They’re kooky, spooky, and altogether ooky. They’re … The Addams Family, now on stage at the Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse. Directed and choreographed by Ashley Becher, this musical is based on the famous characters (popularized by the 1960s television series and 1990s movie franchise) by cartoonist Charles Addams. In this latest incarnation, daughter Wednesday (JuJu Palmer) is all grown up and has fallen in love with – gasp! – a totally normal boy named Lucas (Samuel Sommer). The couple wants to get engaged, but first, they have to meet the parents. Right before Lucas’ folks Mal (Tristan Tapscott) and Alice (Caitie Moss) arrive for dinner at the Addams mansion, Wednesday secretly confesses the engagement to her father Gomez (A.C. Lam), hoping he can help smooth the way when she breaks the news to her mother Morticia (Sarah Hayes). Meanwhile, Uncle Fester (Marc Christopher) has recruited a few deceased ancestors to help the lovebirds. We attended Circa 21’s opening-night performance on Friday, September 6.
Kitty: I adored this production – which honestly surprised me, because I’ve seen this musical performed elsewhere and … didn’t love it.
Mischa: I’ve never seen this show before, but also really enjoyed it. Okay, I’ll admit, the storyline is not amazing. But the execution was superb.
K: Yes! And I think that’s why I didn’t like it before. The storyline is not the most compelling. So if you don’t dress it up a bit, it doesn’t have much of a wow factor. You need actors that aren’t afraid to go big, a visually interesting set, and great costumes … .
M: Oh yeah, they really dressed it up. The costumes were stunning! I especially loved the ancestors’ ghostly pale outfits, each with a very distinct look and period, but all working together perfectly.
K: Costumer Bradley Robert Jensen absolutely knocked it out of the park with the wardrobe he designed for this show. The ancestors’ outfits were also a favorite for me, along with Morticia’s dresses. As characters, the Addams Family have pretty iconic looks, so a less ambitious costumer probably would've just tried to imitate the basics. But Jensen put a unique spin on all the outfits. I was in love.
M: Some bold costume changes also made a couple of numbers in the second half really stand out for me: Fester’s moving serenade “The Moon and Me,” and Gomez and Morticia's climactic “Tango de Amor.” Of course, it helped that the singing and dancing were very strong, too.
K: Absolutely. Lam and Hayes had beautiful chemistry throughout, but were at their peak during “Tango de Amor.” It gave them the chance to let loose with that passion that Gomez and Morticia are known for. My other favorite number, also featuring the ancestors, was “The Moon and Me.”
M: They beautifully enhanced the night sky for that song, which also gave free rein to Christopher’s all-in, whimsical characterization of Fester.
K: I thought Christopher was perfect in this role. His Fester was wholesome and lovable, and he had a great voice, to boot. But of course, he wasn’t the show's only talented vocalist.
M: Really, no vocal slouches at all in this cast! Fulton Young excelled as Pugsley, particularly in his big solo “What If,” and I have to come back to Hayes, with her sly and cool “Just Around the Corner” – an example of the perfect comic juxtaposition of macabre content and jaunty music. And there’s a nice vocal surprise later when … . Oh, but that would be a spoiler!
K: Yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about. That was a great moment. I suppose the only way for readers to find out what we're talking about is to see Addams Family it for themselves.
M: Wait – we’re not done yet! Let me add that while all the performances were solid, Moss’s Alice going completely off the rails was another second-act highlight. And you wanted to say something about the set and tech?
K: Yes! I love a versatile set, so I have to commend scenic designer Tom Hansen. The anchor points of the design were two large, rotating set pieces that created both the outdoor and indoor locations. And there was a staircase that added some interesting levels to the playing space. As for tech, there were several creative, well-timed sound effects, such as the dramatically creaky front door and the grinding sound of the stone door on the family crypt. The audio levels on the music, though, were a little bit unbalanced in relation to the vocals.
M: Agreed. I thought everything sounded good most of the time, but now and then the singing was overpowered by the recorded music. As for technical effects, I especially liked the explosions set off by Pugsley pushing down a dynamite plunger. One thing, unfortunately, wound up anticlimactic: Wednesday’s “William Tell”-style apple-shooting scene needed more jazzing up, especially to enhance its ostensible thematic significance. That bit kind of fell flat.
K: That’s true. But even with that somewhat disappointing moment, the energy didn’t drop, and that second act was strong! Really, it’s hard to find things to criticize about this Addams Family. It was well-executed on all fronts.
M: Totally agree. Two thumbs up!
The Addams Family runs at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL) through November 2, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.