ELY- Snap those fingers! “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, the Addams family.” It’s one of the most recognizable theme songs from the 60s, and it’s coming live to the stage in Ely this weekend.
The original Addams Family was a half-hour comedy and ran for two seasons on ABC, based on cartoons created by Charles Addams. But the characters have never left the popular imagination, inspiring four movies based on the same characters, and more recently a Broadway show.
The Ely High School is producing the school version of the Broadway musical this weekend, with performances on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. All performances are in the Washington Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and available at the door.
The production embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story, which is every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the family’s daughter, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family– a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before– keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. The show takes place on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
As can be expected, delightful chaos ensues. And as the show unfolds, it is hard to decide which family can rightfully be called “normal.”
There is singing and dancing, a graveyard full of ghostly ancestors, some light-hearted torture, a hurricane, and a family dinner that goes hilariously wrong.
“It is a fairly ambitious production,” said Billie Rouse, all-around assistant as well as costumer. “There are lots of scene changes, and many rapid-fire scenes.”
Rehearsals got a late start due to the summer’s school renovation project, which forced a late school start, and a few other delays. So, the cast lost two to three weeks of their usual rehearsal time.
“This is one of the most delightful casts we’ve worked with,” said Billie. “They are constantly developing ways to have their characters develop.”
Billie said the cast also came together as “one big family,” and welcomed the addition of the younger students, who have been very enthusiastic throughout the production.
In addition, she said, the stage crew, which also features some first-time and younger students, really took to their roles, and contributed lots of ideas.
“They were young and new at it,” she said. “But they wanted to learn about everything, how the lights worked, how the sound worked.”
In addition, designing the sets was complicated because of the lack of space in the backstage area.
“We had to be creative in how we planned everything,” she said.
The show features a live orchestra, something director Mike Rouse figured he needed to get into place before next year’s blockbuster performance of “Frozen,” which required a live orchestra.
Director Michael Rouse recruited a half dozen well-known local musicians for the show, and the addition of live music really brings the show to life.
The cast includes over 20 students in grade six to twelve, and for the first time, has welcomed a student from Northeast Range, Ruby Milton.
“We are pairing and sharing for sports,” said Billie. “And we are hoping to increase participation from NE Range in upcoming productions.”
The cast includes Juliet Stouffer as Morticia, Gabe Mann as Gomez, Chambriel Ridings as Wednesday, Alison Poppler as Pugsley, Ruby Milton as Fester, ChloyAnn Ridings as Grandma, and Morgan McClelland as Lurch. The Beineke family features Anna Hammond as Alice, Olin Weise as Mal, and Black Walsh as Wednesday’s suitor Lucas. The cast is joined by the family ancestors (summoned from the family graveyard at the beginning of the show) played by Emily Bialik, Natalie Johnson, Chantel Ridings, Moss Erzar, Aubrielle Poppler, Mattie Lindsey, Jackson Ridings, Lennon Brekke, Emory Hohenstein, Payson Kudinger, and Brandy Strange.
The cast was led by director Michael Rouse, choreographer Crystal Poppler, stage designer Peter Kess, music director Elias Mokole, pit orchestra director Karl Kubiak, acommpianist Irene Hartfield, and costumers Laurel Poppler and Billie Rouse. Pit orchestra musicians are Karl Kubiak, Nina VanGelder, Lynn Evenson, Rich Dunstan, Irene Hartfield, and Michael Rouse. Other volunteer staff are Nick Holtz and Jane Dandron. The student stage crew is Maggie Fetterer, Abbey Johnson, Ambrose Richter, Tyler Hietala, Ray Cavalier, Olivia Hammond, and Anika Boerst.