The theatre department’s production of “The Addams Family,”  a musical adaptation of the beloved characters of Charles Adams, opened on April 16 in Waterman Theatre . 

Rehearsals began in February and took place six days a week from 6 to 11 p.m. Throughout the intensive work put in by both the cast and crew, they welcomed Zoe Morsette, a renowned props master, who is known for her work on the original Broadway production of the show as well as “Hamilton.” Morsette designed the props for SUNY Oswego’s performance and assisted in the show coming to fruition. She made the iguanodon puppet, a large monster that is featured in a scene in Puglsey Addams’ room and carries him and his bed offstage. The puppet generated a delightfully shocked reaction from the audience on opening night and is just one of the many surprises “The Addams Family” has to offer. 

Maximilian Collins, who plays Uncle Fester in the show, highlighted the effort by both the cast and crew. “The time commitment was a lot, but it all went by fast, surrounded by others sharing the same devotion to the work as you do,” Collins said. The characters themselves have been featured in numerous pieces of media over the years, originating in 1938 as a comic strip by Charles Adams. Later on in 1964, they were brought to life in a television show featuring John Astin as Gomez Addams, Carolyn Jones as Morticia and iconic former silent film star Jackie Coogan as Uncle Fester. The family is widely recognized now from the ‘90s installments of two films, “The Addams Family” and its sequel, “Addams Family Values,” which have become beloved classics.

While the cast in this production took some influence from these previous renditions, they emphasized the importance of bringing their own interpretations into the performance. The show follows Wednesday Addams (portrayed by freshman Tati Copp), as she introduces her fiance Lucas Beineke (Cameron Humphrey) and his uptight, yet goofy family (Ty’reek Wylie and Sarah Berns) to her creepy, yet lovable ensemble of family members and ancestors. While Wednesday and Lucas struggle to keep their engagement a secret from her mother Morticia, Gomez Addams is tormented by his devotion to both his daughter and wife as his brother Fester enlists the help of Addams ancestors to ensure the perfect evening for all. Collins brought to light the creative process of the show, mentioning the latest adaptation of the characters in Tim Burton’s new show “Wednesday,” featuring Jenna Ortega. Collins said the production’s director Jonel Langenfeld “envisioned the ‘Wednesday’ series’ take on the characters, which was a bit darker than the other takes, but as we developed our show, we realized that we were leaning more towards a light-hearted adaption like the ‘60s.” 

The show centers around family love and learning to love yourself before you can fully commit to another person in a heart-warming and fun way, an important message for all. The hard work of the tech crew and cast are evident through the extensive use of special effects, an incredible pit and committed acting. 

Photo by: sunyoswegotheatre via Instagram