HOW TO GO
What: "The Addams Family"
Where: The Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
When: Tuesday through next Sunday, March 5-10; Show times are 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. next Sunday.
Cost: $15-$96
Tickets: Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or go online to www.ticketcenterstage.com.
FYI: The production is recommended for ages 13 and older.
Da-da da-dum. The local premiere and second national tour of “The Addams Family,” the 2010 musical retelling of the eccentric and funny clan, arrives at the Schuster Center on Tuesday as the latest selection of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Premier Health Broadway Series.
This version of “The Addams Family” was inspired by Charles Addams’ cartoons published in “The New Yorker” and features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elise (“Jersey Boys”) and a score by Andrew Lippa (“The Wild Party”).
“The Addams Family” adopts a coming-of-age approach, as it centers its kookiness on the humorously morose Wednesday Addams, whose “normal” boyfriend Lucas Beineke desires to bring his parents from Ohio to meet her and her odd kinfolk, who live in Central Park. The sheer notion of romance in Wednesday’s life is a shock to Gomez, who decides to respect Wednesday’s request that he keep her relationship a secret from Morticia. However, when Lucas’ parents arrive, chaos consumes both families to frenzied proportions.
“These characters are all about family,” said Jesse Sharp, who portrays Gomez. “And in this version, Wednesday is a teenage daughter who is going to do whatever she’s going to do, and Gomez is put in a real-world situation a lot of people can identify with. The show is so funny, but also has a lot of heart. By the time Act 2 arrives, people will recognize how touching it is.”
Sharp, a former aspiring stand-up comedian who has performed improv and sketch comedy at The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade and The Comedy Store, has been a fan of the “Addams” universe since he was a kid watching the classic 1960s TV series in syndication. Regarding the family as the “strangest, funniest people,” he fondly recalls the wit and astuteness of John Astin, the original Gomez, as well as Raúl Juliá, who put his own spin on the character in the 1991 film version and 1993 sequel.
“John Astin was so brilliant,” Sharp said. “He was odd, but had perfect comedic timing and a huge, optimistic smile. Raúl Juliá was more serious and over-the-top, which made the character even funnier. I’m certainly influenced by their performances. But Gomez is such a fun character to play. He’s like the least negative person on earth. He just loves everything. And with this role, as is the case with other musical comedy roles I’ve had, I look for the comedy and the truth in the character first and add layers from there.”
“The Addams Family,” which features choreography by Sergio Trujillo (“Jersey Boys”) and creative consultation from four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, marks the fifth national/international tour for KeLeen Snowgren, who portrays the regal, elegant Morticia. Typically cast in ensemble roles in dance-heavy musicals such as “Hairspray,” “The Producers” and “The Will Rogers Follies,” she is thrilled for the opportunity to grow as an actress in a leading role that speaks to her strengths.
“Morticia is one of the most challenging roles I’ve had because I’m usually in shows doing a kick line or wearing pretty costumes,” Snowgren said. “So I’ve been relying on my natural vocal quality, which is a richer, deeper tone. I have a lot of fun with Morticia because she’s dark and sultry and has a rich tone — a deep, womanly quality — in her songs which I’m focusing on. And of course, her relationship with Gomez is incredibly important. I want to make their relationship as believable as possible because they’re one of the most iconic couples.”
Above all, Snowgren remains confident in the relatable appeal of Morticia and her creepy brood, including the towering Lurch and moon-adoring Uncle Fester.
“As an actor, the difficulty is to make sure these characters and relationships are believable,” she said. “We have to make sure the characters are connecting so the audience can be with us for all the emotions in the show.”
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