All Entries in the "Krysta Rodriguez" 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.
Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor Answer Fan Questions
In the latest installment of Broadway.com’s “Ask A Star”, The Addams Family’s Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor answer questions from fans.
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!
Un-Happy Hour with The Addams Family
This sounds like fun!!
Un-Happy Hour with the Addams Family Cast
| When | Wed, October 20,6:00 pm – 7:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where | Village Pourhouse, Restaurant Row |
| Admission | Ticketed Event |
| Description |
Who: Join Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday Addams) and other cast members for 2 for 1 Pugsley Rum Punch, Jim Beam “Black” and Cokes and “Black” and Blue Beer Cocktails until 7:30pm The first 25 people to RSVP will receive a Free Pugsley Rum Punch What: Bring your ticket stub from THE ADDAMS FAMILY any Wednesday for 15% off your bar tab and make sure you ask for the limited edition $19.95 Pre-Show ADDAMS FAMILY Menu that includes a Complimentary Pugsley Punch (non-alcoholic version available) Where: Village Pourhouse Restaurant Row 366 West 46th St RSVP: Emily@Yourpartyplanning.com When: 6PM – 730PM
|
| Website | (click here) |
A Glimpse Into A (Two Performance) Day In The Life of Zachary James
from Playbill.com, PHOTO EXCLUSIVE…
By Matthew Blank
24 Aug 2010
Zachary James, The Addams Family’s butler Lurch, armed with a digital camera, offers a glimpse into a (two performance) day in the life of a Broadway performer, from morning wake-up to final curtain.
Placing the cursor over a picture will pause it, and reveal the caption.
Thank you, Playbill.com, and Mr. James, for these great pics!
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.
Cast members of “The Addams Family” to Perform at Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle has announced its events calendar for the month of July.
On Thursday, July 15 at 4:30pm, cast members of THE ADDAMS FAMILY will perform and sign copies of the original Cast Recording. Appearing at the event will be composer-lyricist Andrew Lippa, Bebe Neuwrith, Carolee Carmello, Zachary James, Adam Riegler, Wesley Taylor, Krysta Rodriguez and Jackie Hoffman.
Dance 10, Looks 10
Interesting piece from March about not just any Wednesday, but about our Wednesday. We didn’t know about the dance talent.
Broadway’s Spooky Starlet: Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta is so capable of commanding the stage with her body and movement, I’ve found more opportunities for the character to dance,” he says of the 25-year-old who plays Wednesday Addams. “We’ve incorporated quirky vocabulary for her, and I’m thrilled with the way Krysta is able to interpret it.”California Dreamin’
Growing up in Orange County, CA, Krysta was always “moving, grooving and dancing, even as a tiny girl,” she says. But she didn’t begin dance training until age 13, after cheerleading in middle school. She studied jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet and modern at the Jimmie DeFore Dance Studio and was part of the studio’s competition team. “While driving to one of my dance recitals, I noticed the car smelled different than the theater,” Krysta says. “I wanted to be around that theater smell all the time.” During a trip to NYC soon after that recital, Krysta saw eight Broadway shows! It was then that she realized the performers had to act, sing and dance, so when she returned home, she began taking acting and singing lessons.
That summer, Krysta auditioned for the Orange County High School of the Arts musical theater program. When she didn’t get in, she was devastated. But instead of giving up, Krysta enrolled in the school’s technical department. The choice worked in her favor. “I made sets and worked the lights and sound. Now I appreciate all the elements that go into a performance,” she says. “I also learned the shows—like A Chorus Line and Guys and Dolls—while I was working the spotlight.”
At the beginning of her sophomore year, Krysta re-auditioned for the musical theater program and was accepted. “I was so relieved,” she says. “I felt validated.” Soon she was earning lead roles in the school’s productions, including Marian in The Music Man. And the summer after her sophomore year, Krysta got another major boost: Francis Ford Coppola directed a staged production of Gidget at the OCHSA theater and cast the blossoming performer in the title role. A manager noticed her performance and helped her sign with an agent.
New York, New York
Krysta moved to NYC for college “because I needed to be there to take a real crack at my dream of being on Broadway,” she says. The then-17-year-old enrolled in the musical theater training program, CAP 21, at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The intense conservatory setting required her to amp up her dance training. “We took more dance class than anything else,” she says. “It was a wonderful way to brush up on all my skills.”
Krysta’s first Broadway role, in Good Vibrations, soon followed. Cast as a swing, she covered nine parts, including two leads, and was the assistant dance captain. Though she was always ready to perform at a moment’s notice, Krysta was experiencing her first Broadway show from the sidelines. “I wasn’t very integrated with the cast or part of a lot of the fun stuff, like press appearances,” she says. “Though I loved performing, it wasn’t the debut I had dreamed of.” The show was not well-received and closed after just three months.
Rebounding
Krysta bounced back two months later when Julie Andrews directed her in the tour of The Boy Friend, a light-hearted show that spoofed the fanciful musicals of the 1920s. “It was the best experience: Julie was everything you wanted her to be—encouraging, positive, hilarious—like Mary Poppins and Maria from The Sound of Music rolled into one,” Krysta says. “Being around her and the show restored why I do this. I was grateful to be back onstage.”
Upon her return to NYC, a reinvigorated Krysta scored a swing/ensemble role in Spring Awakening and had the Broadway debut she’d always dreamed of in a show she adored. Soon after, she took on the part of Bebe in the revival of A Chorus Line.
The rigorous dance training she received under A Chorus Line’s Baayork Lee, who originated the role of Connie and assisted with the show’s revival choreography, was the perfect preparation for Krysta’s next challenge: In The Heights. Andy Blankenbuehler, the show’s choreographer, says he had wanted to work with Krysta ever since he’d met her at an industry event one year earlier. “She exploded as a young personality, injecting energy into the Broadway scene,” he says. At the auditions, she proved his initial impression right. “There comes a time in the auditions when we know we love a person after singing and acting. But can they dance? Finding the person who covers leads and dances in the ensemble is hard,” he explains. “Krysta is that person.”
Krysta’s ability to create character-driven movement also sets her apart. Blankenbuehler says this is one of her best assets. “Krysta dances with character first. It’s not just steps,” he says. “Right from the beginning of rehearsals with her for In the Heights, she danced like she was from Washington Heights. When she covered Vanessa and put on that red dress, her hips swishing everywhere, she transformed again. That’s a Broadway performer.” Now, Krysta’s utilizing these assets in The Addams Family, which opens in previews this month.
With vibrant movement and endless dedication, there’s no doubt the girl who can do it all will continue to be in the spotlight. “There are only a few people with the skill set Krysta has,” Blankenbuehler says. “She’s rare. She has the technical chops to tell the story in three ways, and that’s why people like me will always want her in their shows. She’s magnetic.”
Photos from top: Krysta as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family by Joan Marcus; Krysta as Bebe in A Chorus Line courtesy Krysta Rodriguez
Wes Taylor and Krysta Rodriguez Sing “Crazier Than You” at Joe’s Pub
Playbill.com’s Cue & A with Krysta Rodriguez
PLAYBILL.COM’S CUE & A: Krysta Rodriguez
By Ernio Hernandez
13 Apr 2010
Krysta Rodriguez — currently appearing in the new Broadway musical The Addams Family — fills out Playbill.com’s questionnaire with random facts, backstage trivia and pop culture tidbits.
Full given name: Krysta Anne Rodriguez
Hometown: Orange, CA
Zodiac sign: Leo
Audition song: “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen, not the “Hallelujah Chorus.” People get confused.)
First Broadway show ever saw: Fiddler on the Roof, 1990
If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? Original Production of Sweeney Todd
Current show you have been recommending to friends: Next Fall! Go see it!
Favorite show tune: The entire score of Children of Eden, “Losing My Mind” from Follies, “Pulled” from The Addams Family (no joke).
MAC or PC? I was a firm PC person my entire life, but when the last one crashed, I finally broke down and got the MAC. I’m a full convert.
Last book you read: “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. It’s only in hardcover, and it’s 464 pages but it’s totally worth it.
Must-see TV show: “The Office” (American version). I know this is going to cause controversy, but Steve Carell is so brilliant that I will stand behind it no matter what.
Favorite board game: Ask anyone who knows me, I’m a MAJOR gamer. Catchphrase, Running Charades, Celebrity, Cranium, all of these are golden.
Pop culture guilty pleasure: Reality TV. I think you can learn a lot about acting from watching real people in extreme situations. Human behavior is so fascinating when challenged.
First stage kiss: I was playing Marian in The Music Man in high school, and I had to kiss Harold Hill. It was my first stage kiss and his first kiss ever! We had to choreograph it very specifically so that it didn’t look too awkward.
Favorite post-show meal: Spicy Chili Chicken Cup o’ Noodles. So classy.
How you got your Equity card: Playing Helen in Bye Bye Birdie at Encores! One of the most fun experiences and my first New York gig!
Worst onstage mishap: During our out-of-town Chicago tryout, Wes Taylor (who plays my boyfriend Lucas in The Addams Family) and I were finishing our duet, “Crazier Than You.” Near the end of the song, he’s supposed to run to me and we finish the song and kiss. Before he can start to move to me, the scrim starts coming down in between us! Just as I resign myself to the fact that I’m not only going to finish our love duet alone but also be stranded onstage, Wes dove under the scrim stomach first, narrowly missing being crushed by the scrim and STILL SINGING! He says he felt like a baseball player — I say he looked like Shamu coming up onshore. The best part about it was the audience reaction. They honestly thought it was part of the show but that it was a bad choice. The confused applause was hysterical.
Favorite junk food: Flaming Hot Cheetos
Who would play you in the movie? Probably one of the girls from the new “90210.”
TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: I did a guest spot on “Gossip Girl,” which was very fun. I made out with Chase Crawford, and I still get middle-aged women who come up to me and ask how it was.
Leading lady role you’ve been dying to play: Sally Bowles in Cabaret.
Your favorite Halloween costume: Last year a group of friends from The Addams Family cast, my boyfriend Noah Weisberg and I were the cast from “The Rachael Zoe Project.” I was Rachael, Noah was Roger, Clark Johnson was Taylor, Charlie Sutton was Brad and Samantha Sturm was their sad assistant Jordan. We looked SPECTACULAR. We definitely “shut it down.”
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.
Watch Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor on Seth’s B’way Chatterbox
On Thursday, March 18, Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor were guests on Seth Rudetsky’s live show, Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox. See the show here, courtesy of BroadwayWorld.com:
Addams Family’s Rodriguez and Taylor Featured on Seth’s B’Way Chatterbox
ADDAM’S FAMILY stars Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor will be the featured guests on Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox this evening, Thursday, March 18 at 6pm. Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox is a one hour weekly talk show at Don’t Tell Mama, hosted by Seth Rudetsky. The show is taped in front of a live audience and airs on BroadwayWorld.com Radio Mondays at 7pm, Wednesdays at 10pm and Sundays at noon.
To attend Chatterbox, there is a $10 donation and a two-drink minimum. The donation goes directly to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the nation’s leading industry-based, not-for-profit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization.
If you aren’t able to see the show in person, check back here for a link when it airs.
