The Addams Family was first made famous by the cartoonist Chas Addams. His characters grew out of his cartoons and into TV shows and movies. The Addams Family musical is just another in the large franchise.
Not having grown up with the cartoons or tv interpretation, I only knew the basics: the family is a macabre one, obsessed with all things horrific. They have a weird, tall butler named Lurch (Zachary James), a crazy grandma (Valerie Fagan), and a bald uncle (Erick Buckley). I also knew that Wednesday Addams (the daughter) was always gloomy and enjoys torturing her brother and any other children she can get her hands on. The simple plot goes as follows: Wednesday (Rachel Potter) is growing up and seems to have fallen in love (a HUGE shocker!) with a boy named Lucas (Jesse Swenson). She has invited 
Lucas’s family over for dinner at the Addams Family Mansion, and expects her parents (Roger Rees and Bebe Neuwirth) to be on their best behavior. Of course this is impossible for the cooky family and the night is filled with misunderstandings and bad first impressions. The musical, like all, ends happily (even though this IS the Addams Family!).
The set was one of the most amazing sets I have seen on a Broadway stage. Unlike many sets, this one is a full stage set, and it moves as the scenes change. There were also many puppets incorporated into the set and action: Cousin It, Uncles Fester flying, and the scary octopus in the basement. This being said, there were only a few outstanding voices (both Wednesday and Alice Beineke [Lucas’s mom, Heidi Blickenstaff]). Bebe Neuwirth’s voice was quite annoying and not exactly what I would picture for a Morticia Addams. The humor, though funny enough to make the audience laugh, didn’t register with me the same. It was a great show to bring the family to and was a great use of all things in the theatre (music, set, and costumes). But, if you are someone who wants something to think about after the show, this is not for you.
The Addams Family
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
June 25, 2011
Marina B. Nebro
