Snapping their fingers underneath the dim stage lights, the Addams family will make their stage debut on March 7 through March 9. “The Addams Family Musical: High School Edition” will tell the story of spooky antics, unexpected love and dark humor. Each scene and song holds a message the audience will remember, even after the show ends. 

Students, teachers and crew worked behind the scenes to bring the beloved musical to life. Featuring a cast that sings, dances and acts the company of 82 members have all contributed to bring the musical to life. 

“I would say [the rehearsal process for the show] is long, but it’s definitely worth it. Just being with everyone, it’s a lot of fun. You get to talk to a lot of people, and practice,” cast member and freshman Mia Loeffler said. “I’m excited for [the audience] to see [the songs] Full Disclosure and Waiting, because it’s an entertaining part of the show. It makes people laugh, even [when] we see it 1000 times.”

Capturing a balance between rigid precision and lively energy, the choreography will showcase different talents to the audience members throughout the duration of the musical. The students on the cast move to eerie dance numbers with accuracy, while the accompaniment keeps the movements paced with sharp, vibrant beats. To complete the performance, the band and orchestra have partnered to create the pit orchestra of varying instruments. Pit member and senior Dominic Perez takes on the role of playing four instruments.

“This has probably been one of the most challenging musical experiences ever for me, not just learning the music for all four of the instruments, but strategically switching between them in the middle of songs without dropping my instruments or breaking them,” Perez said. “It’s been a real challenge for me, but it’s been a good challenge. It’s been fun, and I’ve gotten to enjoy playing each instrument.” 

In addition, the musical is upheld by crew members who help to stabilize the performance and know the entire show. During the production of the show, crew members such as stage managers, technical crew, props and set crew, and backstage crew work together to make sure the show flows smoothly with no interruptions. Backstage crew member and senior Ella Bruner helped choreograph alongside director Patrick Mooney to advance dances that fit each actor’s character archetype.

“I wanted to help with dance because I’ve always done dance, and it seemed like a fun opportunity. I like the connections that are made backstage. It’s definitely a new experience, because the music in the Addams Family is different [from] other music that I’ve danced to before,” Bruner said. “Mooney had a base choreography, and then it was my job to spice it up and [assist]. If any of the other actors needed clarification or something felt wrong, they could come to me rather than Mooney as a peer example.”

So far, over 800 tickets have been sold within two weeks before showtime. According to Mooney, who has worked on ticket selling for the theater department for the past 22 years, this is the first time that ticket sales have been this successful. 

“I learned recently that [Addams Family is] the most produced show by high schools across the nation, mostly because it’s fun, energetic [and] upbeat. There’s a good story about family that anyone can relate to. One of the big reasons I wanted to produce Addams Family was because the dancing [has] more mood to it. It’s less about the physicality of [hitting a certain position] and more about feeling emotion,” Mooney said. 

The cast has portrayed the emotional depth of the Addams family, capturing the balance between humor and spirit that is the central theme to the show. As the final curtain falls and the last note echoes through the auditorium, the Addams Family musical highlights the dedication of the cast and crew. From late-night rehearsals to the attention to detail in each scene, this high school production brought together a community of students, educators and volunteers working together.

“I think the [theme of the musical] is definitely relatable for most of us. [While] living at home with [our] families, we may be living this similar journey to Wednesday as she’s becoming an adult and trying to figure out where she’s going to take her life. We’re also in high school trying to figure out our lives and where we’re going to go, such as college after high school,” cast member and junior Ashby Gragg said. “The core message is family and not just the family that you’re born into, but the people who make you feel loved, wanted and secure. I feel like that’s very relatable in our world today.”