The Addams Family
at Bishop Ireton High School

Reviewed on March 10, 2018

Carly Megan Shaffer
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky…and Bishop Ireton High School brought their wonderfully weird characters to life in their production of The Addams Family.

Featuring Charles Addams's iconic cartoon characters, and inspired by their antics on the 1964 television show, The Addams Family musical made its debut in Chicago in 2009. It tells the story of the Addams and their bizarre traditions, including their steadfast devotion to telling the truth. All is turned upside down, however, when the daughter, Wednesday Addams, falls in love with a typical boy named Lucas Beineke. Wednesday invites Lucas to dinner and begs her relatives for just "one normal night." What follows is an epic showdown in which secrets are revealed and the Addams realize that they might be a normal family after all. The show opened on Broadway in 2010, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. Since then, it has provided audiences all over the world with hair-raising entertainment.

The talented cast featured several dynamic duos. Leading the pack were the peculiar parents, Morticia (Olivia Hays) and Gomez (Jake Carlo). Hays was marvelous in the role of the menacing matriarch. Her comic timing was impeccable, as were her vocals, especially on her solo, "Just Around the Corner." She was the perfect partner for Carlo, whose depiction of the ghoulish Gomez earned laugh after laugh from the audience.

Morticia and Gomez's daughter, Wednesday, was played by Dagny Scannell. Scannell made a seamless transition from an indifferent teenager into a passionate young woman. She was also a powerhouse vocalist, and she brought the house down with her song "Pulled." Scannell was complemented by Andrew Holland (Lucas). Lucas might be ordinary, but Holland's performance was anything but. His love for Wednesday was evident, and one couldn't help but cheer for their underdog romance.

Lucas's parents, Alice and Mal, had their own quirks, and they played them up brilliantly. Abigail Abraham was magically melodramatic as Alice. Her sporadic recitations of poetry were impassioned and hilarious. She also had a beautiful voice, highlighted on "Crazier Than You," in which she performed a duet with her charming husband Mal (Kevin McNerney).

The ensemble of the show was a highlight. Extended family members stood out, especially rambunctious Pugsley (Libby York) and lovelorn Uncle Fester (Nick Ward). Also noteworthy were the Ancestors, clad in white to resemble ghosts. The Ancestors were dedicated to their chorus roles. Their dancing was clean and sharp, especially on "The Moon and Me," where they performed choreography with umbrellas.

The show's technical aspects were impressive. Crew members wore zombie makeup to blend in with their surroundings. The dark set was dimly lit by a chandelier, enhancing the eerie mood. Perhaps most spectacular were the costumes, which were customized for each character and distinguished the sunny yellow Beinekes from the goth-like Addams.

All in all, the cast of Bishop Ireton's The Addams Family embraced weirdness and reminded the audience that "it's family first, and family last, and family by and by."

Molly Klemm
Tuscarora High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Who could be as creepy and kooky - or mysterious and spooky - as the Addams family? This oddball family is as weird as they come, but, as The Addams Family, reveals, they are just as ordinarily-crazy as everyone else. Bishop Ireton High School performed this heartwarming show with great enthusiasm and passed on the message of love and acceptance to a rapturous audience.

The Addams Family, originally a single-panel cartoon debuting in The New Yorker in 1938, follows the adventures of an unusual family: Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandma, Uncle Fester, and Lurch the butler. Wednesday, the oldest child, has fallen in love with a boy from a respectable family and struggles to tell her parents their plans of elopement. On one normal night, when the two households meet, conflict arises and chaos ensues. Wednesday and her devoted Lucas must find a way to reconcile the families, and their own differences.

The leading cast gave stellar performances, particularly Olivia Hays as Morticia Addams. Her posture, voice, and movements were so distinctly Morticia, that many audience members found it hard to believe she was a high school student. Dagny Scannell, playing Wednesday Addams, was another strong presence on the stage. Her fantastic vocals made her many solo songs remarkable, especially the show-stopping "Pulled". The duet, "Crazier Than You", between Wednesday and Lucas (Andrew Holland), was beautifully done, in large part thanks to the principal vocalists' notable voices.

Libby York, as Pugsley, stood out among the supporting cast members for her convincing and endearing performance as the youngest Addams child. The mischievous brother was an audience favorite and got many laughs. Nick Ward's portrayal of Uncle Fester was remarkably comedic and the perfect offset to the dramatic tensions of the other characters. Riley McHale (Lurch) and Lyndsey Lawrence (Grandma) shone in their respective roles, despite minimal stage time. Their dedication to their characters was apparent in every scene.

The ensemble, portraying various Addams ancestors, brought energy and interest to many scenes. With powerful vocals, clear harmonies, and clean choreography, the ancestors consistently grabbed the audience's attention. Most noteworthy were Gabby Baniqued (Saloon Girl) and Ronie Altejar (Conquistador). These two performers were actively engaged in every moment and created memorable characters, despite having no lines.

The technical aspects of the show were equally impressive. A huge permanent set, complete with spinning turntables to add variety to the scenes, drew the audience directly into the Addams' mansion. Stage crew carried out set changes with ease and efficiency, never drawing the audience away from the reality of the scene. The student makeup designers created multiple designs for each character, including the ensemble members, with black lighting makeup to glow in the creepier moments. Five wigs were used in the show, all with startling realism. A remarkable 62 costume pieces were made or significantly altered by the costume team. Morticia's classic dress, built from scratch, could be unzipped and re-buttoned for dancing. Each ancestor had a distinct character shown through their costume, which created interest and variety in the all-white costumes. A large audience, thanks to the marketing team, saw these fantastic technical elements. The advertisements and teaser trailers designed by the marketing team were fun and intriguing, perfectly capturing the energy of the show.

The Addams Family at Bishop Ireton High School was everything the Addams Family should be: goofy, spooky, quirky, and kooky while also heartwarming and emotional. With a talented cast and remarkable technicians, the show took "One Normal Night" and made it a night to remember.

Nick Geier
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Would you die for someone you love? If so, is that love worth breaking the traditions and way of life that you and your family have held dear for your entire lives? While not every family is an Addams, these pressing questions and themes are undoubtedly relatable as one watches the Addams Family performed by Bishop Ireton High School.

Beginning as a cartoon strip in 1938 and opening as a Broadway musical in 2010, the Addams Family follows the life of a peculiar, dark family who lives in a grand mansion in Central Park. This does not seem completely out of the norm, but upon entering the house, their life is anything but such. Unexpectedly, Wednesday (Dagny Scannell) has fallen in love! Not only this, but she expects her family to give her "one normal night" when her love Lucas Beineke (Andrew Holland) visits their house for supper. The family is distraught, but none so more than Wednesday's Spanish father, Gomez (Jake Carlo). While Wednesday has broken her secret to her father about her love for Lucas, he promises to keep this secret only between the two of them. Unfortunately, this means keeping this secret from his wife, Morticia (Olivia Hays) who is suspicious of the dinner from the get-go. When Lucas and his family do arrive, his family is stunned at the Addams' strange traditions, especially their game of "Full Disclosure," a game that uncovers all of each other's secrets, including the secret of Wednesday's love for Lucas. From this point forward, Lucas' family is confused, Morticia is furious at Gomez for keeping this important secret, and Wednesday resolves to run away from it all!

The cast of Bishop Ireton did a wonderful job in bringing the Addams Family to life. Through lively physicality and incredible harmony together as a group, they continuously served to make the audience laugh and believe the weirdness of the Addams family! In addition, by bringing some of the set and several of the characters into the audience, they made the audience feel as if they too were a component of the musical!

Olivia Hays portrayed Morticia in a very professional manner. Through incredible vocal scores such as "Just Around the Corner," she clearly immersed herself into the strange traditions and quirks of the Addams family. This musical would not be complete without Gomez, who through his Spanish accent and flamboyancy brought many laughs throughout his performance as he displayed his dilemma. Additionally, Dagny Scannell paired nicely with Andrew Holland as they portrayed Wednesday and Lucas' love for each other, especially in their song "Crazier than You" where the two characters resolve their disagreements and profess their mutual love.

What really brought this musical to another level was its great characterization of costumes such as the colors they used to show the differences between the two families. Astoundingly, because the crew members also wore well-done makeup that was relevant to the scenes, each scene change was smooth and only added to the professionalism of this rendition of the Addams Family.

The Addams Family will forever be remembered for its strange and out-of-the-norm way of life, and Bishop Ireton will not soon be forgotten for completing the feat of so professionally bringing to life this incredible American musical.

Piper Luczak
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

What happens when you mix two completely different families, one dinner party and a dash of agrimonium? I give you my ghoulish word that the Addams family at Bishop Ireton is a triumphant hit, guaranteed to leave you in stitches.

This iconic family was first introduced to the world by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, and after numerous film and television adaptations, a musical was created based on the hilarious characters. The brilliant musical, composed by Andrew Lippa, and written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, made a brief appearance on Broadway from 2010 to 2011, and was nominated for two Tony awards.

The Addams Family begins with a shocking secret: Wednesday, the eldest daughter is engaged to a normal boy, Lucas Beineke. She confides her secret to her father Gomez, who has trouble keeping the news from his wife Morticia. With intent to announce their engagement, Wednesday invites the Beinekes over for dinner at Addams manor, and begs her family to be normal for one night. However, in accordance with Addams family tradition, a game is played at the end of the night, which causes secrets to be revealed and truths to come out.

The cast maintained spectacular chemistry throughout the production, and all of their vocals went together beautifully. The ancestors ensemble, particularly, were able to harmonize well during songs, which added another layer of magnificence to the musical.

Olivia Hays, left the audience speechless in her spectacular depiction of the matriarch of the family, Morticia Addams. Hays stole the show with her strong acting, and unique capability to add depth and a diverse range of emotions to such a morose character. Her intense vocal performance was highlighted in "Just Around the Corner" and equally impressive dancing was shown in "Tango De Amor". Hays was also able to develop interesting communication between her character, Morticia and Wednesday Addams (Dagny Scannell), which provided a gloomy take on the traditional mother-daughter relationship. Scannell's incredible vocal range was prominent throughout the musical, and her chemistry with Andrew Holland, who played Lucas Beineke, was electrifying. The pair's song "Crazier than You" defied all preconceived notions to what the caliber of singing a high school musical can obtain, and highlighted both actors exclusive vocal abilities. Other notable performances come from Gomez Addams (Jake Carlo), whose incredible comedic timing and deliverance of witty humor, left the audience in tears. Additionally, Nick Ward, who played Uncle Fester, brought the beloved character to new heights with his impressive commitment to his unique role.

The costumes, created by Bishop Ireton's Costuming class, allowed for the actors to fully immerse themselves into their own roles. Every piece of costuming was different and specifically tailored to each character's actions and personality. The makeup was utilized excellently, giving the Addams family, particularly Morticia, a ghoulish demeanor which enhanced each character.

The Addams Family, is a musical that highlights the power of love, and the coming together of two different types of people. Through this spectacular production the audience is reminded that black is a happy color.

Emma Rood
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to The Catholic Herald

From the first opening saxophone notes and iconic finger snaps all the way to the nostalgic closing number, "The Addams Family" at Bishop Ireton High School was a macabre and thrilling ride for every audience member. Loosely based off of the comic strip of the same name that debuted in 1938, the wonderfully goofy and gloomy Addams Family has been an American staple for 80 years through the comics, TV show, movies, and the musical which opened on Broadway in 2010.

The story centers around the macabre title family, the Addams, and the bright "normal" family, the Beinekes, whose children, Wednesday and Lucas, become star- crossed lovers and secretly become engaged. When the two families meet, their children persuade them to be normal and get along which, of course, doesn't happen. Through the help of a game ("Full Disclosure"), secrets from all sides of the families are spilled and they must learn to trust one another in order for their love to persevere.

The heads of the household, Gomez and Morticia (Jake Carlo and Olivia Hays, respectively) had the most charming and loving relationship despite their gloomy disposition, true to the original depictions. Morticia took control in her stand-out number "Just Around the Corner" and somehow made the concept of death seem just a little more fun! Dagny Scannell fit like a glove in her role as Wednesday Addams, and tugged at the audience's heartstrings as she tried to figure out how to add her love into her life with heartening confidence. Another audience favorite was Libby York as Pugsley Addams who, even with minimal stage time, captured attention with her deliciously malicious plan to keep a hold of his sister's heart.

One of the extremely impressive aspects of the show was the ensemble, each as his/her own unique Ancestor. Every member was dedicated and energized, and kept their choreography clean and precise while staying involved in each scene through acting. Group numbers, which can typically fall flat due to the number of people on stage, were bright and peppy due to the immense dedication of the cast of 27 members.

Without the hard work of the tech crews, would the Addams Family really be the Addams Family? Through the use of unique lighting, detailed set design, and beautiful costuming and makeup, "The Addams Family" was a standout performance. All aspects, including use of the scrim and flawless wigs for some cast members, were clean and precise, which helped the audience to suspend their disbelief and be transported to the Victorian mansion in Central Park. The Marketing and Publicity team seemed to be very dedicated and creative in their advertisement of the show. Though there were minor sound issues that the actors handled professionally, there were also added goofy sound effects that made "The Addams Family" feel like the classic comedy it is.

Kelsey Franklin
Thomas S. Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

When you're an Addams, you need to have a lot of talent. Or so it would seem, after watching Bishop Ireton HIgh School's production of The Addams Family.

Written by Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman, and Rick Elice in 2010, this Tony nominated show follows the iconic Addams family as a grown up Wednesday falls in love with sweet, boy-next-door Lucas - an absolute nightmare for Gomez and Morticia (and not the good kind)! Uncle Fester plots to help Wednesday and Lucas by calling on the family's ancestors, making for a wild family reunion.

Overall the show was positively horrifying! The ancestors were stunning as an ensemble, each displaying their own individual character when dancing and reacting to the Addams' onstage antics. Gabby Baniqued, who choreographed the show and played a convincing Saloon Girl ancestor, dazzled with both expression and clean dancing. In addition, in Abigail Abraham's performance as Alice Beineke, she was able to show off her beautiful vocals, and her portrayal of quirky suburban mother and poet was delightful. Mal Beineke, portrayed by Kevin McNerney, demonstrated immense energy and consistent character choices throughout the production.

One of the most powerful performances was by Olivia Hayes as Morticia. Her mannerisms and voice brought the seductive, stern character to life. Her performance was convincing, and numbers such as "Just Around the Corner" showed off her humorous side as well. Jake Carlo as Gomez also put on an impressive performance, facing the challenge of having an accent, with aplomb. Dagny Scannell wowed the audience with her beautiful soprano, tackling difficult songs such as "Pulled" with apparent ease. Her song "Crazier Than You," performed with Andrew Holland as Lucas, showed off the chemistry between the two. The relationship between Wednesday and Gomez, too, was very well-acted and heartwarming, as their father-daughter relationship developed throughout the show.

Libby York as Pugsley Addams put on a spectacular performance both vocally and in terms of acting, especially during the song "What If." Nick Ward as Uncle Fester had the audience screaming - with laughter, of course!

Technically, the show was also highly impressive. The incredible, two-story set was well-detailed, perfectly capturing the macabre nature of the Addams family. The revolving platforms and working chandelier stood out in particular. The brilliant costumes team created wonderful costume pieces for each character, with painstaking attention to detail, which reflected their unique personalities. Morticia's long dress was a nostalgic recreation of the memorable character's look, while it's transformation into a dress more suited for a tango during "Tango de Amor," allowed the students to add their own personal flair to the show.

With a scarily talented collection of actors and crew members, Bishop Ireton's production of The Addams Family had audience members rising from their graves!