The Addams Family
at Osbourn Park Theatre Arts

Reviewed on April 12, 2019

Marieska Luzada
Dominion High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"When You're an Addams," life is anything but normal. As the orchestra's sound intensifies, ghouls and monsters scramble in the aisles towards the action of the stage, marking the beginning of the chaos in Osbourn Park's production of The Addams Family.

Based upon the single-panel gag cartoons created by Charles Addams, the musical adaptation of the famous family focuses on the tensions between normality and abnormality, specifically when Wednesday reveals her undying love for Lucas Beineke. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, The Addams Family keeps audiences on the edge of their seats with excitement, laughter, curiosity, and wonder.

With a larger-than-life cast and greatly detailed sets, Osbourn Park did an outstanding job carrying enthusiasm throughout the entire show. Even though in most musicals, there can be a divide between the lead characters and the ensemble, Osbourn Park focused their attention on giving individuality to the ensemble members with costumes, makeup, and diverse characterization. Chemistry between each of the characters was always evident, proving the amazement in the actors for disappearing into their roles effortlessly in order to display a top-notch performance.

Playing the iconic ghoulish power-couple Gomez and Morticia Addams, Derrian Brown and Providence Bonney balanced each other exceptionally well throughout the show. Brown showcased his exuberance and confidence in Gomez heavily within "Tango De Amor," making it a show-stopping number. Bonney dove deep into her character by displaying elegance and grace, especially when she interacts with the ensemble in "Just Around the Corner." Both Brown and Bonney had great comedic chemistry with each other that made this production unforgettable.

Without the exceptional talent of the supporting cast members, Osbourn Park's production of The Addams Family would not be what it was. Luke Padilla, who played Fester, had great attention to developing his character in relation to the story, serving as a minstrel for the macabre show. Eve Courtney, who played Pugsley, demonstrated a relatability to the audience in contributing to the familiarity of sibling rivalry. Courtney stayed true to her character throughout the show and brought it out when she interacted with different characters. Sarah Vaughan, who played the ever-so-innocent Alice, was fascinating to watch, especially with the twist in her character at the end of the first act that propelled the story forward. The supporting cast members were a big part in making The Addams Family a phenomenal and heartwarming production.

The crew did an astonishing job making the production comparable to professional theatre. The costumes were never distracting, yet they all blended well with the grungy and ghoulish setting. Each ensemble member is seen as individual with distinctive costumes and makeup, which emphasizes their attention to detail on their own characters, despite having either no lines or few lines throughout the show. The choreography was also top-notch for the show, especially within "The Moon and Me" when the cast members interacted with different set pieces and props to tell the story. Overall, Osbourn Park's production of The Addams Family would not be as extraordinary as it was without the dedication and commitment of the crew.

Overall, Osbourn Park's production of The Addams Family can be deemed unforgettable and charming with a diverse group of actors within both the lead characters and the ensemble. For a school that has made a comeback to the Cappies since their last participation fifteen years ago, Osbourn Park did not disappoint anybody in the audience. Full Disclosure: This mystifying production of The Addams Family was deemed unforgettable for any living soul.

Alannah Rivera
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

When you're an Addams, you need to have a little moonlight, a lot of passion, and an affinity for all things creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky. The cast and crew of Osbourn Park Theatre Arts' haunting production of The Addams Family had all these things and more, making for a night that most definitely was not normal.

Based on a satirical comic series by Charles Addams, this frightening family first tangoed its way onto the Broadway stage in 2010, earning two Tony Award nominations. While horrible things are often a source of comfort for parents Gomez and Morticia Addams, their worst nightmares come to life when their daughter Wednesday — a charming, irrepressible bundle of malice — announces her engagement to the nice, sweet, and normal Lucas Beineke from Ohio. When the Beineke family comes over for dinner, drama, hilarity, and "full disclosures" ensue.

Leading the family as the flamboyant father, Derrian Brown was a constant source of eccentricity and energy. His consistent accent and powerful belt brought vocal comedy, while his exaggerated movements and facial expressions brought physical comedy to the role. Alongside Brown was Providence Bonney as the slinky and sadistic Morticia, whose crooning voice and cool confidence were felt with every line. Brown and Bonney worked seamlessly together to create a believable marriage, both in their love and their lies. Emma Brush adeptly balanced effervescence with emotionlessness to portray Wednesday, and her slight immaturity perfectly showed the stereotype of a character pulled in a new direction. Eve Courtney epitomized an obnoxious younger brother with her performance as Pugsley, her constant teasing and devious decisions bringing eternal chaos to the house.

Every family has a crazy uncle, and the Addams family is no exception. Luke Padilla as Uncle Fester was delightful from his sweet serenade of the moon to his speedy exit at the end of the show. Padilla's frenetic movements and line delivery provided a stark contrast to many of the more stoic characters in the show, one including the family's butler, Lurch (Connor Pang). The humor in Pang's grumbly and giggle-inducing groans were only furthered by his surprising sweet low baritone. Sarah Vaughan was a vocal standout as Alice Beineke, her ringing soprano rich with emotion. Bringing the show to life, err...death, was the ghastly ensemble of dancing ancestors, who stayed true to their individual characters while still working cohesively in large group numbers.

The work of the technical crews was hauntingly good, adding life to the gothic Addams family mansion. The sweeping set was littered with hilarious props and paintings, and revolving alcoves and window cutouts allowed for versatility and more dynamic scenes. The costumes captured the iconic looks of the film adaptations of the story, but the crew's creativity shown in the clever ensemble costuming. The makeup team created a wide variety of ghastly ancestor looks using airbrush makeup, allowing for acute details and enhanced realism.

The Addams Family may be "Crazier Than You," but after seeing Osbourn Park Theatre Arts' production of this creepy classic, you'll be crazy for them!

Amanda Wilfong
Freedom High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Osbourn Park Theatre Art's production of The Addams Family provided frightening fun and comedy for all! It tells the story of the wacky and spooky Addams family, based on characters from Charles Addams' original cartoon. The show's plot revolves around the daughter, Wednesday's, love life, and her plans to be married, much to the dismay of her parents and the parents of her fiancé. The Addams Family's characters have been the subjects of their own comics, TV series, and movies. The musical version of it opened on Broadway in 2010, and went on to tour North America, the UK, and has been performed all around the world. Its success has caused this musical to earn numerous award nominations and wins.

The cast members portraying the most iconic characters of the show were able to successfully uphold their distinct personalities. Derrian Brown, as Gomez, commanded the stage every second he was on it, making each moment attention-grabbing. His strong and impressive vocals made it easy to thoroughly enjoy every musical number and connect with the character. Portraying his wife, Morticia, was Providence Bonney, who was a vision of peculiar perfection. Her calm, cool, and confident persona made her fun to watch, and she was wholly dedicated to the role. Both used splendid physicality to portray the age and personality of their roles. The chemistry between the two was apparent throughout, especially during the stunning dance number "Tango De Amor."

Sensational performances by supporting actors helped take this production to the next level. Right from the start, the ensemble of ancestors provided the audience with a large dose of energy, singing and dancing with elevated levels of enthusiasm. They each created their own unique personalities, yet they meshed together effortlessly. Luke Padilla perfectly fit the role of Fester Addams, making the audience fall in love with his quirkiness. He melted everyone's hearts as he conveyed his love for the moon in an adorable way during the touching song "The Moon and Me." Another memorable cameo was that of Sarah Vaughan as Alice Beineke, as her mild persona was soon overtaken by hot vocals during the song "Waiting," while she made the flawless transition from being reserved to outgoing.

This performance also displayed impressive technical aspects. The costume design excellently captured the nature of each character. They were intricate and used inspiration from each time period, dressing the ancestors as iconic figures from each decade. Makeup was individualized for each character, and helped each member of the ensemble to look like frightening ghouls, yet the audience could never take their eyes off of them. Set pieces moved effortlessly and were breathtaking, strengthening the entire environment of the show.

Osbourn Park put their own spin on The Addams Family, and it certainly paid off. It was a truly amusing and enjoyable experience, featuring numerous talented individuals, high-energy musical numbers, and endless amounts of fearsome fun.

Grace Wood
Teen Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Lorton Valley Star

Wednesday Addams is in love. The question is, what is the rest of her family going to do about it? Osbourn Park High School's production of The
Addams Family divulges the tale.

The Addams Family, based on the characters created by Charles Addams (music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa), has procured several nominations through the masterful telling of the Addams Family legacy. The upside-down version of a perfectly un-normal family brings to light the everyday life of monsters.

The Addams Family is not an average family. While most families have flower gardens; they have tombstones. Others have dinner parties; they have graveyard parties. Nevertheless, their problems are similar. Morticia and Gomez Addams grapple with their daughter's love life. Wednesday wishes to marry Lucas, a normal friend turned love interest. Wednesday confides her secret to her father but withholds the information from her mother. When Morticia suspects that Gomez is not being honest with her, she threatens to leave the family forever. Will Wednesday sacrifice love for her family, or will she leave them in a twisted realm of chaos?

Derrian Brown assumed the role of the love-struck Gomez with panache. His transition between a strong vocal presence in "Trapped" to the sweet delicateness of a father's lullaby in "Happy Sad" was striking.

The lovely yet deadly persona of Morticia Addams was brought to life in Providence Bonney's portrayal. Her sly, tenacious, and testy mannerisms left those watching enthralled. The soft yet delightful voice that issued from Bonney in the numbers "Secrets" and "Just Around the Corner" imparted the innate confidence and grandiose of her character. Bonney and Brown's chemistry warmed the audience as they watched the joy and distress of the couple. In the number "Tango De Amor," the two actors flaunted their dancing skills.

The other odd members of the Addams Family deserve their own full disclosures. Emma Brush personified Wednesday Addams who struggled to keep the fraying threads of her family together. In her song "Pulled", Brush marvelously illustrated the torn Wednesday forced to choose between love and family. Eve Courtney played the mischievous little brother Pugsley Addams. Desperate to keep Wednesday to himself, he tries to skew the situation in his favor yet comically fails with hilarious results.

The final honorable mention to which the show would not be complete is Uncle Fester (Luke Padilla).The comical narrator and trouble maker, Fester seeks the help of the Ancestors to settle the love affair. His sweet and comical disposition made him a favorite and he entranced the audience with his solo "The Moon and Me." The ensemble cast of Ancestors are recruited by Fester to help settle the family differences or he threatens that they will never return to the grave peacefully. Though they remained silent through the entire performance, they brought life (although they're dead) and laughter to the audience.

The set (Technical Theatre Class), truly gave the impression of a ghostly mansion. Between revolving doors and secret passages, the set equipped the actors with an incredible canvas on which to paint their story. Scene changes were flawless thanks to the help of a few Ancestors. Costumes designed by Daryn Smolen, highlighted the differences between characters. Makeup (Nathan Rankin & Ava Foster) made the ghoulish un-dead come to life.

From "When You're An Addams" to "Move Toward the Darkness," the Addams Family cast reminded the audience that though the world considers them to be crazy, maybe just a little bit of crazy isn't such a bad thing after all.

Angelina Cate
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to InsideNoVa-Sun Gazette

Start with a ghastly grim and fiercely faithful family. Add in a new family of seemingly normal means. Mix them together for a night filled with secrets and revelations and what do you get in the end? A recipe for the craziest dinner in all of New York. Osbourn Park High School provided a ghoulish glimpse into the lives of a family with a flair for the frightening in their spectacular production of The Addams Family.

This musical comedy is one of many adaptations of the original comic strip that began circulating in The New Yorker in the 1930s. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, The Addams Family took to Broadway in 2010 and ran for over 700 performances. The show focuses on the Addams' on a single night, during a single dinner which, with the help of Wednesday's boyfriend, Lucas, and his parents, spirals into an evening that threatens to tear the family apart for good.

As the show began and the ancestors rose from their graves, the Addams family welcomed their audience into a world bathed in moonlight with their signature snap. Gomez Addams, played by Derrian Brown, spearheaded the production with his incredible voice and thick accent. There was never a dull moment when Brown was on stage as his character faced the many perils of parenthood. By his side stood the matriarch Morticia (Providence Bonney), a woman who never lost her drive and her confidence. Bonney matched the energy of every performer that crossed her path as well as dancing her heart out when the time arrived. The chemistry between the two propelled the plot and their rendition of the "Tango De Amor" was mesmerizing.

Other standout performers included the wacky Uncle Fester, played by Luke Padilla, and the lovable mischief maker Pugsley (Eve Courtney). Whether it be through his one-liners at the expense of the other characters or his determination to see Wednesday's love succeed, Padilla won over the hearts of every person in the audience. Meanwhile, Courtney's stellar voice took the crowd by storm and left them in awe consistently throughout the performance. As a whole, the Addams family displayed the classic dynamic of constant teasing and disagreements while keeping true to the sentiment that, at the end of the day, family comes first.

In order to shape the characters who embellished the story, makeup designers Nathan Rankin and Ava Foster created looks for the ensemble that represented them collectively while maintaining the individuality of each person. The ancestors wore heavy makeup with splatters representing their various means of death, and the living Addams wore light makeup in contrast to their un-living counterparts. Another element used to generate a lively experience was the sound effects (Olivia McCarthy and Riley Ater). The well-timed sound effects added dimension to the show by expressing everything from a slamming door to a chirping bird to an explosive grenade. Both the actors and the sound operators did a remarkable job incorporating the various noises into the dialogue naturally.

The cycle of life is certainly daunting but as the cast of Osbourn Park High School's The Addams Family can attest, life and death are much more manageable when you embrace who you are and who you love.