WHS' Performing Arts Department To Put On "The Addams Family"

Westwood High School’s (WHS) Performing Arts Department will present The Addams Family as its Spring musical March 12, 13, and 14 at 7:30pm, and March 14 at 2pm. This musical features a now-adult Wednesday Addams bringing her boyfriend and his parents home to meet her titular family. As her boyfriend, Lucas, is “normal,” havoc ensues. “Like all of our shows, this show was chosen because we thought it would be fun for the cast and audience. It would be a challenge for our students to put on. Since most of our students in the cast are in the ensemble, it is important to me that those roles are substantial. The ensemble in this show has several numbers that they are in, and they bring a lot to the telling of the story. The message and the content line up with the values I've come to know of the Westwood community,” says WHS’ drama teacher and the show’s director.

WHS Senior Fiona Garrity, whom audiences saw as Medea, Alcimede and Phineus in this past fall’s Argonautika and plays Pugsley in this production, effuses enthusiasm for her peers. “My favorite part of this production is the cast. I love the people who do the musical alongside me. The community is something I’m really going to miss next year.” Senior Maeve Patton, who portrayed Mrs. Meyers and Pastor Bruno in last spring’s Freaky Friday, and plays Grandma in this show, agrees. “My favorite part of this production is being able to connect with my peers who I may not normally have classes with. Being able to become friends with people of all grades, abilities and backgrounds makes me feel a greater connection to both my fellow actors and actresses and the school community as a whole.”

WHS Junior Will Vaccaro, who plays Lucas’ father Mal Beineke, adds “My favorite part of putting on this production is definitely the music. The witty writing, intricate harmonies, and genius lyrical composition are really what give the show life.” WHS Senior Haley Ursillo, who portrays Wednesday Addams and played Wells in Freaky Friday, comments “My favorite part of this production is learning the dances because I love our choreographer, Mr. V! He always makes it really fun to learn, and the dances come out looking great!”

When asked about their favorite characters, the students are quick to praise their peers. “My favorite character in the show is Grandma because she is hilarious. Maeve Patton plays Grandma in our production and does a great job...I absolutely love the theater community. The people are so supportive and fun to work with,” comments Garrity. “My favorite character is [Lucas’ mother, played by Senior Caroline Cole] Alice, because I can’t help but laugh during the song ‘Waiting.’ I need to keep a straight face during the song, but it is so hard for me! My favorite part of the show that is non-acting is bonding with the cast. It is a cast of more than 50 people, so it’s great to be able to get to know everyone by playing drama games, going bowling, and doing dance reviews.” Echoes Ursillo.

“I honestly think that every character in this musical is fascinating in their own way, having different complexities that are uncovered and revealed as the show progresses. One character who I think has an especially interesting story, being in the middle of all the tension and drama, is Gomez; I find it really interesting how he deals with the difficult situation he's faced with—being challenged by the two people he cares for the most. I also think that the interactions between Gomez and Morticia as the show progresses, along with how their relationship evolves, are interesting as well,” WHS senior Ayesha Tariq, who plays Morticia Addams and played Danielle and Officer Sitz in Freaky Friday, comments.

“I didn't know there was a movie version coming out when we made the selection. It was a nice coincidence, that I hope will help bring people out to see it. I don't believe that the storyline of the movie matches the storyline of the musical,” reports Howard. When asked about her previous knowledge of The Addams Family, Tariq says “I was not too familiar with The Addams Family before the announcement of this production, but I do remember watching some of the episodes from The Addams Family television series, and I remember that I loved them.”

Garrity notes “I didn’t know much about them, but I remember when I was in elementary school we sang the theme song to the tv show. I remember snapping to it, which we do in this production in the song ‘When You’re an Addams.’” Ursillo, on the other hand, was familiar with both the musical and the characters. “I knew of The Addams Family prior to the show; I saw the musical in Boston when I was younger and I just always knew who they were from a young age.”

“I absolutely love the music in this show. I think that the music unlocks a different dimension to the story. Personally, it allows me to express the emotions that I'm feeling as Morticia (and there definitely are many) in a different medium. I also love how diverse the type of music is; each song I'm in evokes different emotions for me as a character and me as an individual,” says Tariq. “I've been singing since elementary school and music is the reason I started theatre in the first place. The music in this show is beautifully written and, in my opinion, holds the show together,” Patton concurs.

“Several of the licensing companies are releasing school editions of musicals. Some of the lines and humor in the original may not have been as family friendly as schools would like. In producing the School Edition, we hope that families will feel comfortable bringing their kids to the show. That said, there is no way for us to guarantee that what we are presenting will line up 100% with what a parent wants their child to see,” says Howard of the fact that the version of the musical Westwood High School will be presenting is the “school edition.”

The Addams Family will take place March 12, 13, and 14 at 7:30pm, and March 14 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time on Ludus.