Battle Performing Arts staged The Addams Family musical on Friday, November 17, through Sunday, November 19. The actors and actresses had been rehearsing since September. The musical was packed full of comedy, drama, and multiple love stories. In the end there were four couples who fell in love. One of them being Fester Addams (Ben Keiser) who falls in love with the Moon (Talia Saxton) Even Wednesday Addams (Kathrine Anderson), the princess of darkness, finds love.
The overall performance was outstanding! It was clear the actors and actresses have been working hard over those three months. The technicians were also an essential part of the evening. No cues were missed, the lights and sound were always on point. Daz Murry, a senior, was the head technician. She is in charge of everything that happens behind the curtain. After their first show, Murry named her favorite part of being a stage manager, “ I like to work with and talk to people.” Kathrine Anderson, the junior who starred as Wednesday, agreed with her then added “I really liked performing ‘Crazier Than You.’ It’s my favorite song from the musical.” Multiple cast members agree that the song “Crazier Than You” was one of the most entertaining parts of the night. Lienna Marshman and Jeremiah Fox were asked what their least favorite thing was about the musical. Lienna Marshman, the senior who played Morticia said “My least favorite part of being in the musical is definitely the costumes. As Morticia I have to wear a corset and it gets really hot and hard to breathe.” Jeremiah agreed saying “Yeah the costumes are definitely my least favorite thing. I have to wear a couple layers of clothes and I’m wearing a suit. So It gets very hot.”
On Thursday November 16, the actors and actresses performed for a few middle schools. Abbie Clayborn, a seventh grade student at Lange Middle school, said “I liked it. When I go to high school, they should let me into that play. I could be Wednesday. She was really pretty.”
The plot starts in a graveyard where all of the deceased ancestors of the Addams come out to dance with each other. After they had finished dancing they tried to go back to their graves to rest and find they cannot. After several minutes they discover that it’s because Wednesday Addams is in love with Lucas Beineke (August Crites) and they are engaged. Wednesday wants to introduce Lucas and his family to her family so that everyone can get to know each other. She needs help persuading her mother, Morticia Addams (Lienna Marshman), into liking the Beinekes. She decides to tell Gomez (Jerimiah Fox) about the engagement, but he has to keep it a secret from Morticia.
The drama of the plot hinges on the fact that Gomez has allegedly never kept a secret from his wife, and Morticia can always tell that there is something going on. But no matter what Morticia does, Gomez will not tell her anything. Throughout the night he struggles trying to decide if he should make either his wife or daughter happy. He knows if he does not tell his wife the truth, he’d be breaking his promise he made in their wedding vows, to never keep a secret from one another, resulting in her leaving him. But if he tells Morticia about Wednesday and Lucas, she would try to break them up and Wednesday would be crushed. In the end, Lucas proves to the Addams and the Beinekes that he loves Wednesday and wants to marry her. He’d even let her shoot an apple off his head while she’s blindfolded. Morticia finally forgives Gomez for not telling her the truth about the kids. And the Beinekes learn to accept the Addams for who they are. Overall, The Addams Family musical was well-received by all audiences. The actors and actresses had incredible talent and put on a great show for the Battle community.