Review: ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL at The Royal Theatre in Benton

The Addams Family Musical is onstage through Sunday, September 20, bringing the wonderfully weird family we all know and love to life with music, comedy, romance and, of course, a little bit of darkness.

I always enjoy visiting The Royal Theatre, and this production quickly pulls the audience into the Addams family's world.

Directed and choreographed by Tom Crone, The Addams Family centers around a now-grown Wednesday Addams, who has done something that may be even more frightening to her family than death—she has fallen in love, and to make it more complicated, she and Lucas want to get married, and she asks her father not to tell Morticia. Now, anyone who has ever been married knows that keeping a secret from your spouse, especially one involving your child, is probably not going to end well.

Madison Richards plays Wednesday, with Jaydon Clark as Pugsley. Ken Goodman and Amanda Kennedy lead the household as Gomez and Morticia, with Cheryl Troillett as Grandma, Matthew Burns as Uncle Fester and Chris Owen as Lurch. Entering their world are Mitchell Swanner as Wednesday's boyfriend Lucas Beineke and Harold Dean and Rylee Woodard as his parents, Mal and Alice.

I believe this production is my first introduction to Ken Goodman, and what an introduction it was. As Gomez, Goodman has a commanding presence onstage. He immediately draws your attention and embraces Gomez's larger-than-life personality, whether he's being the passionate husband, devoted father or increasingly panicked man trapped between his daughter and his wife.

That makes "Trapped" one of my favorite numbers. Goodman gets to lean into Gomez's flair for the dramatic as he wrestles with Wednesday's request.

Madison Richards shines as Wednesday. She captures the character's dark personality while allowing us to see the teenager underneath who is falling in love and figuring out what that means. Richards has the presence needed to carry Wednesday's central storyline, balancing her intensity with the excitement and vulnerability of first love.

Richards, Clark and Swanner make a fun trio as Wednesday, Pugsley and Lucas. Richards and Swanner have a sweet young-love energy, while Clark adds another layer as the little brother who isn't exactly thrilled about this development.

I always love seeing Cheryl Troillett's name on a cast list because I know she's going to make me laugh, and she certainly delivers as Grandma. Troillett embraces Grandma's eccentricity and gets some of the biggest laughs from me, especially when she's interacting with Clark's Pugsley. Clark is another one of my favorites, so putting the two together is comedy gold for me. I found myself watching them closely whenever they shared the stage just to see what they were going to do next.

Wednesday eventually invites Lucas and his parents to dinner and asks her family to behave normally for one night.

Normal? The Addamses? Good luck with that.

Once the Beinekes arrive, the comedy really gets going. I especially enjoyed Kennedy and Woodard together as Morticia and Alice. They have great chemistry as the mothers compare their lives and marriages. Kennedy's cool, self-assured Morticia plays especially well against Woodard's Alice, who proves she may have more going on beneath the surface than expected.

Harold Dean as Mal is also a great addition to the mix. Mal and Gomez provide a fun contrast, and I enjoyed watching Dean and Woodard navigate Mal and Alice's relationship as the evening gets increasingly out of control.

That dinner eventually leads to "Full Disclosure," another of my favorite numbers. What begins as a game quickly becomes exactly the kind of dinner-party disaster you hope for in a musical comedy. Secrets come out, personalities unravel and things get wonderfully chaotic.

Another favorite is Morticia's "Just Around the Corner." I love the dark humor behind Morticia finding reassurance in the fact that death is always waiting just around the corner. Kennedy gets to embrace Morticia's confidence, elegance and complete comfort with the macabre. Something that should be morbid becomes funny and strangely uplifting.

Matthew Burns as Uncle Fester made me laugh so hard. Burns completely embraces Fester's gleefulness, but there is also something incredibly sweet about the way he plays him. Fester is unapologetically delighted by everything, especially being in love with the moon. Burns emotes that joy with such sincerity that I couldn't help but adore him. This sweet man deserved love, and I was rooting for him to get it!

And then there is Chris Owen as Lurch. Lurch may not be the most talkative member of the household, but that certainly doesn't mean he goes unnoticed. Owen embraces the character's peculiar place within the group, and watching Lurch quietly take in the commotion around him is part of the fun.

Of course, the living characters aren't the only ones hanging around.

There are a LOT of Ancestors at The Royal Theatre.

The ancestral spirits are Callie Crow, Laila Smith, Taylor Ann Pitts, Macy McGinty, Brenley Camplain, Cam Fry, Amia Vela, Lauryn Fells, Abby Grace Neufer, Kami Lewis, Brayden Armstrong, Jacob Lenzini, Connor Heyl, Mars LeCompt-Nickols, Ethan Toland, Josh Green and Logan McGrew.

The Ancestors are one of my favorite elements of the musical. Rather than appearing only for the big ensemble numbers, they remain woven throughout the story, watching, reacting and helping fill the stage with energy.

They are especially effective in "When You're an Addams," another of my favorite songs. The opening number immediately establishes the show's theatrical personality and gives the ensemble a chance to shine.

 Music Director Grace Wells guides the cast through the score, while Crone handles both directing and choreography. He also serves as scenic and set designer, shaping much of the production's visual world.

There are quite a few people doing double—and sometimes triple—duty. Woodard not only plays Alice but also serves as Costume Designer. Misty Jezierski is the Prop Designer, and Alana Dunn serves as Stage Manager and Assistant Director. Burns is also the Lighting Designer in addition to playing Uncle Fester and co-producing the show with Daphne Shoppach.

It takes a lot of people working both onstage and behind the scenes to create a production like this, and community theatre is always a reminder of how much work happens beyond what the audience sees. So, if your idea of a good night at the theatre includes secrets, torture devices, dead ancestors, marital disagreements, young love and a little moonlight romance, head to Benton.

The Addams Family Musical continues at The Royal Theatre in Benton through Sunday, September 20.

CAST

Madison Richards — Wednesday Addams
Jaydon Clark — Pugsley Addams
Ken Goodman — Gomez Addams
Amanda Kennedy — Morticia Addams
Cheryl Troillett — Grandma
Matthew Burns — Uncle Fester
Chris Owen — Lurch
Mitchell Swanner — Lucas Beineke
Harold Dean — Mal Beineke
Rylee Woodard — Alice Beineke

ANCESTORS

Callie Crow, Laila Smith, Taylor Ann Pitts, Macy McGinty, Brenley Camplain, Cam Fry, Amia Vela, Lauryn Fells, Abby Grace Neufer, Kami Lewis, Brayden Armstrong, Jacob Lenzini, Connor Heyl, Mars LeCompt-Nickols, Ethan Toland, Josh Green and Logan McGrew

CREATIVE TEAM

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