The Addams Family Cast, Crew Get Ready for Their Debut
After months of auditions, intense rehearsals, and long hours after school, the cast and crew that make up the North High Theatre Department are ready to debut this year’s winter musical, The Addams Family.
The musical, based on the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, stars seniors Matilda Burch, Elizabeth Berson, Justin Atienza; juniors Olivia Dudenhoffer and Andrew Evans; freshman Jake Sigler; eighth grader Micah Schwartz; and assistant principal Greg Wagener. It follows Wednesday Addams’ (played by Burch) experience with falling in love for the first time.
“She’s unfamiliar with these fuzzy, warm feelings that she has because she is used to cold, calculated, evil tendencies,” said drama teacher Chad Little.
The rest of the Addams clan also has to come to grips with Wednesday’s new found fondness towards love interest Lucas Beineke (portrayed by Atienza).
“It’s the whole, how does she come to grips with it, how does she tell her parents, how do they react to it,” said Little.
Choosing this year’s musical wasn’t an easy task, and in fact it took a lot of planning and consideration. Little says that there is great collaboration with the music department, in which they both “look at the talents available to use and then we start looking at shows the students will find interesting and that will be a little bit of a challenge for them.”
Once the play was chosen, auditions took place around early December. “You go to a dance clinic and you learn a dance; you go to a vocal clinic and you learn one of four songs; you memorize a monologue; and then the people who do well at that get a callback,” said freshman Anna Osborn, who plays a cavewoman ancestor.
After the audition process, the cast does read throughs and works on vocals and dances. This is Osborn’s favorite part, but she says it takes the longest. “The vocals took a long time because there are lots of parts and lots of going through and making sure that everything sounds right,” said Osborn.
Throughout this time, the cast also worked on perfecting and creating the character that they will debut once the musical is presented for all to see.
Senior Sarah Koo, who plays a samurai ancestor “developed the character as I thought about where Gomez’s sword playing roots came from. As the rehearsal process went, I also developed this kind of craziness in the character because my character’s story was about the female who goes off to war for her family undercover but then she goes delusional and homicidal after seeing all of the death around her.”
In the time that the cast has been perfecting and polishing their dialogue and musical numbers, the tech crew has been working hard to make sure the show comes to life visually.
“I’m very proud of our tech department because the students do all of the building. I design it and they build it, and in some cases, they design components too. It’s totally student built, and I’m proud of them for all of their effort,” said Little.
With the play fast approaching, the cast, crew, and pit are working hard to put the finishing touches on the show. They are also starting to feel the pressure, as well as the excitement of getting to show friends, family, and students what they have been working on.
“I’m really nervous, but I’m very excited. When the ancestors come out, they come out one by one and I’m the first person to come out, which is terrifying. But I’m also very excited to see everything put together,” said Osborn. This is her first production with the North Theatre department.
Others aren’t feeling the nerves, such as sophomore Damien Pruett. “I’m kind of excited and I’m really happy to be in my first Parkway musical,” said Pruett.
The Addams Family will be performed on Feb. 24-26 at 7:00 p.m. and on Feb. 27 at 2:00 p.m. Advance price tickets are $8 for students, $10 for adults, and $7 for ITS/Senior Citizens and on sale now for in the commons during lunch. Tickets at the door the night of the show will be $2 more.
by Roshae Hemmings, staff writer and Marketing Genius