28 seconds ago 2009-11-28T12:04:47-08:00
The macabre clan of characters created by late illustrator Charles Addams have jumped from the pages of The New Yorker magazine to television, film and - starting Nov. 13 - the American musical theatre. The Addams Family, a new musical, begins a pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago.
Tony Award winners Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago, Sweet Charity) and Nathan Lane (The Producers, Ö.Forum) play the creepy heads-of-household, Morticia and Gomez, respectively, in this original song-filled re-imagining of the Addams characters. Seemingly plucked from gothic novels, penny dreadfuls and Hollywood horror flicks, the Addamses are oddballs. The haunted mansion is populated by a Frankenstein-like butler; a witchy grandmama; a vampire-influenced mother; an undead uncle; and an assortment of other lovable weirdos.
And now they sing. The songs are by Drama Desk Award-winning composer-lyricist Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party). The fresh libretto (not drawing on TV or film plots of old) is by Tony Award-nominated Jersey Boys collaborators Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.
According to the producers, "In this original story, the famously macabre Addams Family is put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Fester, Grandmama and Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever."
Direction and design duties are handled by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, known for creating strark, frightening images in Shockheaded Peter (a play about childhood horrors) and The Metropolitan Opera's Satyagraha. Choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Next to Normal, Jersey Boys).
The pre-Broadway engagement is at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre in Chicago. Opening night in the Windy City is Dec. 9.
Broadway previews will begin March 4, 2010, at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 W. 46th Street). The show will open on Broadway April 8.
The Addams Family also features the previously announced two-time Tony Award nominee Terrence Mann as Mal Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello as Alice Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman as Grandmama, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez as Wednesday.
The Addams Family includes Merwin Foard, Jim Borstelmann, Michael Buchanan, Colin Cunliffe, Rachel de Benedet, Valerie Fagan, Matthew Gumley, Fred Inkley, Morgan James, Clark Johnsen, Barrett Martin, Jessica Lea Patty, Liz Ramos, Samantha Sturm, Charlie Sutton and Alena Watters.
The production will feature lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (The Coast of Utopia, Aida), with sound design by Acme Sound Partners (Tony nomination for In the Heights) and puppetry by acclaimed Obie Award-winning puppeteer Basil Twist (Arias With A Twist). The music director is Mary-Mitchell Campbell (the revivals of Sweeney Todd and Company), with orchestrations by Larry Hochman (Monty Python's Spamalot) and dance arrangements by August Eriksmoen (Memphis). Hair design is by Tom Watson (Wicked), make-up design by Angelina Avallone (The Little Mermaid), special effects design by Greg Meeh (Monty Python's Spamalot) and fight direction by Rick Sordelet (The Lion King).
The Addams Family is produced by Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt and Five Cent Productions, by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical. Co-producers are Stephen Schuler, Decca Broadway, Scott M. Delman, Stuart Ditsky, Terry Allen Kramer, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, Eva Price, Jam Theatricals/Mary Lu Roffe, Pittsburgh CLO/Gutterman-Swinsky, Vivek Tiwary/Gary Kaplan, The Weinstein Company/Clarence, LLC and Adam Zotovich/Tribe Theatricals.
Addams (1912-1988) created several thousand cartoons, sketches and drawings, many of which were published in The New Yorker. He is best known for creating The Addams Family, drawn and written in "a unique style that combined the twisted, macabre and just plain weird with charm, wit and enchantment." Visit charlesaddams.com.
For Broadway tickets, call (877) 250-2929 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com.
