Serra Brings to Life Creepy, Kooky, Funny ‘Addams’

Familiar characters draw inspiration from recent movies, original 1930s cartoons

By Bonnijean Cooney Adams
The Tube City Almanac
April 19, 2024
Posted in: Entertainment

Sometimes a little drink can make people do strange things, as can be seen when Taylor Betzner as Alice Beineke imbibes during a dinner party to introduce her family to the Addams family. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Boy and girl meet and fall in love. Seems like a normal theme for a musical, right?

But when the boy is from a normal suburban Ohio family and his girlfriend happens to be Wednesday from the Addams family, both seek just “One Normal Night” when their parents meet for the first time.

Serra Catholic High School presents “The Addams Family” for its spring musical, which opens Friday, April 19.

Through music and dance, it tells the story of what happens when the Addams family hosts a dinner party for grownup Wednesday’s boyfriend and his parents.

“ ‘The Addams Family’ is a musical I’ve wanted to do for years, director Jesse Bush said. “It’s probably because Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year.”

The musical comedy, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, is set in New York City at the Addams family mansion.

It is is based on cartoon characters created by Charles Addams in 1933, whose story has continued in a TV series that ran from 1964-66 and other productions.

Vincent Brown as Gomez Addams and Katelyn Kostrub as his wife Morticia Addams wonder "Where Did We Go Wrong?" regarding their daughter Wednesday. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Senior Vince Brown plays family patriarch Gomez Addams, with Katelyn Kostrub as his lovely wife Morticia. Brigid Fuller and Francesca Aland portray children Wednesday and Pugsley, respectively.

Brown said he was a little familiar with the Addams Family characters from the 2022 “Wednesday” series.

“I love all of the music for this show,” he said.

Gomez is Hispanic, and Brown said he modeled his speaking and singing voice for the part from taking two years of Spanish. He said his experience playing  “Dungeons & Dragons” added to his interpretation.

Brown said “Happy Sad” is his favorite song in the show, which Gomez sings to Wednesday.

“I think Gomez is funny, but also very serious as a husband and a father,” he said.  “This show is about acceptance, and family dynamics.”

Mickey O’Brien definitely had to overcome some challenges as Lurch. Towering over others in the cast required him to learn to walk on stilts, for one thing.

“I tried them at first walking with poles, but adapted quickly and it feels natural now,” O’Brien said.

Although the silent type, Lurch has a very deep voice when he talks and sings, something O’Brien said he’s had to work on.

Brigid Fuller said it’s hard staying deadpan in her role as Wednesday, mostly showing no emotion – except when she interacts with her “normal” boyfriend Lucas Beineke.

“I feel like I do all the happy stuff with Lucas,” she said, which baffles her parents at first with the changes they see in their 18-year-old daughter.

“The Addams Family” cast rehearses a number from the show. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Fuller said one of her favorite songs is “One Normal Night,” where Wednesday asks her family to put aside its oddness and act “normal.”

Katelyn Kostrub is Morticia Addams, loving mother and wife, who feels betrayed when Gomez keeps a big secret from her.

She said she was not familiar with the musical, but has enjoyed piecing her role altogether and getting into her part.

Francesca Aland as Pugsley experiences mixed emotions seeing all the changes in Wednesday when she falls in love.

“As a kid, he really loves his sister, and just doesn’t understand,” Aland said.  “He’s concerned, confused.” Her favorite song is “Pulled,” which features the pair.

Gomez (Vincent Brown) and Morticia (Katelyn Kostrub) show off their dance skills with fellow cast members in a tango from "The Addams Family." (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Emilia Capasso describes Grandmama as “this crazy, happy old lady. I just came up with this voice to play her.”

She said “Full Disclosure” is her favorite song in the show.

Playing the unusual uncle Fester is a far cry from last year, when Savino DiLonardo teamed up with Michael Aland to bring the plant Audrey II to life in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“I’m very excited and wanted this role,” DiLenardo said.

His favorite part is “The Moon and Me,” where Fester proclaims his love.

Aland said playing father Mal Beineke is a big step up for him and he’s focused on interpreting that role.

“This has been my biggest role in the musicals,” Aland said. “I’m glad I don’t have to dance, but I love watching everyone else do it.”

Andrew Muzy plays Lucas Beineke, Wednesday’s love interest, the young man who has transformed the Gothic character into one full of light and butterflies.

He said he had heard of the characters, but was not familiar with the musical when it was announced.

“It’s really fun,” Muzy said. “I didn’t have a certain part in mind, but then I auditioned and they asked me to come for callbacks and I landed this part.”

The unsuspecting Beineke family from Ohio, from left, Taylor Betzner as Alice, Andrew Muzy as son Lucas, and Michael Aland as husband Mal, prepare to meet Lucas' girlfriend's parents. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Taylor Betzner is mom Alice Beineke, a general sweetheart of a person who breaks into rhyming everything when she speaks and sings when she is nervous or stressed.

Meeting the Addams family definitely brings that about!

“I had not heard of the musical that much before,” Aland said, adding the biggest challenge for her was learning all the rhyming parts. “She uses so many weird words.”

Director Bush said he also faced different challenges.

“There have been plenty of challenges in staging ‘The Addams Family,’ this year,” Bush said. :Everything from the design of costumes like Cousin Ittor teaching someone how to walk on stults for Lurch or even just the crazy set designs, it’s definitely been a learning experience for me.”

“The cast and I are having so fun much,” Bush said. “I feel like I say this every year, but this is one of the most talented groups I’ve worked with. I’m very proud of them.”

Bonnijean Cooney Adams is a freelance contributor. She can be reached at adamsclick@aol.com.

The cast of "The Addams Family," Serra Catholic's musical, gathers for a group photo in preparation for opening night on Friday, April 19, at 7 p.m.

From left, Francesca Aland as Pugsley Addams, Brigid Fuller as Wednesday Addams, Andrew Muzy as Lucas Beineke, and Katelyn Kostrub as Morticia Addams rehearse a musical number.

Emilia Capasso gets into her character of Grandmama in "The Addams Family."

Savino DiLonardo as Fester sings about what he loves in "The Moon and Me."

Mickey O'Brien had several challenges for his role of Lurch, including learning how to walk on stilts.

CAST

The Addams Family:

Vincent Brown as Gomez
Katelyn Kostrub as Morticia
Brigid Fuller as Wednesday
Francesca Aland as Pugsley
Savino DiLonardo as Fester
Mickey O’Brien as Lurch
Emilia Capasso as Grandmama
Lyndsay Chirdon as Cousin Itt
Caroline Muzy as Tassel

The Beineke Family:

Michael Aland as Mal Beineke
Taylor Betzner as Alice Beineke
Andrew Muzy as Lucas Beineke

The Addams Family Ancestors:

Lyndsay Chirdon, Amy Dodds, Erin Genton, Cassie Lake, Natalie Morgart, Sully Muzy, Payton Normandy, Jacob Rock, Nyima Scott, Alec Thielet, Alexis Yunk

STAGE CREW

Robbie Anitori, Anna Blahut, Lucia Dunn, Legend Jenkins, Dylan Kashak, Faith Konieczka, Xavier Miller, Chloe Soyke

PRODUCTION STAFF:

Director: Jesse Bush
Business Manager/Choreographer: Cassie Fedor
Set Construction: Mitchell Bush
Sound/Lighting: Red Baughman
Stage Manager: Jimmy Fedor

Originally published April 19, 2024.

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