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The Addams Family Musical An Entertaining Afternoon of Theatre

Catherine (me) and Rick Elice

Last weekend was a whirlwind of friends, parties, and great Broadway entertainment!  AND I was able to spend some time with my favorite Broadway writer, Rick Elice.  Rick is that rare breed of celebrity who is unassuming, humble and completely genuine.  He is such a pleasure to know – one would never guess he has two of the top 10 shows currently running on Broadway.

While Saturday was all about Jersey Boys, Sunday was reserved for The Addams Family.  I had second row center seats for the matinee – up close and personal - and I was a little bit nervous.  There have been mixed reviews, not only from the critics, but from a few of the readers here on the blog, and I didn’t want to go in with any preconceptions about the show.  So, I went in with an open mind, and I had a blast!

From the opening number “When You’re An Addams”, to the final curtain, I had a smile on my face and a laugh in my throat.  I don’t want to get into a scene by scene analysis – that’s been done to death.  I just want to share my thoughts.

Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth were wonderful as Gomez and Morticia, two parents facing what all parents face when they realize that their baby is all grown up and about to leave the nest.  Of course, not all parents face it in quite the same way!  Bebe was gorgeous!  Her flawless skin and deadpan expression were classic Morticia.  She danced beautifully, and her “Just Around The Corner” was one of my favorite numbers.  Nathan definitely lived up to the hype.  His comedic timing is impeccable, and he had the audience in stitches.

Kevin Chamberlin was hilarious as the “moonstruck” Uncle Fester.  He really got into his oddball personae, and the audience loved him.

Jackie Hoffman as Grandma was as hysterical as everyone says.  Although her role was small, she made the most of each and every line, leaving the audience doubled over in laughter.  At one point during “dinner”, she was obviously ad-libbing, talking about running the mara…mara…mara..thon (NY marathon was run that day), and the cast was laughing so hard, Bebe actually had to lay her head on the table so the audience wouldn’t see.  Of course, being in the second row, I could see her head shaking!

As the tormented young couple, Wednesday Addams and Lucas Beineke, Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor were fantastic.  They portrayed just the right amount of teenage angst, mixed with a craziness that comes with young love.  Krysta’s voice was crystal clear, with a bit of a rock edge to it, and Wesley was a perfect accompaniment.  Their “Crazier Than You” was another of my favorites.  I’ll be keeping an eye on their careers, I’m betting they go far.

Carollee Carmello and Terrence Mann played Alice and Mal Beineke, Lucas’s “normal” parents from Ohio.  If that’s normal, I’d hate to see odd.  She with her bright yellow dress and rhyming speech, and he with his tough-guy “I won’t be pushed around” act (until I meet the right squid), were very entertaining, and they played the roles to perfection.

As Lurch, the mostly silent butler, Zachary James was brilliant.  And Adam Riegler was terrific as Pugsley.   He had a fantastic voice for such a young age, and was very enjoyable to watch.  His sadness at realizing his sister was growing up and wouldn’t be around to “play” with him much longer was very touching.

And last, but certainly by no means least, the Ancestors were all superb.  Each one had his/her own personality, they danced beautifully, and the way they were utilized onstage was ingenious.

On the top of my list of ”high points” has to be the set design.  Congratulations to Julian Crouch and Phelim McDermott for a tremendous job!  Basil Twist’s puppetry was also spectacular, adding a layer of creativity not seen in many shows.  And, as usual, Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman wrote a great story, with a perfect mix of humor, seriousness, and Charles Addams absurdity.

“Just Around The Corner” and  ”Crazier Than You” were my favorite musical numbers, with “When You’re An Addams” and the tango scene following close behind.   Gomez had two ballady numbers that dragged a bit (for me), but Nathan performed them beautifully.  And Uncle Fester and the moon, and Mal Beineke and the squid were a bit over the top, but hey, this is the Addams Family - they are over the top!

Please bear with me while I vent….I know this is a family friendly show, and yes, they sell candy at the concession stand, but people, this is a high dollar Broadway show, not a movie theater.  Please have the courtesy to NOT open loud candy wrappers, slurp noisily on lollipops, or rifle through your shopping bags in the middle of the performance (yes, I experienced all of this within two rows of me, and the perpetrators were all adults.)  This is not only rude to your fellow audience members, but most especially to the cast.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the entire Addams Family ‘family’ for an exciting and entertaining afternoon of theatre!

New And Improved Addams Family Musical Hits Broadway Running

photo by Matt Hoyle

Share Your Experience

If you’ve seen The Addams Family Musical, please share your experience with others!  Just post a comment to this article, and others can join in the  ”conversation”.  If you have pictures you would like to share, just e-mail them to afblog@comcast.net, and I will post them here.