The Addams Family
at Newport Harbor

Reviewed on April 16, 2016

Grace Danon
Mater Dei
Submitted for publication to OC Register

NHHS's "The Addams Family" is scarily good

Newport Harbor High School reanimates the spookiest family on the block in a charmingly ghoulish production of "The Addams Family." The beloved comic and television series gets a musical twist in this humorous show, which involves modern themes of marriage and family.

The madness starts when Wednesday Addams, falls in love with a "normal" boy. The Addams host a dinner party, so the two families can meet, but secrets will be spilled, marriages threatened, and trouble stirred up by the family's ancestors.

Creative use of lighting and props envelop the stage in a creepy darkness, consistently setting the mood while showing change in environment. Without losing the iconic features of the family, the truly talented cast makes them fresh, relatable, and downright lovable.

Alina Aguirre portrays Wednesday Addams, and perfectly maintains the character's comic moroseness through frequent eye-rolling and frowns. Numbers like "Pulled," and "Crazier Than You" showcase her stunning vocals and crystal clear diction.

Wednesday's mother, Morticia, played by Sabrina Von Bogenberg, distinguishes herself by her darkly confident voice and arm movements. Without breaking Morticia's cool stoicism, she gets emotion across, while singing and dancing beautifully. Henry Lopez brings Addams family patriarch, Gomez, to life, with Latin flare and comedic suave.

A league of ghostly ancestors fully commit to their characters and to complex choreography. In their voices and movement, the whole Addams clan does a fantastic job of defining their characters and showing familial love. Characters like Pugsley (Chris Surridge), Grandma (Delaney McCulloch), and Lurch (Keishaun Burroughs) keep things perfectly comedic and display excellent energy, especially in numbers like "Full Disclosure" and "One Normal Night."

Lighting, designed by Jackson Halphide and Gavin Lattimer, uses a variety of darker colors to perfectly establish the gloomy feel, as well as different lighting angles and shapes to help indicate scenery changes. Well-timed spotlights also distinguish characters' private moments and the humorously dramatic turning points. Emma Andranian and Kelly Dowell head props, which are incredibly detailed and include a rocket, a detonator, and a crossbow, all fashioned from everyday items. Audrey Stroth and Serena Zamora man makeup which perfectly balances black and white shades, particularly on the ghostly ancestors.

This "altogether ookey" production is a wonderful pairing of innovative visuals and skilled actors, making it a vibrant mix of catchy tunes, great humor, and one unforgettable family.

Claudia Mansoory
Tesoro
Submitted for publication to OC Register

A not-so-normal night at Newport Harbor

A single gloved hand reaches through the closed curtain and, with a flick of its wrist, snaps along to a familiar tune. The curtain then opens, revealing a bizarre mix of ghoulish frowns on the faces of a dark, ghostly group: The Addams family. This is the shocking image that opens Newport Harbor's lively production of "The Addams Family", a hilarious musical that follows the classic family as they are forced to accept Wednesday's engagement to a devastatingly ordinary young man.

With a deep, mysterious voice and smooth, languid movements, Sabrina Von Bogenberg perfectly embodies Morticia, a concerned but controlled mother and wife. Von Bogenberg oozes with confidence, always standing completely erect with her chin high and arms crossed delicately around her chest. She shows off impressive dancing skills with high kicks and sharp spins in "Secrets" as she explains her marital philosophy to Alice.

Henry Lopez as Gomez contrasts Von Bogenberg's powerful stillness with a frenetic energy that shines through his every frenzied movement. His playfulness emerges when he lunges at his motionless servant with a sword, masterfully flicking the blade as he engages in a one-sided duel. Lopez endows his squeak of a voice with a soft Latin twang that adds another level of comedy to his quirky character.

Rolling her eyes and donning a deep frown, Alina Aguirre is defiant and assertive as Wednesday. Her usually dark demeanor falls aside in "Pulled", when she giggles with earnest smiles, singing of love and the new feelings that come with it.

Transforming from a nervous housewife to a newly empowered woman is Vita Muccia as Alice. At the start of the show, Muccia's high pitched, squealing voice is often cut off by fits of hyperventilation during which she clutches her chest and opens her eyes wide with anxious fear. In her climactic song "Waiting", her inhibitions fall away and she lets loose, flinging her sweater to the ground and jumping atop the dinner table.

Emma Andranian and Kelly Dowell do an excellent job providing kooky, well-crafted props that enhance the performance. From ancient torture devices to a miniature Fester doll, each prop is highly detailed and fitting to the dark mood of the show.

With captivatingly quirky characters and excellently delivered humor, Newport Harbor shares the strength of familial ties in their production of "The Addams Family".

Baylee Shlichtman
Pacifica
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Newport Harbor's The Addams Family is a creepy, cooky good time

Newport Harbor amuses with a hilarious portrayal of The Addams Family. When Wednesday Addams entrusts her father with her secret engagement, more than just hell breaks loose when the future in-laws show up for a visit.

Henry Lopez portrays Gomez Addams, the charismatic patriarch desperately trying to keep his family content. He bustles from one character to the next flashing a reassuring smile, only to turn and face the audience with widened, exasperated eyes. His unfaltering Hispanic accent shines through his singing, as he cuts off the end of each note for comedic effect.

With her firm gaze and her skeletal posture, Sabrina Von Bogenberg dominates the stage as Morticia Addams. Her face maintains the same shape, using her voice and eyes to express her emotions. Her tall frame towers above her husband's, prompting her to bend ridiculously far to compensate. She parries Lopez's unrestrained energy with perpetually crossed arms, offering affection with a confident flip of her hair that sends him swooning uncontrollably.

As the immature Pugsley Addams, Chris Surridge waddles to carry his oversized gut. He squeals with delight when tortured and whines with an upturned nose when denied his way, creating a younger character without sounding forced.

Alice, played by Vita Muccia, gasps fearfully and giggles uncontrollably. She transforms upon drinking a potion designed to reveal the true self, stretching herself across the table and running about with open, beckoning arms.

Keishaun Burroughs drags his body as the undead butler Lurch. He groans with varied inflection to communicate, filling his eyes with laughter for a second before returning to a steely glare. His deliberate interjections and gestures are timed precisely, creating a contrasting, comedic mood to the one offered by the creepy estate.

The Orchestra pauses altogether to emphasize comedic moments in the score, allowing the character to use the ensuing silence to enhance their particular antic. They enlarge their sound during moments of chaos, adjusting when a character sings more softly so as to never overwhelm them.

Makeup design by Audrey Stroth and Serena Zamora employs dark colors to place the characters' eccentricities across their faces. Morticia's complexion is paper white, offset by red lips to emphasize her creepy, yet beautiful, demeanor.

Newport Harbor recreates this classic family, demonstrating that love is universal, no matter how odd the source may be.