Photo Flash: Cast of Mercury Theater Chicago's THE ADDAMS FAMILY Celebrates Opening Night

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, presents the spooky kooky production of THE ADDAMS FAMILY - THE MUSICAL. The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life on January 28th and will be laid to rest on April 5th, 2014. Press opening is Wednesday, February 4th at 7:30pm. This magnificently macabre new musical comedy is created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, and Drama Desk Award winnerAndrew Lippa. The production will be led by Jeff Award winners L. Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Direction), and Brenda Didier (Choreography).

THE ADDAMS FAMILY - THE MUSICAL is an original story, and it's every father's nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's "normal" boyfriend and his parents.

This musical previewed in Chicago before to moving to Broadway. After Broadway, the show was dramatically re- written by its creators with the support of veteran director Jerry Zaks. THE ADDAMS FAMILY-THE MUSICAL is now a wholly new musical which Chicago audiences haven't seen.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY - THE MUSICAL stars Karl Hamilton (Mamma Mia in Las Vegas) as Gomez with Rebecca Prescott (How the Grinch... at Madison Square Garden) as Morticia. The family includes Harter Clingman (Peter and the Starcatcher Tour) as Uncle Fester, Dara Cameron (Marriott's Hero) as Wednesday, Brennan Dougherty(Mercury's The Christmas Schooner) as Pugsley, Jeff Diebold as Lurch and Amanda Hartley as Granny. The "square" family who dine with the Addams include Jeff Award winner Cory Goodrich, Jason Grimm and Henry McGinniss. The ghostly chorus of Addams Ancestors includes Sarah Hayes, Leah Morrow, Jared Rein, Tyler Sawyer Smith, Alexander Walker, Lucy Zukaitis.

The spooktacular production is designed by Jeff Award winning scenic designer Robert Knuth, costumes by Frances Maggio, lighting by Nick Belley, sound by Mike Ross and magic by Neil Tobin.

Individual tickets range from $25-$65, and are available online at www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com, over the phone at 773.325.1700, or in person at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.