“The
Addams Family Musical with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Music and
Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, opens the Otterbein main stage season.
The action centers around Gomez Addams
(Jack Lebrecque), who adores his wife Morticia (Morgan Wood) and deeply cares
for his children Wednesday (Leah Windahl) and Pugsley (Dana Cullinane). Wednesday has fallen in love with Lucas
(Jordan Wood), who is an outsider. But
he shares many Addams family interests and hobbies, thus becoming an attractive
suitor. Wednesday invites Lucas and his conservative parents Mal (David
Buergler) and Alice (Lottie Prenevost) to dinner and confesses her intention to
marry Lucas, forcing Gomez into the precarious position of keeping their secret
from Morticia.
Uncle Fester (Christopher Marth), appoints
himself the conductor of all things romantic, and compels the ancestors, who
have come out from their graves for annual family revels, to stay and support
the prospect of love and marriage.
Morgan Wood is stunning as Morticia. Lebrecque manages to be charming, smooth and
pathetic simultaneously in his delightful portrayal of devotion to his wife and
children.
Jacob Sundlie has strong commitment to the eccentric zombiness of Butler Lurch.
I always enjoy seeing Aubree Tally on stage
and appreciate her outpouring of devotion to her potions and her special
grandmotherly attention to the care and discipline of the out-of-control
Pugsley.
Fester’s dancing and singing with the moon is one of my favorite moments in the show.
Often, in a piece of this nature,
characters such as the ancestors are little more than set dressing. Under
Director Christine Kirk’s deft guidance, everybody finds many opportunities to
dance, sing, frolic and have impact without stealing focus from the main theme
– thin though it may be.
Stella Hiatt Kane’s attractive choreography
adds interest and activity.
Rob Johnson’s scenic design features three distinct locales. The backdrop depicting the front of the Addams’
home is big, bold, attractive and serves to divide the stage so that action can
take place at the front of the stage, while the set is shifting behind the drop
to reveal the cemetery or the huge, ornate staircase in the center of the
living room and dining area.
Musical accompaniment and underscoring with
Musical Director Lori Kay Harvey and a capable 12-person orchestra adds
appropriate tones and keeps the action moving.
Dana White emerges from retirement to help
highlight the action with subtle shading, strobe lightening and other effective
lighting touches.
Doc Davis’s sound design provides good
balance, though there was some kind of interference in the sound system during
Friday’s performance and discussions between operators bled through during the dialog
and singing in the second act. It seemed to take several minutes before it was
under control.
Rebecca White’s costumes enhance the
character descriptions, especially in the shades of white among the ancestors.
“Addams Family Musical” is not destined to become an enduring classic. It won’t make the list of my top 25 musical
theater favorites. Based on the cartoon
characters created by Charles Addams, the Broadway production ran for a year
and a half. It’s only major recognition
was a Drama Desk award for outstanding set design. The story line is thin, the
characters are cartoonish caricatures, the songs are campy. But the creativity,
energy and enthusiasm that Otterbein brings to the show makes it a fun-filled
romp.
The Otterbein students are
obviously having a good time, which translates to a good time for the audience.
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