All Entries in the "Kevin Chamberlin" Category
The Addams Family Broadway Takes Final Bow
The Addams Family played its final Broadway performance on Sunday, December 31 after 725 performances and 34 previews.
Since beginning previews on March 8 2009, The Addams Family has been seen by more than 748,000 people. Prior to Broadway, The Addams Family played an 8 week engagement at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, where it grossed more than $12 million, making it the most successful Broadway tryout in Chicago’s history.
The national tour of The Addams Family launched on September 15 at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre for the Performing Arts in New Orleans and is booked in more than 30 cities through 2012.
Get a look back at the production, from Chicago to Broadway and beyond, below!
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus (Broadway, Chicago); Jeremy Daniel (Tour)
The current Broadway cast of The Addams Family starred Brooke Shields as Morticia, Roger Rees as Gomez; Brad Oscar as Fester, Rachel Potter as Wednesday, Jackie Hoffman as Grandma, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Heidi Blickenstaff as Alice Beineke, Adam Grupper as Mal Beineke and Jesse Swenson as Lucas Beineke; the original Broadway cast included Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia, Terrence Mann as Mal Beineke, Carolee Carmello as Alice Beineke, Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman as Grandma, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez as Wednesday.
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!
Nathan Lane and Kevin Chamberlin Eyeing New Roles?
NATHAN LANE MAY PLAY ‘THE NANCE’
By PATRICK HEALY, The NY Times Art Beat
October 5, 2010, 11:00 am
What’s next for Nathan Lane, after his Broadway run in “The Addams Family” ends in the spring? Mr. Lane is considering Douglas Carter Beane’s new play, “The Nance,” about a performer who played the role of the nance in burlesque shows in the early-20th century.
Nance, or nancy boy, is disparaging slang for an effeminate or homosexual man, and nances were popular theatrical figures, akin to blackface performers, during the 1920s and ’30s. Mr. Beane, in a telephone interview, said he held a reading of the play in his living room about a month ago with Mr. Lane, Benjamin Walker (“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”), Daphne Rubin-Vega (“Rent”) and Kevin Chamberlin (“The Addams Family”), and that he was hoping to do a reading guided by a director at Lincoln Center Theater this season.
“Nathan is certainly interested, and was excited about the role,” said Mr. Beane, a Tony Award nominee for “The Little Dog Laughed” whose plays also include “Mr. & Mrs. Fitch” and “As Bees in Honey Drown.” “I’m hopeful. I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, in a weird way, considering it’s my first real period piece.”
Andre Bishop, artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater, said he was “very interested in producing ‘The Nance’ but nothing is firmed up yet in terms of where and when.” He added that Mr. Lane was interested in portraying the main character, who plays the nance in shows at the Irving, a downtown theater, during the era when Mayor Fiorello La Guardia was moving to ban burlesque in New York City.
Asked what about “The Nance” interested him, Mr. Bishop said: “The play has lots of hilarious old routines in it with lots of innuendo and double-entendres. But the play is also painful, as times and moral judgments changed. I think it is wonderful.”
Mr. Lane did not reply to two days of inquiries relayed by his publicist, Simon Halls. But Mr. Halls confirmed that Mr. Lane “loves the play and is excited by the prospect of doing it.”
Jonas Brothers Visit The Addams Family
Nick and Kevin Jonas, along with little brother Frankie, visited another famous family this week – The Addams Family!
For more pics, visit broadway.com.
Kevin Chamberlin, on Being Thrice-Nominated
What’s Up, Kevin Chamberlin? The Addams Family Tony Nominee Knows Good Things Come in Threes
by Beth Stevens, Broadway.com
It would be a cheap—but fitting—joke to say that The Addams Family’s Kevin Chamberlin is over the moon about his third Tony nomination. The versatile actor, who has made a name for himself on Broadway with performances in Dirty Blonde, Seussical, The Ritz, Chicago, Triumph of Love and more, is both pleased and perplexed about his latest Tony nod. He’s pleased for the usual reasons, and a little perplexed that his hit show did not receive more love from the Tony nominators. Nevertheless, the affable actor chatted with Broadway.com on a recent afternoon about the joys of being a three-time nominee, and the word he wants to make popular.
So, you’re a three-time Tony nominee now!
Yeah, thrice-nominated. I’m using the word “thrice’ now. I’m trying to bring it back; it’s never used anymore.
How does it feel to be thrice-nominated?
It never gets old, I’ll tell you. Hopefully I won’t be thrice-nominated, though; I’ll be twice-nominated, with one win.
You are the elder statesman of your category.
Yes! I’m the oldest in the category. That should count for something, right? It’s like the Equity rule: I should win just by the number of weeks worked.
What are some of the perks of being a Tony nominee?
Well, we don’t get the Tony gift basket anymore. You used to get incredible swag—there was like $5,000 worth of stuff. I remember getting an MP3 player, gift certificates to restaurants, a three-year gym membership. There’s nothing like that now.
Do you feel a great responsibility in representing The Addams Family at the awards?
Yes, [composer] Andrew [Lippa] and I are representing. If I do win, I will definitely be all about sharing it with the company. We are a tight-knit group—it is a true ensemble. It was very hard to come into work on that Tuesday after the nominations came out because I wanted to be really happy and enjoy it and be pure, but I also felt a lot of people were looked over.
Were your castmates supportive?
Oh, incredible. How could they not be? It’s so not up to us, and we’ve been actually enjoying our underdog status.
Is it strange that this show can have “underdog status” in terms of awards when it’s such a hit at the box office?
It’s a head-scratcher, isn’t it?
The cliché that you’re laughing all the way to the bank seems to hold true here.
Yes, we are. Awards do not pay the mortgage [laughs].
What are the challenges in playing a character based on a cartoon?
You want to pay homage, but you want to also put your own mark on it. I think that was helped by the writers who really gave Fester a heart. I wanted to expand that heart and make it a three-dimensional character as opposed to a cartoon. Because really, that’s what these characters are: They’re based on one-panel cartoons. I went back to the original drawings and looked at all the Fester cartoons. He always comes from a place of glee.
Are you having fun being the narrator and getting to address the audience?
It’s a double-edged sword. If the scene doesn’t go well, I’m the one who has to direct myself and say, “OK, what am I going to change tomorrow night because that joke didn’t land?” Whereas if you’re in a scene with someone, it’s usually, “What is that person going to give me tonight that’s different and how is that going to change the rhythm of the joke?” Especially with comedy, it’s such a scientific thing. I call it my PIT theory: Pitch, intention, timing. I just made up that acronym. I’m going to start teaching classes, “The PIT technique with Kevin Chamberlin,” and charge $1,000 a class. I think it’ll be very valuable for the young kids.
You’re working with some very adept comedians. Do you guys crack each other up?
We try not to. I’m the worst. I get angry at myself because I don’t want it to become like the Harvey Korman/Tim Conway show. I always want to stay in character. Sometimes I have to go to a very dark place in my head to stop myself from laughing.
What makes awards season meaningful?
Hearing from people from your faraway distant past—that’s the most moving for me. Getting calls from the people who believed in you early on, like Claudia [Shear]—she and James Lapine are responsible for this. They put me on the map as an actor who could star in a Broadway show [with Dirty Blonde in 2001]. I wish my parents were around for all this.
Did they see you make it to Broadway?
They saw me in My Favorite Year [Chamberlin’s Broadway debut in 1992], yeah.
But they had no idea you’d be thrice-nominated.
No, they didn’t. Bravo, by the way—good use of the word “thrice.”
Kevin Chamberlin on Uncle Fester
Tony and Drama Desk nominee Kevin Chamberlin riffs on Uncle Fester, courtesy of playbill.com .
“The Addams Family” Visits Borders at Columbus Circle
On Friday, May 14th, Borders Columbus Circle will present “The Addams Family: From Page to Stage”. At the event, Sarah Henry, curator of the Charles Addams Exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, will lead a discussion with The Addams Family creative team members Andrew Lippa (Composery/Lyricist), Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman (Book Writers). Joining them will be Kevin Miserochhi, author of the new collection of Charles Addams drawings entitled “An Evilution”.
The event will begin at 5pm with a discussion of the show’s development, as well as a performance by Tony nominee Kevin Chamberlin, and members of The Addams Family cast.
Drama Desk 8, Tony 2
With the two measly Tony nominations for Addams Family, the eight Drama Desk nominations look just fine to the producers, I’m sure. I have them listed below.
It’s curious to me how two such well-established awards could have such drastically different outcomes. La Cage Aux Folles led the musicals in Tony noms (11) but actually had one fewer Drama Desk nom than Addams Family.
Anyone care to comment?
Drama Desk Nominations for The Addams Family
Outstanding Musical
Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Nathan Lane
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Kevin Chamberlin
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Carolee Carmello,
Outstanding Music: Andrew Lippa
Outstanding Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Outstanding Lighting Design: Natasha Katz
Outstanding Set Design: Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist
Note: Drama Desk made an executive decision to include Basil Twist’s puppetry under Set Design.
Joe’s Pub A Hot Spot on May 3rd for Addams Family Fans
Kevin Chamberlin
At 9:30, two-time Tony nominee Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester, The Addams Family) will offer Kevin Chamberlin and Friends Present: Broadway Sings TV . The show, which will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, will spotlight Chamberlain and other theatre performers singing TV theme songs from the 60s through the 90s.
As if that weren’t enough, following that show…..
Mitch Jarvis, Krysta Rodriguez, Wesley Taylor, Lauren Molina and Matt Doyle
THE ADDAMS FAMILY’s Wesley Taylor (Lucas Beineke) brings ‘Wesley & Friends’ to the stage at 11:30. Joining Wesley will be AF co-star Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday Addams), along with friends Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Mitch Jarvis (Fiddler on the Roof, Rock of Ages), and Lauren Molina (Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages). The concert will feature pop tunes, show tunes and original tunes.
Joe’s Pub is located at 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY. For ticket information, call (212) 539-8778, or click here to visit their web site.
The Addams Family Musical Review “Recap”
Broadway In Chicago’s pre-Broadway world premiere presentation of The Addams Family, a new musical based on the bizarre family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, opened Wednesday, December 9 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts’ Oriental Theater. The production continues in Chicago through January 10, and will play Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre beginning March 4, with an anticipated opening date of April 8.
The musical stars Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia Adams, with Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester), Jackie Hoffman (Grandmama), Zachary James (Lurch), Adam Riegler (Pugsley), and Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday) rounding out the “Family”. Playing the “family who comes to dinner” are Terrence Mann and Carolee Carmello as Mal and Alice Beineke, and Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke, Wednesday’s love interest.
The production features direction and design by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
Wednesday night’s performance was attended by many critics whose reactions are mixed, but the consensus is decidedly positive. Excerpts of some of those reviews follow:
By Hedy Weiss, Theater Critic, The Chicago Sun Times
“…there is rarely a dull moment as each grand shock of the new, each adjustment to change, each recognition of aging and each surprising rebirth wraps its arms itself around the characters of “The Addams Family.”
By Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
Sneak-Peek Video of Vanity Fair Shoot
Great behind-the-scenes footage from the recent photo shoot of The Addams Family portrait for Vanity Fair’s December issue.
