In a prolific career spanning six decades, Charles Addams created several thousand cartoons, sketches and drawings, many of which were published in The New Yorker. But it was his creation of characters that came to be known as “The Addams Family” that brought Addams his greatest acclaim.
With a unique style that combined the twisted, macabre and just plain weird with charm, wit and enchantment, Addams’ drawings have entertained millions worldwide and served as the inspiration for multiple television series and motion pictures.
Like many others during 1964-1966, I made sure to be home when “The Addams Family” TV show was broadcast. Carolyn Jones and John Astin were like no parents I knew and their family certainly lived the sort of off-kilter life totally different than any other family I had ever known.
But it was their unwavering support of each other and their entire family that drew me to the series, so when I heard the glitzy-gloomy musical based on the characters was being brought to the stage by 3-D Theatricals, I excitedly made plans to see it and can happily report it was a spectacular and highly creative extravaganza with an awesomely talented cast.
In “The Addams Family” stage musical, Wednesday Addams (super talented Micaela Martinez, who really knows how to sell her character’s songs), the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family.
But Lucas Beineke (Dino Nicandros) is from Ohio and about as Middle America as they get, proving total opposites can somehow learn to live together despite their very different outlooks on good and evil, accepting both the love and hate when dealing with each other. In fact, that seems to be the underlying theme of the musical – that love can conquer all no matter what.
The musical’s conflict begins when Wednesday confides her marriage plans to her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, daddy Gomez (an hysterically over-the–top Latin lothario Bronson Pinchot) must do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia (Rachel York, fully inhabiting her sexiness and morbid nature). Pinchot and York are a riot as another set of total opposites who have learned to live with and celebrate their differences, just as long as they can dance a tango together every night.
And dance up a storm they do thanks to the creative ghostly choreography by Dana Solimando, eerie lighting designed by Jean-Yves Tessier, and spooky costumes and make-up coordinated by Kazsandra A. Liput and Denice Paxton for the entire talented cast which includes Anthony Gruppuso as the weird Moon-loving Uncle Fester, Candi Milo as the totally comical, herbal potion toting Grandma, Dante Marenco as the ultimate little bad boy brother Pugsley, Dustin Ceithamer as the too-tall and slow-moving menacing butler Lurch, Robert Yacko as tight-laced Mal Beineke, and Tracy Rowe Mutz as the scene stealing, dreaded yellow dressed and rhyming Alice Beineke. Portraying the ghostly ensemble of family ancestors are Christine Tucker, Jean Schroeder, Kellianne Safarik, Kirklyn Robinson, Leslie Miller, Leslie Stevens, Natalie Iscovich, Dylan Pass, Gary Brintz, Harrison Meloeny, Jordan Goodsell, Nick Gardner, Nick Morganella, and Ryan Chlanda, each representing characters throughout past time periods, often as statues that move to frighten the poor Beineke parents in many scenes.
Of course, everything will change for the whole extended family on the fateful night Gomez and Morticia host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. How will these two very different sets of parents reach a common ground of understanding so their children may earn their approval to wed?
And how much creative wonder, fabulous music and laughter will be created in the process? Set your troubles aside and enjoy this top-notch musical extravaganza this weekend at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center to find out!
Perfect for the fall and Halloween season, 3-D Theatricals of Orange County presents the two-time Tony Award winning musical “The Addams Family,” based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, with a Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa though November 8 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts center, 1935 E. Manhattan Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278. The production is directed by 3-D Theatricals Executive Producer and Artistic Director T.J. Dawson. Assistant Directors are Jeanette Dawson, and Ryan Ruge, with Corey Hirsch as Musical Director and finger-snapping Conductor. His antics certainly set the mood from the top of the show and the full orchestra was definitely top notch!
Ticket prices range from $20 to $70; online ticketing at www.3dtshows.com. Group and Student discounts are available. For advance ordering, call 714 589-2770, ext. 1. On site box office opens two hours prior to each performance at the theater. Final performances this weekend on Friday, Nov.6 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and closing Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.
