By Keana Rose Hilario ’20
An eccentric father with an accent like Dracula’s? A mother who has a name meaning “death”? A daughter who never smiles and is stuck in a deep hole? A brother who has unusual engineering skills? A very old energetic grandma who’s a witch?
What family can this be???
Why, of course, they are members of the Addams family! Students will get to meet this eccentric clan when the Genesians Drama Club presents The Addams Family, A New Musical. The production opens Friday, November 10th, at 7:30 p.m. for four performances through Sunday, November 13th, on campus.
The signature theme song of The Addams Family, the popular TV series that was later turned into a movie and a sequel, has impacted pop culture for generations. Who can resist snapping their fingers to the song’s opening lyrics:
They’re creepy and they’re kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They’re altogether ooky,
The Addams Family.
(Click, Click)
The Addams Family musical, however, promises not to be as dark as either the movies or the series. In fact, the musical takes a huge plot twist that makes everyone surprised: The beloved sadistic daughter of the Addams Family falls in love. Wednesday Addams, now 18, meets Lucas Beineke, a wealthy “normal” sweetheart and plans to marry him. However, she must seek approval from her family, and that means her parents must face the inevitable: Little Wednesday is all grown up, and Lucas is “too normal” for their family. Dealing with these obstacles, the Addams family must adapt to change.
Behind the musical, the cast and crew are working really hard to set the macabre yet wacky atmosphere of the Addams Family. Many of the cast members auditioned due to their love of performing and musicals.
“I really enjoyed the production last year so I wanted to do another musical again,” says sophomore Grace Egbe, an ensemble member. “I enjoy performing and making people happy.”
For freshman Lola Jamin, this is her first time performing for a musical as an ensemble member. “I feel really excited and grateful for being a part of the ensemble,” she says. Her main inspiration was when she used to watch high school plays during middle school. “I’m really excited to be a part of the show and can’t wait to perform.”
Senior Alex Tandon has mixed feelings about being in the production for this will be one of her last IH performances. “It hasn’t really hit me, but I do hope the musical is fun this year, because it’s the last one,” she says. She is also excited for the costumes, because she has fond memories of the ball gown she wore in the school’s production of Once Upon a Mattress.
Similarly, sophomore Lauryn Chamberlain is excited for the costumes. “I love musicals, because of the songs, pretty costumes, and makeup. I am very excited to have a costume, to dance, and to sing to the songs,” she says.
This year junior Cassidy O’Connell will portray Gomez Addams. This will be her 14th musical, her first being Sally in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in first grade, a performance that sparked her love for musical theater. She expects the audience to know that the musical “will be very different from the TV show, and the movie, and it’s just very new to what we know about the Addams Family.”
As for her portrayal of Mr. Addams, she says, “Gomez is a particularly fun character to play because of his flamboyant personality, his dedication to his family, and his passion for living life the way he does.”
The complete cast features Cassidy O’Connell as Gomez Addams; Emily Morejon as Morticia Addams; Savannah Smith as Wednesday Addams; Gabby Karaki as Pugsley Addams; Faye Turner as Fester Addams; Nicolette Nuzzi as Grandma Addams; Emma D’Atri as Lurch; Tasja Drahveen as Lucas; Camille Orozco as Alice; and Laya Chessman as Mal. Ensemble members include Shea Sprague, Taleen Angoorly, Lola Jamin, Sophia Weiland, Olivia Fries-Farr, Cindy Rivera, Lauryn Chamberlain, Justice Kochevar, Fiona Riley, Grace Egbe, Alex Tandon, and Alexa Bayliff.
With the cast and crew’s dedication and passion, the musical is sure to be a success. Tickets are $12, and don’t forget the dates and times: 7:30 p.m. November 10th, 11th, and 12th, and 2 p.m. November 13th. Come watch The Addams Musical – or the theme song suggests:
So get a witch’s shawl on
A broomstick you can crawl on
We’re gonna pay a call on
The Addams Family.
(Click, Click)
The Bamboo 
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