The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
High schools presenting ‘Addams Family’
MIDDLETOWN — When you hear the words the Addams Family, the lyrics of the television show made famous in the 1960s probably come to mind: “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, The Addams Family.”
Now the students of Mercy and Xavier high schools are taking on the challenge of this entertaining show, with three performances starting Friday night at Mercy High School.
In 2010, “The Addams Family The Musical” opened on Broadway with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia, and won the Broadway.com Audience Awards for Favorite New Broadway Musical, Favorite Performance by a Featured Actor in a Broadway Musical, Favorite Breakthrough Performance, and Favorite Onstage Pair (Lane and Neuwirth.)
The musical introduced new characters, Mal, Alice and Lucas Beineke who are the “normal American straight arrow Midwesterners” and the ensembled consists of Addams Family ancestors from different time periods.
“The Addams Family” is perceived to be crazy and kooky because in their view — to be sad is to be happy, to feel pain is to feel joy and death and suffering are the center of their dreams. However, they still experience the challenges of any normal family. It is the Beineke family that shakes up the Addams family. Wednesday Addams falls in love with Lucas Beineke, and that is when the fun begins. These two families collide; relationships are tested and truths are disclosed.
Music director for the Mercy-Xavier production, Matt Campisi, explained why the show was selected this year.
“The Addams Family is the hottest high school musical in the country; tons of schools are doing it,” he said. “For us, we wanted to do something a little lighter this year — considering our last four shows have been ‘Les Miserables’, ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ ‘Into the Wood’s and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ It’s been a while since we have done a comedy. This show presents several musical challenges. The score, by Andrew Lippa, is well written but features many difficult choral parts for the ensemble. There is a lot of music.”
Emily Acri, of Middletown, describes her character, Alice Beineke, as a funloving, spirited, untalented poet. “She is very quirky, and overall fun to watch,” she said. “At one point in the show, her entire personality completely changes in the most chaotic way possible, it is fun to watch her development throughout the performance.”
“It is not hard to get into character for me,” she said. “The directors did an amazing job of selecting personalities and matching them to the roles of this production. I did, however, need to learn how to make myself as almost-annoyingly bubbly as possible, which was a fun journey. I loved figuring out how to portray my character.”
“The cast this year is special. Not only are they talented, they are great kids. Led by seniors Brian Farrell and Grace O’Brien in the roles of Gomez and Morticia, and Jack Welsh in the role of Lucas, this is one of those years where all our principles are humble, hard-working, and willing to do whatever we ask,” Campisi said. “This, of course, then trickles down to the ensemble. I would also say it is one of the more talented ensembles we have had, vocally. They keep improving every year.”
“The company is absolutely an amazing group of students; not only are they talented, but this group works incredibly well together,” said assistant director Lorra Webb. “These students make my job as a director so enjoyable.”
Morticia is played by senior Grace O’Brien, of East Hampton. This is Grace’s fourth musical and sixth overall show at Mercy.
“Morticia is very different from who I am,” she said. “I am very outgoing and energetic and Morticia is low voiced, subtle and carries herself like royalty.
The first day of rehearsal Mr. Campisi stopped me several times to remind me to slow down my speaking, lower my voice and take a moment to really put myself in Morticia’s shoes. Morticia likes to speak to Gomez in French and, even though I only have one line of French, I discovered at an early rehearsal, I was not good at speaking French,” she said. “Thankfully, my castmates were wonderful and helped me
learn the correct pronunciation. My personality may not be the same as Morticia’s, but The Addams Family characters have such an interesting family dynamic and could teach us all a thing or two. They hold truth and honesty to the highest standard and share everything with one another. Even though their external appearances and worldview is very different from what we normally see, they are a loving,
close-knit family.”
The Addams Family opens at Mercy High School on Friday at 7 p.m. The Saturday performance is at 7 p.m., and the Sunday matinee performance at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for students and $15. for adults. Visit www.mercyhigh.com for online ticket reservations. Tickets can be purchased at the box office beginning one hour before each performance.