"The Addams Family," a musical comedy featuring America’s most outlandish cast of characters, opens for a three-weekend run on Friday (Oct. 21) at the Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 56th St.PHOTOS: DEVON HENNINGFIELD
Strange, deranged and forever lovable.
“The Addams Family,” a musical comedy featuring America’s most outlandish cast of characters, opens for a three-weekend run on Friday (Oct. 21) at the Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 56th St.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The show continues Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 4-5.
Tickets are available online. The cost is $15 ($13 for students and senior citizens).
Directed by former Kenosha Unified School District Theatre Arts standout Colin Swanson, “The Addams Family” is a two-hour comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family and defines the true meaning of “normal.”
“It’s a wonderful story for the spooky season,” said Swanson, a 2018 Indian Trail High School and Academy graduate. “It’s a relatable show about families blending together and combining their cultures as one.”
The cast is a mix itself featuring a number of former KUSD stars — including Indian Trail graduate Sage Holloway and Miss Kenosha Jenna Zeihen, a Bradford High School product — along with a collection of talented newcomers.
Kenosha’s Carla Wilson, the mother of local theater veteran Katelyn Wilson, is performing a leading role as “Morticia Addams” in her first-ever production.
“It’s a wonderful story for the spooky season.”
– Colin Swanson, director
“I love seeing this cast grow,” Swanson said. “During tryouts, we had a few people that were so intimidated they didn’t know if they had what it takes to be in the cast. I saw something in them. As we started running the show, they became more comfortable.”
Rhode veteran Matthew Leptich is a natural as “Gomez Addams.” The Trevor resident has performed the lead role multiple times with area theater companies and excels at bringing the character to life.
“He came into the audition using the accent,” Swanson said. “Never once have we heard his real voice.”
The show is choreographed by Kenosha’s Rachel Skowronski. The recent Carthage College graduate incorporated several dance numbers into the show, adding vibrance to a ghoulish production.
“The music is so catchy that you just feel like dancing to it,” Swanson said. “Even though you might not know all of the lyrics, you just feel happy when you leave.”
“Wednesday Addams” (played by Zeihen and Katie Gordon) falls in love with respectable, young man “Lucas Beineke” (Riley Beckett) and seeks her parents approval for marriage.
The Addams invite “Lucas” and his parents over for dinner to meet the entire family, including Pugsley (Evan Kohlmeier), Fester (Holloway and Ryan McNeil), Grandma Addams (Sarah Johnson), Lurch (Rob Fleming) and Cousin It (Eli Kohlmeier).
As you might expect, hilarity ensues.
“These characters are so iconic,” Swanson said. “Everyone can relate to them. That’s how it’s survived for so many years.”
Local boy with autism is spreading holiday cheer in a big way
Nonprofit named recipient for annual donation campaign
Denise Cherry-Russell, a Kenosha resident and proud veteran, won the "Win Your Wish List" Sweepstakes
Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital is proud to welcome a new cardiothoracic surgeon to their world-class…
Unlock productivity and security with trusted IT guidance
An adorable 1 ½-year-old pup looking for a loving home
This website uses cookies.