Metropolis set for the critically acclaimed musical The Addams Family

Aug 6, 2023
The Addams Family: The Musical at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

Opening the 2023 - 2024 Season at Metropolis is the ghastly fun family comedy The Addams Family: The Musical. Former Interim Artistic Director and Stella Adler Studio of Acting Director of Musical Theatre Robbie Simpson directs this macabre musical hit. Featuring original choreography by Jeni Donahue and musical direction by Jeff Award-Nominated music director Aaron Kaplan.

The Addams Family: The Muscial at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has a secret that is sure to be a nightmare for her father, Gomez. She has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, intelligent young man from a respectable family! What is worse, the famously macabre family must host a dinner for Wednesday's "normal" boyfriend and his "regular" parents. What could go wrong? In this hilarious, touching, and uplifting comedy about America's darkest family, just about everything.

This weird, wonderful concoction of nonstop fun from the writers of the Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, explores the importance of every kind of family. As the bizarrely macabre Addams clan faces the deadly task of adding new and oddly ordinary branches to their traditionally eerie family tree, they must come together with a new chosen family in a way they never would have imagined.

"The Addams Family is one of those rare creations that seems to have endless iterations and interpretations, each as enjoyable as the last," says Artistic Director Brendan Ragan. "What this musical does so well is remind us of the importance of embracing your unique individuality. The Addams Family: The Musical makes it clear: being different is not just okay, it is the key to happiness."

Starring Courtney San Pedro as the dark princess herself, Enzo Donoso as her suave father and Kaity Paschetto as her darkly sultry mother, Elliot Mayeda as her younger, devious brother, Josh Frink as her love-stricken Uncle Fester, Kent Joseph as shambling, gloomy Lurch, Jenny Rudnick as the family's mysterious Grandma, Dru Loman as Wednesday's newfound love, and Savannah Sinclair and Christopher Johnson as his all-too-normal parents, this show is packed with plenty of weird, kooky characters to love.

CHICAGO'S HISTORY WITH THE ADDAMS FAMILY: THE MUSICAL

The world premiere of The Addams Family: The Musical, in addition to the original auditions for the cast, occurred at Chicago's own Nederlander Theatre located in the loop. These preliminary tryouts were hosted by Broadway in Chicago, and the original production was produced by Elephant Eye Theatrical and Roy Furman. Prior to opening on Broadway in April 2010, The Addams Family: The Musical played a limited engagement in Chicago through January 10, 2010. The entire Chicago cast transferred to Broadway with the show, going on to be nominated for a plethora of awards, including two Tony Awards. The production took home both the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Set Design, as well as the 2010 Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre, presented to Nathan Lane.

Producer Stuart Oken of Elephant Eye Theatrical stated of the brand new addition to the Addams Family lore, "It is an extraordinary privilege as well as a daunting responsibility being entrusted with Charles Addams' most beloved creations, but I am confident this outstanding creative team is re-imagining the work in a way that would have made Charlie proud." Based solely on Charles Addams' cartoons, the production team devised the original musical. The Tee & Charles Addams Foundation insisted on the aforementioned, instead of drawing plot from any of The Addams Family television series or films.

As The Addams Family: The Musical moved on to a national tour production, the show evolved into a modernized version of the production regarded as an undead, refreshed, Frankenstein-monster of a musical comedy with a new central plot conflict; new, revised, or reordered songs; and fresh orchestrations and dance.