THE ADDAMS FAMILY Comes to Palo Alto Players

Palo Alto Players continues its 96th season with THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Based on the beloved characters created by Charles Addams, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is filled with eccentric characters, catchy music, and plenty of laughs. When Wednesday Addams falls in love with a “normal” young man, she must introduce her boyfriend and his family to the delightfully kooky Addams clan—with hilariously unexpected results.

Directed by Janie Scott (Players’ Frozen, Gypsy, and Matilda) and featuring a cast of 21 Bay Area actors, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is “a source of bawdy levity and unexpected joy” (The Minnesota Star Tribune), and “delivers laugh lines with aplomb and zest” (Time Out New York). THE ADDAMS FAMILY runs for 10 in-person performances October 30-November 15, 2026 at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Tickets (starting at $24) are on sale now at paplayers.org or by phone at 650.329.0891. This production of THE ADDAMS FAMILY is made possible thanks to the generous support of Show Sponsor Ron Frederick and Associate Show Sponsors JR and Jennifer Matthews. 

THE ADDAMS FAMILY follows Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, as she finds herself facing an unfamiliar dilemma: she’s fallen in love with a charming young man from a perfectly “normal” family. She invites his family to dinner to meet the Addams clan, as the two families come together for one unforgettable night, secrets spill, expectations collide, and hilarity ensues. With a tuneful score by Andrew Lippa and all the macabre charm of the beloved Addams family, this wickedly funny musical celebrates love, family, and embracing what makes us wonderfully weird. Critics raved that the Palo Alto Players’ 2015 production of THE ADDAMS FAMILY was “wildly funny” and “a crowd-pleaser!” (Regarding Arts). 

THE ADDAMS FAMILY is based on characters created by Charles Addams, and features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. 

“THE ADDAMS FAMILY is a wickedly funny, deliciously dark celebration of love, family, and all the wonderfully twisted ways we try to survive both,” says Palo Alto Players’ Artistic Director Patrick Klein, “With Janie Scott’s tremendous experience, inventive vision, and killer comedic instincts leading the way, we’re dying for audiences to meet this spectacular company. And with our run falling between Halloween and Thanksgiving, what better time to spend an evening with a family that puts the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional?” 

THE ADDAMS FAMILY is directed by Janie Scott, with choreography by Michael Saenz, vocal direction by Nicolas Valdez and music direction by Christine Lovejoy. Director Janie Scott (she/her) is a veteran director and choreographer who has directed numerous Palo Alto Players hits, including Frozen, Gypsy, Matilda, A Christmas Story, Chicago, The Addams Family, The Little Mermaid, and more. Scott’s professional performing career, working directly under the guidance of many of Broadway’s most notable musical theatre directors, composers, and choreographers, including Harold Prince and Stephen Sondheim (Merrily We Roll Along), Trevor Nunn (CATS), and Michael Bennett (A Chorus Line), has greatly influenced her directing and choreographic style. She has directed and choreographed across the country for regional, summer stock, and industrials, as well as co-choreographing the Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along. 

Tickets for THE ADDAMS FAMILY can be purchased online at paplayers.org, by phone at 650.329.0891, or by visiting the Box Office (Tuesday through Friday, 11 am - 4 pm) at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. In-person performances at the Lucie Stern Theater begin on October 31 and continue through November 15, with a preview on October 30. In-person performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, select Saturdays at 2 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. This production is recommended for ages 8 and up. 

Every ticket purchase directly supports the actors, creative team, and staff for this production and ensures that Palo Alto Players can remain a vital part of this community. For more information about tickets and Palo Alto Players’ current health and safety policies, visit paplayers.org.