HOLLAND, Mich. — The Department of Theatre at Hope College has announced that its next production will be The Addams Family. The musical comedy will open on Friday, November 10.
The Addams Family will be performed November 10-11 and November 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a free matinee on Sunday, November 12 at 2 p.m. The performances will be held at the main theatre of the DeWitt Student and Cultural Center.
In the musical, Wednesday Addams (Alegría Guzmán) has grown up, and fallen in love with a young man from a respectable family. Wednesday tells her father, Gomez (Jack Slevin), about the relationship, and begs him not to her mother, Morticia (Claudia Hwang). For the first time in their marriage, Gomez now will have to keep a secret from his wife.
The production will also star Canyon Mannikko as Uncle Fester, Oscar Long as Pugsley Addams, Castle Dettinger as Lurch, Ángela Olssen as Grandma, Genesis Clark as Alice Beineke, Jaden Johnson as Mal Beineke, and Christopher Laubach as Lucas Beineke.
The play’s ensemble includes Grace Arakelian, Cecelia Casper, Laurie Chapman, Elliana Johnson, Anya Kapitula, Elaina Organek, Kiera Savage, Jacqueline Schatz, Rachel Scott, Charis Snyder, Kyle Spiegel, Shane Sygiel, and Sara Verduzco.
The college’s production of The Addams Family was directed by Rhett Luedtke, associate professor of theatre at Hope. Lindsay Hanson is the play’s choreographer, and Heather McCallum is the music director. Keith Pitts is the scenic and projection designer, and Michelle Bombe is the costume designer. The lighting design is by Eric Van Tassell, and the sound design is by Ken Chamberlain. Stephen Krebs is the technical director and properties manager, and Anna Hill is the costume shop manager. The stage manager is Lydia Konings. The assistant stage managers are Eden Comer and Anne Slezak. Carole Chee is the properties designer.
The musical’s book was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The music and lyrics were written by Andrew Lippa. The original Broadway production opened in 2010. It went on to be nominated for two Tony Awards.
The Addams Family was created by Charles Addams, and first appeared in comics in The New Yorker in 1938. A TV sitcom about the family, which starred John Astin and Carolyn Jones, ran on ABC from 1964-1966. A film adaptation starring Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia was released in 1991. It was followed by a sequel, Addams Family Values, in 1993. The most recent adaption of the family is the Netflix series Wednesday, which premiered in 2022. The series stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams.
Hope College’s performance of The Addams Family will open on November 10. Tickets can be purchased here.
