The Addam's Family
at Rancocas Valley Regional High School

Reviewed on November 24, 2019

Jillian Jasner
Eastern Regional high School
Submitted for publication to SNJ Today

"When you're an Addams," there's no such thing as a secret! Between an emotional teenage daughter, a son obsessed with torture, and a grandmother who might not even be part of the family, the Addams are facing some serious issues. Rancocas Valley Regional High School's production of The Addam's Family was so phenomenal that it almost seemed supernatural.

The Addam's Family began as a single-panel cartoon strip before it blossomed into several film, television, and theatrical adaptations. The musical opened on Broadway in 2010 and ran for a year and a half, during which it was nominated for 2 Tony awards and won a Drama Desk award for outstanding set production. The show depicts The Addams, a macabre, gothic, and highly unusual family, whose daughter, Wednesday, has fallen in love with a normal boy from Ohio—the family's worst nightmare.

Rancocas Valley's The Addams Family was anchored by a strong ensemble and witty one-liners. The cast made their production unique through references to politics and pop culture, which gave every audience a slightly different show. The spookiness of the set and coordination of the costumes allowed for individuality among the actors without detracting from the cohesiveness of the overall production.

The chemistry between Loveon Sanders-Schmidt and Brendan Collins, who played Morticia and Gomez Addams, respectively, was undeniable. Collins wowed audiences with his impeccable comedic timing and impressive vocal range, while Sanders-Schmidt entranced playgoers with her smooth acting and sultry stage presence. Also worth mentioning is Liam Gonzalez's spunky portrayal of Fester, which earned many laughs from the audience.

The entire "red cast" enhanced the production with incredible vocals. In her portrayal of Alice, Alanna Burden, stunned the audience. With her strong belt and careful inflection in numbers such as "Waiting" and "Crazier than You". Wednesday, played by Jenna Springer, was amusing and playful in her role, and Elijah Norman provided an impressive, comical performance as her more relatable counterpart, Lucas.

Rancocas Valley's stage crew and sound-and-light team were seamless in their transitions from scene to scene. As the show progressed, the lighting shifted to match the moods, jokes, and even costumes of the characters. The ancestors' makeup and costumes were individual to each actor but still gave them a uniform look.

This production is difficult to put on, but Rancocas Valley Regional High School made it look easy. The cast was talented, the set was eerie, and the show was fun; the Red Devils' The Addams Family certainly did not make for "One Normal Night."

Sarah Nicell
Delsea Regional High School
Submitted for publication to SNJ Cappies

Crossbows, cruelty, and a little bit of crazy – unexpected talent lurks just around the corner at Rancocas Valley High! Last weekend, the Red Devils let their freak flag fly, recreating the ghoulish story of The Addams Family that has evolved from the 1964 television series, to the iconic 1992 cartoon, to Broadway, and fortunately for South Jersey, to Rancocas' stage.

The musical follows Wednesday Addams, a young woman who prefers crossbows to curling irons, as she falls in love with her lively foil, Lucas Beineke. With a ring on her finger, she seems to be living the coming-of-age dream. However, when you're an Addams, life is not that simple. With a masochistic brother determined to impede the marriage, a father torn between truth and lies, a controlling mother, and a butler who communicates solely through groans, the couple struggles to connect their opposite families. When happy meets sad, dark meets bright, and Uncle Fester meets the moon, what could go wrong?

Delivering a message that the unorthodox is welcome, subtle jokes about the political climate ("Ohio? A swing state!") are delivered masterfully. Their large ensemble proves they can keep a straight face despite the absurdity of it all, succeeding in the portrayal of little touches of reality through comedy.

Brendan Collins's Gomez was the highlight of this production. When speaking directly to the audience in "Trapped", he shatters the fourth wall with the hilarity of a professional. Loveon Sanders-Schmidt handles the sexiness of her character incredibly well; she exhibits an air of superiority as she shimmies in "Just Around the Corner" that proves she is the pinnacle of showmanship, and it's mesmerizing. Jenna Springer humanizes Wednesday by showing her desperation, stubbornness, and ultimate defiance of the standard quo in "Crazier Than You".

Alanna Burden's Alice is exorbitantly positive, oozing sunshine with every hopeful step. Her vocals are brilliant, as demonstrated in her fabulous performance of "Waiting" where Burden sings just as well laying down as standing up. Elijah Morman's voice were impressive as Lucas, while Paul Zazzo's Lurch was a man of few words but many perfectly-timed grunts.

The set of the show proved to be an integral factor of its success, with floating picture frames and cobwebs draped over every banister. Though at times the tree cutout failed to disappear in time for the lights to return, technical difficulties did not seem to be a major issue; scene changes were efficient, costumes were immaculate, and the incorporation of the moon swing in "The Moon and Me" was commendable.

The Addam's Family may be a daunting show to accomplish successfully, but with the immense effort demonstrated by the collective cast, Rancocas Valley truly came through with a win.