With its gothic atmosphere, eccentric characters, and dark humor, The Addams Family is bringing a spooky twist to the SP stage during this Halloween season.
According to director Mrs. Kemmerer, the decision to do The Addams Family for this year's musical came from wanting to do a show that would appeal to the audience while providing opportunity for students. With a large ensemble, numerous lead roles, and timeless characters, the musical offered something for everyone involved.
“Students have recommended this show over the years, and when we looked at the characters, the technical demands, the music and the story, we felt it would be a great fit for the program this year,” Mrs. K explained.
One of the production's defining features is its huge cast of the Addams Ancestors. Their presence throughout the whole show makes every ancestor an important part of the storytelling in the musical. The musical also offers students to explore comedic acting, vocal performance, while crew members contribute through lighting, sound, costumes, props, and special effects. “The set, lighting, sound and costumes are AWESOME!” Mrs. K said, “It’s so fun to be working on this right now”
For the cast, bringing these characters to life has been both exciting and challenging. Gemma Gabriele ‘27, who plays Morticia Addams describes her character as “confident, mysterious, and elegant.” For her to capture Morticia personality required her to step out of her comfort zone. “Getting into Morticia’s character and figuring out how to portray her personality while still making it feel natural. As someone whose personality is definitely the opposite of my characters, this was a challenge because at first I couldn't figure out how to portray her emotions.”
For Gabriele, one of the highlights is “Tango de Amor,” a dance where Morticia and Gomez reconcile. She enjoys the choreography, the lighting, and the opportunity to perform with her friends. Mrs. K also highlighted the end of Act 1 was one of her favorite moments with the entire cast onstage while chaos is unfolding; the whole scene brings all the elements of theatre together. She also enjoyed watching the ancestors develop backstories for their characters.
I asked Mrs. K, “Do you wish for this production to inspire other students to be involved in theatre?”. And she stated that “I love to see students try new things and step out of their comfort zone. So often in today’s world, students seem to “specialize” in a particular sport or activity and aren’t as inclined to mix it up from season to season.” She hopes that students will see that theatre is an opportunity for anyone willing to try something new.
Gemma understands how intimidating trying something new can be. During her first two years of high school, she played on the girls' varsity soccer team while wanting to participate in theatre. She was nervous about making the transition, but she found the experience rewarding. “Something I would say to someone on the fence about doing theatre is to just go for it... It turned out to be one of the best choices Ive ever made because I've made new connections that I would have never made otherwise.”
More opportunities are coming for students interested in theatre. This winter, SP will be doing The Outsiders, which is based off of the classic novel by S.E. Hinton.
Tickets are selling quickly. Reserve yours today at www.stpaulsmd.org/tickets