Jeri Tidwell Photography
Everyone is probably familiar with The Addams Family, whether it be from the comics drawn by Charles Addams, the 1960s TV series, an animated series, two live-action feature films and two animated feature films. And … the Broadway musical. Yes, the delightfully macabre family was brought to life on the Broadway stage in April 2010 with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia. The show earned two Tony Award nominations, eight Drama Desk Award nominations (winning one for Set Design), four Drama League Award nominations (winning Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre for Lane), and five Outer Critics Circle Award nominations (winning for Set Design). After the show closed in December 2011 and a tour was launched, some significant changes were made — probably for the better — including the removal of all reference to a giant squid named Bernice (although there is a cheeky reference to Bernice in the Toby’s production). The show has only toured the US twice in 2011 and 2013, but it has almost become a staple for dinner theatres, community theatres and high schools. It’s not hard to see why.
The Addams Family begins by introducing the Addamses with the number ‘When You’re an Addams’ and begins to set up the plot as they visit a graveyard for the annual family reunion … of long dead Addamses who make their ghostly appearance every year. But as the family leaves, Uncle Fester prevents the ancestors from returning to their graves, needing their help in a matter of love. It seems young Wednesday Addams has a boyfriend named Lucas Beineke and she reveals to her father that the two are engaged but he must keep it a secret from her mother, something Gomez has never done. Their marriage is built on complete honesty but Gomez has also never lied to his daughter and he promises to keep the secret. But when Wednesday invites the Beinekes for dinner, Morticia protests, and only agrees if after dinner they play ‘The Game’. Wednesday and Gomez reluctantly agree but when the average family from Ohio arrives, they also do everything they can to prevent ‘The Game’ from happening. They are all unaware that little brother Pugsley is quite jealous of this new boy in his sister’s life, fearing that she will forget about torturing him, so he steals Grandma’s Acrimonium potion to slip to Wednesday during ‘The Game’ — which is revealed is a game about full disclosure. Drink from the family goblet and reveal one dark secret no one knows. Unfortunately the spiked drink goes to Lucas’ mother instead of Wednesday, and the usually chipper, constantly rhyming average American housewife lets loose on her husband, shocking everyone and putting Lucas and Wednesday’s relationship in jeopardy. What’s worse, Morticia finds out the truth about the engagement and Gomez’s subterfuge, also putting their marriage in danger. For this creepy, kooky, altogether ooky family, can love prevail?
The original book of The Addams Family by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice perfectly captures the spirit of the TV series and live-action movies. There are a plethora of jokes referencing the family’s macabre normality, and jokes that poke fun at the utter blandness of the family from the American Heartland who find themselves quite out of their depth in the Addams mansion (improbably tucked away in the middle of Central Park with no one noticing). The story is funny but it also has a great big heart, really putting the spotlight on family. The Addamses may not be traditional in any sense of the word, but it’s clear they have a deep love for one another. The songs by Andrew Lippa aren’t songs you’ll be humming when you leave the theatre, but they are all lovely and serve to give more depth to the characters and the story.
Toby’s cast for The Addams Family is stellar. Regulars Jordan B. Stocksdale and MaryKate Brouillet (who played Wednesday in the last production of the show at Toby’s) are perfection as Gomez and Morticia. They play so well off of each other, and they each get to shine in their own solo numbers with Stocksdale taking on ‘Trapped’, ‘What If’ (with Pugsley), ‘Happy/Sad’ and ‘Not Today’, while Brouillet’s Morticia only gets one solo (with the help of the ancestors) in ‘Just Around the Corner’, but she knocks it out of the park. The two also get a pair of lovely and heartfelt numbers as well, ‘Let’s Live Before We Die’ and ‘Tango De Amor’. Shawn Kettering is wonderfully funny as Uncle Fester, often acting as the story’s narrator, showing us that he’s really an old softie who wears his heart on his sleeve especially when he reveals he too is in love (we won’t spoil the object of his affection) and gets a wonderful solo that has him literally gliding across the stage.
Jeri Tidwell Photography
Lydia Gifford is outstanding as Wednesday. This is a character that has lived a life of happiness looking at life through a very dark lens, so feeling so joyful about being in love is something new for her, and Gifford shows us how Wednesday is being pulled in two different directions (with the aptly titled song ‘Pulled’). Gifford deftly modulates her performance between that darkness and light, but becoming easily frustrated with her family who aren’t equipped to deal with her happiness, and her boyfriend who isn’t equipped to deal with the darkness. It’s a wonderful performance and Gifford has a great, powerful voice. Colton Roberts is great as Pugsley (the role alternates with Elijah Doxtater). Just seeing his stance in the opening number made me think ‘this kid understands this part’. He gets some big laughs while Wednesday tortures him during her ‘Pulled’ number (the title has a bit of a double meaning), and when he sings his solo part of ‘What If’, he will tug at your heartstrings, and hitting that final note at the end … goosebumps. This was Colton’s Toby’s debut, and hopefully there will be more roles for him to come. David James is a hoot as Grandma, and Adam Grabau as Lurch steals every scene he’s in just by standing there or slowly — very slowly — lumbering on or off stage.
As for the Beineke family, Jeffrey Shankle has to be both bland and on the edge of losing control as their evening with the Addamses spirals out of control. Jackson Miller is the perfect boy next door as Lucas, nicely complimenting the polar opposite Wednesday. Anna Phillips-Brown, though, is a marvel. Her Alice is a lot with her constant cheerfulness and tendency to speak in rhymes, which she seems to think is like a ray of sunshine to everyone (and her bright yellow dress certainly symbolizes that attitude). But when she drinks the Acrimonium … there’s no roof left on the joint when she sings. She commands and dominates the room with her moment in the ‘Full Disclosure’ number that closes Act I. We all needed that intermission to just recover from that showstopping performance and booming voice. That was an award-worthy moment, for sure.
Jeri Tidwell Photography
A special shout-out to the ensemble who play the Addams ancestors — Asia-Ligé Arnold, Jessica Barraclough, Brandon Bedore, Benjamin Campion, Rachel Cahoon, Carter Crosby, Joey Ellinghaus, Amanda Kaplan-Landstrom, Alexis Krey-Bedore, Ariel Messeca. I enjoyed how they ‘haunted’ the stage and served sometimes as accomplices to the Addamses (the Beinekes don’t seem to be able to see them), raising their beautiful voices together and taking on some wonderful choreography. The Toby’s ensemble is always a highlight and this time is no exception. Director and Choreographer Mark Minnick does another excellent job of moving people and props around, on and off the stage, and really focuses on the concept of what family is. The Scenic and Prop Designs by Shane Lowry are outstanding. The torture device Wednesday uses on Pugsley is a hoot, but pay special attention to the four tableaux around the theatre, each representing the characters with thoughtfully curated items that reference everything Addams. Lowry did an fantastic job with the scenic design for The SpongeBob Musical and he may have outdone himself with The Addams Family.
The Lighting (Lynn Joslin), Costumes (Janine Sunday & Sarah King), Wigs & Hair (Jayson Kueberth), Make-Up (Janine Sunday) and Sound Design (Mark Smedley) all add to the atmosphere of the show, and the seven-piece orchestra conducted by Ross Scott Rawlings is perfection. Everything in this production comes together in a wonderful show for the whole family (maybe 10 and up), especially if you have a slightly macabre sense of humor.
And don’t forget, this is a dinner theatre so there is a huge buffet that comes with your ticket of admission. In addition to the salad bar, the buffet includes Creepy & Kooky Carrots, Grandma’s Cabbage, Thing’s Hand Cut Potatoes, Beineke’s Broccoli, Fester’s Spinach Phunque, Pugsley’s Pasta, Gomez’s Chicken Parmesan, Morticia’s Meatballs, Lurch’s Baked Fish, and the carving board of roast beast, Virginia Ham and Turkey Breast.
As with every show at Toby’s there is also a themed drink. This one is The Thing, which is a Wildberry Pina Colada with blackberry liqueur and coconut run, topped with thick whipped cream and a sprinkle of Frankenberry and Boo-Berry cereal. It also comes in a non-alcoholic version. And you get to take home a collectible glass as well!
If you’re looking for a creepy, kooky night out with music, laughter, and great food, you can’t go wrong with The Addams Family at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland.
The Addams Family runs about 2 hours 30 minutes with one intermission. Note that fog, haze and strobe effects are used in this production.
The Addams Family runs through November 10, 2024. Toby’s next production for the holiday season is the classic musical The Sound of Music, (November 15 – January 12).
Check our Ticketmaster link for ticket availability.
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