Cappies Review: South County High School's 'The Addams Family'

LORTON, VA — Few can resist a snap and a smile when the familiar theme of the Addams family begins. In a story where love conquers all and family triumphs, South County High School's production of The Addams Family puts a fun spin on a classic tale.

The kooky comedy premiered on Broadway in 2010 with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The eccentric characters Americans have come to know and love originated in a single-panel gag cartoon written by Charles Addams. The musical stays true to its roots and presents the Addams family as being a very different kind of family unit with a fixation for the macabre.

When Wednesday, the youngest daughter of Gomez and Morticia Addams, confesses her newfound love for a boy, Lucas, chaos erupts, true desires are uncovered, and love is revealed. Leading the Addams clan with confidence was Craig Allison in the role of Gomez Addams. From the moment he appeared onstage, Allison drew laughs with both his hilarious delivery of lines and his natural physical comedy. In addition, he maintained a commendable Spanish accent in both song and scene.

Alongside Allison was the lovely Doris Dougherty playing the sultry Morticia Addams. Dougherty expressed fantastic vocals-- particularly during "Secrets"-- and had a distinct stage presence that was both menacing and seductive.

The ancestor ensemble stood out sharply during this number (especially Emma Stitzer) and cleanly executed the complex steps in sync and with ease. In his role as Fester Addams, Jake Borenstein, countered Morticia's strident presence with a quirky and bubbly energy. Borenstein had excellent comedic timing and created an adorable persona that was exemplified during his ballad to the moon, "The Moon and Me."

Alice Beineke (played by Anna Luczynski) played a wonderful "normal" counterpart to the entire Addams crew. Luczynski created a superb relationship with her son Lucas (Nick Ferlazzo) and husband Malcom (Rashaad Martin), with her extravagant use of poetry and overstated facial expressions.

Not to be forgotten is Lulu Romero playing crazy Grandma Addams. Romero portrayed the age of her character with a methodical physicality. Moreover, during her comedic scenes, Romero came into her own with her entertaining character choices and ridiculous movements.

Lurch (Armin Mahmutovic), the Addams' butler, also brought laughable energy to the stage. Since he did not speak much, Mahmutovic utilized physical comedy as his main vehicle for connecting with the audience, and he made his character unique through unconventional motions.

Complementing the fantastic talent were equally impressive technical areas. The hair and makeup team did an exceptional job of transforming the cast and individualizing each look. Each ancestor had detailed contouring and a wig to create a ghostly feel while the Beinekes had regular stage makeup on to convey a sense of normalcy.

Another technical element that stood out were the properties. Numerous items appeared onstage and were used effectively, such as a bird, a TNT plunger, and Grandma's cart of potions. The sound effects also added to the realism of the show, providing thunder for the storm and an eerie squeak when the door to the household opened and closed. The sound crew also did an effective job of balancing the outstanding orchestra with the actors.

In South County High School's production of The Addams Family, the audience was reminded that everyone benefits from a little quirkiness and a lot of love.

Review by Jess Scarano of McLean High School

Photo: Laura Mancusi