant (Gabriella Velez) Soldier (Joseph Keegan), Jackie Cotter Conquistador (Jayson Borenstein) Saloon Girl (Cate Harding), Cavewoman (Hannah Marcellina), and the ancestors: Lauren Lee Brown, Dan Watts, Isabel Newel, Tenneh Kallon, Alyssa McHale, Victoria White, Allison Noel White, Gianna Burgio, Hailee Imperatore, Monjama Kalion, Breanna Lavricella Marti Wynne, Taylor Amato, Claire Coen, and Kaitlyn Hackett

The Addams Family Musical, sponsored Precision Power Wash, The Meadows Diner, YALE School, and 1st Colonial Bank runs July 27 and 28, 7:30 pm and July 29, 2:00 pm, in the fully accessible Dennis Flyer Theatre, Lincoln Hall, Camden County College. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for senior citizens, $15 for students 13-18, $12 for children 7 -12, $8 Group tickets are also available.. For tickets, visit www.mainstage.org. For more information, please call (856) 227-3091.

In addition to The Addams Family, the Summer Stage Children’s Theatre season includes The Little Mermaid, Jr, July 11-13, Camp Rock, July 18-20, Mary Poppins, Jr, July 25-27, and Magic Up Our Sleeve, August 1-3. Mainstage will present its 30th Anniversary Show on July 21, 7:30 pm and The Addams Family on July 27-29. In addition, the Video Film program will premiere short films on August 3 and the Mainstage Apprentice Campers will present Wonderland on August 5.

Photo credits: Dave Gruen Photography.