Creepy, Kooky Fun for All as Avon Players Present The Addams Family

Avon Players will "Move Toward the Darkness" with its latest offering as it brings to life a beloved pop culture brood with The Addams Family: A New Musical, running May 19-June 3.

Based on the iconic characters created by Charles Addams, The Addams Family features an original story and songs by Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, Big Fish). Gomez Addams' (Eric Rodman) happily macabre world is disrupted when his daughter Wednesday (Mackenzie McIlroy), previously the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with Lucas Beineke (Brendan Johnson), a sweet, smart young man from a "normal" family. And, if that weren't upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now Gomez must do something he's never done before: keep a secret from his beloved wife, the formidable Morticia (Johannah Steinbrecher-Booker). Meanwhile, Pugsley Addams (Nate Gorman) is jealous of his sister's new relationship and plots his revenge using a potion stolen from Grandma (Kathy Kade). Even crazy Uncle Fester (Toby Booker) gets in on the act, enlisting the ghosts of the Addams ancestors to set things aright. Everything will change for the titular family on the fateful night they host a dinner for the Beineke clan including Lucas' blowhard father Mal (Tagg Smith) and his perennially poetry-spouting mother Alice (Lia DiFonzo).

Addams Family musical features characters first introduced in Charles Addams' darkly funny comic strips for New Yorker. comics were adapted into the popular 1960s sit-com starring John Astin and Carolyn Jones. Other popular iterations include the 1991 feature film starring Raúl Juliá and Academy Award winner Angelica Houston and its 1993 sequel. The stage musical originally starred Broadway legends Nathan Lane and Tony Award winner Bebe Newirth.

Tickets for all shows are $22 ($20 on Sundays for students and Seniors). Call 248.608.9077 for tickets or order online at www.avonplayers.org. Group rates are available by calling the box office. "Like" Avon Players Theatre on Facebook for special offers on tickets. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. All seats are reserved. Show dates and times follow:

Friday, May 19 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 20 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 21 2:00 p.m.

Friday, May 26 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 27 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 28 2:00 p.m.

Friday, June 2 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 3 8:00 p.m