The Addams Family. A classic. A comedy. The snaps. The weird. The creepy. And the kooky. But this time… how about some rom-com chaos? In “The Addams Family” musical Wednesday Addams — the infamous “princess of darkness” — falls for a “normal” boy named Lucas Beineke and confides in her father, Gomez, that the two are engaged. Desperate for their love to last, Wednesday pleads with Gomez to keep this secret — his first secret — from his beloved wife, Morticia, to which he reluctantly agrees. As the two families collide with their starkly different perspectives and backgrounds, chaos arises and deep, dark secrets are revealed — much to the dismay of both the exposed and the betrayed. With apologies galore, love reignited at last, and Morticia and Gomez’s blessing, Wednesday and Lucas celebrate their love and promptly get married.
The Addams family and the Beinekes unite and embrace their oddities that make them an even more beautiful, wacky, and completely bizarre family and “Move Toward the Darkness” together. Exploring the chaos and complexity of the show together, the cast, crew, and band took “The Addams Family” musical into their own hands and brought it to life. “I think with every show it’s really fun and interesting, but it’s also weird to imagine a show that you’ve only really seen photos of on Broadway or huge casts being brought to Laguna,” sophomore Camilla Joffrey said.
“It was really interesting to see it all come to life, but I couldn’t imagine what it was going to look like, and now I can’t imagine it looking like anything else.” With rehearsals kicking off in early February, cast and crew quickly realized how much fun this show would be, but also how much effort would have to go into it to make it professional and worthwhile. Music rehearsals, choreography rehearsals, and blocking rehearsals all took shape individually for two or three hours each day after school, and eventually pieced together as Tech Week drew closer.
“It kind of took a while for me to love it because the way we learned each of the parts was so separate — the songs not in the order of the show and then we learned some choreography here and there, so I wasn’t really sure how the show would look and how the plot was all going to fit together,” junior and dance captain Elisabeth Robilio said.
“It had felt very disorganized to me, but once we started putting it all together, that’s when I really started getting into it and getting into my character and the dancing and all.” Every theater kid knows that musicals are taxing and overwhelming at times with late nights, long hours, and minimal sleep. But, the community, the memories, and the final product are all beyond worth it in the end. “Everyone was just so nice and wanted to be there. Almost everyone showed up early and left late because people enjoyed the show for the process of it,” sophomore and stage manager Cooper Green said. “There was no one giving you half effort. Everyone was all in and ready to have a good time, which I really appreciate.”
Leading individuals like senior Ada Green, juniors Alex McClintock, Scarlett Lustfield, Amelia Noble, Brandon Fuladi, and Peyton Gimbel all contributed to the success of and loving community in The Addams Family Musical. Using their leadership roles to create a safe space where everyone felt comfortable experimenting and learning was greatly appreciated by every member of the production. “I feel like in this show, for some reason, there was a lot less of a divide. Seniors and seventh graders were close and we were all a family,” Camilla said.
“And like Ada said in the circle before Opening Night, we’re doing a show about a family, and that’s why we feel so close. I really felt comfortable around every single person in the cast.” Whether laughing until tears fell from our eyes over the silliest things, or mouthing the words backstage and dancing our hearts out to the song that was being performed, or sitting together and enjoying the beautiful little moments that bring us closer, every moment of this production was worth remembering forever. “The commitment and the kindness were my favorite parts of the show,” senior Ada Green said.
“Everybody talked to everybody. It didn’t matter what grade you were in. Everybody was just friends. Everybody really cared.” Combining the interconnected community with the entertaining show was a recipe for success with The Addams Family Musical. Inside jokes popped up left and right and whether it was “Daddy this, daddy that, daddy the other” or responding to every reference to something crazy with “I’m crazier than you!” or covering flubbed lines with legendary saves like “I’m not feeling myself, so I suggest my husband button his lip and sit himself down,” everyone laughed together every day and supported each other through the wackiness of the show. However, by some miracle, this show was one of the most seamless shows to ever grace the Spaulding stage.
Any so-called mistakes — like the wedding flower bouquet getting stuck in the chandelier but somehow falling into Scarlett’s arms perfectly, or Brandon’s missed line that ended with Amelia’s epic save, or the fire alarm going off at the last show during “Move Toward The Darkness” — ended up contributing to the show and were covered so flawlessly that no one even noticed things went wrong.
“I didn’t feel like there were mistakes in this show because everything got covered so well,” Ada said. “People were a little nervous when they missed their line or something, but I genuinely feel like this cast felt so professional that we all covered for each other very seamlessly and the energy behind it just kept the show moving.” The plot of the show also brought people together because as silly and nonsensical as it was at times, there were sweet moments that left everyone feeling a little happy and a little sad. When Wednesday, played by senior Ada Green, shares a sentimental moment with her father Gomez, played by junior Alex McClintock, he admits to her that watching his daughter grow up is bittersweet. And as relatable as this is, the scene was beloved by all.
“My favorite scene and song was Happy Sad because it gave me a connection to my mom who really liked that song because it gave her a connection to her dad who passed away,” junior Alex McClintock said. “So, getting to sing that with my grandpa in mind and with my mom there, since she went to every single show, was really rewarding for me. It made me very happy and very sad.” This scene in particular moved all the seniors in the show, too, because at this point in their lives, they are preparing to leave for college and embark on a new chapter in their life. “It’s a very fast paced show, and that’s kind of the only moment in the show that slows down,” Ada said. “Then you have the sweetest father-daughter growing-up moment, and Alex and I were talking about both almost crying onstage in the final show because it really hits hard, especially now as a senior getting ready to leave.”
That part of the show — knowing the end of it was inevitable, brought about a lot of emotions for everyone. Sharing the stage with the seniors one last time and concluding a production as tightknit and fabulous as this one is always bittersweet. “You kind of hit a low after Tech Week ends because it feels like you’re so unbelievably happy for a week straight, then all of a sudden, it’s just gone,” Cooper said. “It’s always a little jarring. But it was so much fun and I’m just so happy I got to be a part of it.” Part of enjoying a show and ensuring it’s worth remembering forever is acknowledging the efforts of every individual who contributes so much to the show and often goes underappreciated or doesn’t realize how admired they are by their fellow cast, crew, and band. The crew and band are always the backbone of every show. Without their contributions, a musical couldn’t be a musical.
The time that the band and crew put into every show is commendable and their talents — whether newly discovered or a long time in the making — inspire everyone. Sophomore Shaia Engel is in charge of sound for all the productions, and without his commitment and dedication, not a single show would be possible. Shaia’s efforts are not seen by the audience and often go unrecognized, but he truly is one of the most important people in the theater who make every show a success. “Shaia was putting in so much extra time.
There are days when I would stay late or get there early, but Shaia was always there before I got there and he was always there when I left,” Cooper said. “Shaia puts so much effort into these shows and — even though he’s getting no sleep like we all are — he’s still the friendliest and sweetest guy, and just fantastic. He’s just always so happy to be there and he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves for it.” Junior Asher Gottesdeiner acted in the role of Lurch, the zombie butler, in this production and truly took his character to the next level, impressing and entertaining everyone.
Whether referencing “The Lion King” in his grunted-out backstory to the Beinekes or cracking jokes backstage to lighten the mood, Asher brought about laughter and joy at every rehearsal and show. “Asher’s character was very one-dimensional because he’s Lurch and he’s basically not allowed to talk and not allowed to show emotions. But in his moments, he did a lot with the little he was given, which I think is very impressive. And the comedic effect he had was very good,” Alex said. “‘The Lion King’ bit he came up with by himself too was hilarious.” Senior Sofia Ramirez was also a true inspiration in this production. Joining the theater for the first time in her life, Sofia took advantage of every opportunity that came her way and faced challenges head on.
Her infectious enthusiasm brought the community closer together and left everyone grateful. “Sofia always had a smile on her face and she loved every second of every rehearsal, even when other people were frustrated. And she connected with everybody. She had relationships with the entire cast, and she introduced me to people who I tried to talk to before, but she really knew,” Ada said. “She just threw herself into something and she pulled a lot of the cast closer than it would have been. She did so much for the environment of the show.”
Senior Ada Green was perhaps the most admired actor and member of the show. After performing in Laguna theater for her four years of high school, she brought her all to every moment of this show. Acting as Wednesday Addams for two shows, an ancestor for two shows, and Assistant Director throughout the whole process, Ada’s performance, talent, and kindness elevated the show beyond what anyone could have imagined. “Theater is such a fantastic place to be and Ada is one of the reasons theater is so fantastic. She’s the one who prompted me to sign up, and she manages to just be liked by everyone and have close, personal relationships with every single member of the cast,” Cooper said. All in all and without a doubt, director Dana Caldwell is the biggest reason that Laguna Theatre thrives.
She is kinder than any other director, she cares for her students more than anyone could possibly imagine, and she makes every production more professional than the last. Her guidance, her talent, and her character are what make Laguna Theatre what it is. “I think Mrs. Caldwell is just magical. The environment that she creates, there are not words for it. You have to experience it yourself. But it is exactly what all these high school and middle school students need. It’s a safe space to be silly and to try these crazy new things,” Ada said.
“I cannot overstate what impact Mrs. Caldwell has had on my life and what goodness she does for everybody. I look up to her always.” The Addams Family Musical was one for the history books. The laughter, the hugs, the jokes, the joy, and the chaos made every minute incredible. But, sad as it is, all good things must come to an end and this show will be missed dearly and remembered fondly. “Laguna Theatre is the best place. I’m going to miss it,” Ada said. “I already miss The Addams Family and I’ll miss Laguna Theatre so much after eight shows here. It has felt like it is my home.”
