Review: THE ADDAMS FAMILY Delightfully Spooks!

The Addams Family, currently playing at the Elkhart Civic Theatre, has been doing so well in terms of audience feedback and attendance that they already have a sold-out-run. They've even had to add extra performance dates! I was lucky enough to be able to sit in an audience of extremely supportive patrons, who during the curtain speech and performance had no problem actively engaging amongst themselves about how excited they were to be at the Elkhart Civic Theatre and how much they were enjoying the show. I instantly knew that I was at the right place if I wanted to enjoy good quality theatre. Who wouldn't think that, especially when everyone in the audience seemed so inviting and familiar with each other that it felt like we were all sitting down to watch our best friends perform? This was in part made possible by the expertise of Director Penny Meyers and Assistant Director Annette Kaczanowski.

The story is one that any family with a teenager who has just begun dating can understand. Wednesday Addams has fallen in love with a boy named Lucas Beineke and wants both families to meet - there's only one problem: the Addams family is the antithesis of your normal, run-of-the-mill, all-American family. The story unfolds revealing that Wednesday and her father, Gomez, are trying to keep the young lovers' recent engagement a secret. We see the entire family band together to create the perfect night for Wednesday's date, however, the night is not without a few kinks in the road as both the Beineke and the Addams families try their best to navigate through a very, very long dinner party.

Let me say this: the musical did not fall short of providing the "kooky and "ooky" that the family is well known for. Thanks to a superb team of artists, the entire ambience of the show matched perfectly with famously macabre family. When you first sit down, you might find yourself disappointed with the seemingly empty stage. There is only the classic closed red theatrical drapery and two white graveyard entrances with the names "Addams" and "Frump" on opposing sides of the stage... with no hint of what might be behind them. This certainly can't be all that there is for what should be a show-stopping musical? Fear not, because as soon as the curtain lifts and vanishes, you enter the fascinating world of the Addams family. Spooky cutout trees line the background; a glowing moon projected into the backdrop; tombstones and a city backdrop... all made even more "spooktacular" with mood-changing lighting. That's only the beginning - as you move from scene to scene, the set-changes never fail to impress with ornately painted walls, lush lounge chairs, armoires, and a grand doorway marking the house's entrance. Even more impressive were the ingenious props that garner attention all by themselves and provide comedic relief whenever presented onstage: a stitched goose "killed" for dinner, a small dog-size pet alligator, a blanket with a bear head attached, a dead bird's skeleton still in its cage, umbrellas that have twinkle lights in them to reflect stars, and so much more.

Gomez Addams is played by John Shoup, who perfectly embodied the very enthusiastic and beyond charming character. Shoup was debonair and genteel and played his character with such passion, that any woman would wish that he was serenading them with his bizarre and ghoulish love ballads. He also had a phenomenal voice that needed no mic to be heard. The only struggle Shoup seemed to have was an occasional slip of his Hispanic accent into an Irish accent.

Morticia Addams is played by Annette Kaczanowski, who embodied the loving (although not conventional) mother we all know and extremely elegant character through strong physical choices and a firm, but loving tone. Kaczanowski's talent is undeniable through the power of her voice. However, through no fault of her own, her costume did not reflect the regal matriarch - it was ill-fitting, of sub-par material, and there was a lost opportunity on Morticia's makeup to really highlight her regal tones.

Wednesday Addams is played by Christa Norwood, who took on Wednesday's not so sunny disposition and ran with it. She was constantly spot on with the war waging inside Wednesday between her new found feelings of being in love and the straight faced apathy and stoicism she has felt most of her life. No matter what situation Wednesday was in, Norwood committed to her character in an impressively professional way. Norwood's voice needs work, as while it was undoubtedly very beautiful, it was very hard to hear over the live band. On more than a few occasions she had trouble hitting her high notes, but this will come with more practice. Her costume missed the mark with the lighting making it seem like her dress was blue rather than the traditional black. Inexplicably she lacked the classic pigtail braids that is her trademark look!

By far, the star of the show was Jaymes Hidde-Halsey, who plays Uncle Fester, and he stole the show in every scene he was in. With a booming voice with a wide range, Hidde-Halsey had impeccable comedic timing, energy enough for the whole room, and a dedication so admirable that he could have convincingly played Uncle Fester on TV. He never failed to make the audience laugh or even bring out the "aww's" in everyone when talking about his love, the Moon. In fact, my favorite scene in the entire show was "The Moon and Me" where Uncle Fester serenades the Moon. Hidde-Halsey performed with such love that while it makes no sense at all and is symbolic of impossible love, I feel the entire audience was rooting for him to be with the Moon.

Grandma is played by Geneele Crump, who does a fantastic job in playing a multi-faceted character. While Grandma may seem aloof and bizarre, she actually shares valuable lessons with her grandson and may even be one of the saner members of the bunch (although, that's not saying much!).

Pugsley Addams is played by young Ethan Nichols, who has an incredibly strong voice and while he is particularly quiet onstage and hard to hear at times, is in the making of being a remarkable actor.

Lurch is played by Michah Bryan and plays the notoriously quiet (except for the occasional and unenthusiastic grumble) character with an insurmountable bravery. He isn't afraid to milk his character's slowness or quietness, and often does.

Lucas Beineke is played by Mathew Manley, who has a talent for hitting high notes and playing the obvious love-struck teenager who is in the springtime of youth and innocence. Manley embodies the hopeful and bubbly Lucas so well that he just oozes sweetness onto the stage to the point that the character becomes endearing instead of annoying and saccharine.

Mel Beineke is played by Zach Rivers and is wonderfully awkward in the classic uptight dad role. Rivers is sincere in his acting and when he declares his love for his wife again, it seems so genuine that I was squirming in my seat that something so intimate was being portrayed onstage. Rivers did have the rare problem of enunciating properly and he unfortunately looked out into the audience quite often.

Alice Beineke is played by Chrissy Herrick and all I can say is that Herrick is hilarious. On the surface, Alive appears to be a one dimensional character. While cheerful on the outside and quite gullible, Alice is actually a woman who is depressed and nostalgic for the older version of her marriage. Herrick does such an amazing job with the contrasting layers that I feel Alice Beineke should have her own musical. All of Herrick's physical choices including movement and voice are spot on, consistent, and has a resounding professionalism.

The chorus, or "The Ancestors", of the show were a game changer for the musical. They provided a robust background of singing to the main cast and riotous side stories and commentary to the main story occurring on stage. Each one was from a different era and their costumes were comical -definitely the best costumes in the show. However, their dancing was a little out of sync and there were missed opportunities to use them in scenes when they seemingly were just standing around.

The show is chock full of lessons and morals ranging from whether or not you should keep secrets in a marriage, to how to handle your daughter becoming a woman. While these may be classic messages, The Addams Family does it in a unique style. In conclusion - go see The Addams Family at the Elkhart Civic Theatre! Do not miss out on the opportunity to see an exceptionally well done show that is both charming and relatable for any family. Who knows? Maybe you'll find your family has a lot more in common with the eerie Addams family than you think!

Photo Credit: Mel Moore

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