Lane Calls ADDAMS FAMILY His 'Farewell to the Musical Theatre'

In a recent interview with The Daily Beast, ADDAMS FAMILY star Nathan Lane holds nothing back, as he shares his thoughts on his role as musical theater's 'Czar' as David Letterman deemed him, theater columnist Michael Riedel, and a likely good-bye to musical theater forever.

Lane tells The Daily Beast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, "The whole cast is phenomenal. But I will admit it has been one of the most difficult and strangest journeys with a musical I've ever had. Jerry coming in was the best thing that happened to the show. It was necessary. We did a tremendous amount of work from the time we got back here till the beginning of previews. We did the work to try to tell the story better... Not everything turns out to be The Producers on the first preview. Most of the early negativity stems from the New York Post and its theater columnist Michael Riedel. He had nothing else to write about so we became his piñata for the season...I think this might be my farewell to the musical theater."

To read the full interview, click here.

Lane is a two-time Tony and Emmy award-winning American actor best known for his roles as Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and for his voice work in The Lion King and Stuart Little. In 2008, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY has a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (librettists of the 2006 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Jersey Boys), music and lyrics by Drama Desk Award winner Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party), direction and design by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Shockheaded Peter, The Metropolitan Opera's Satyagraha) and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Next to Normal, Jersey Boys).

Starring two-time Tony Award winners Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia, THE ADDAMS FAMILY features two-time Tony Award nominee Terrence Mann as Mal Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello as Alice Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman as Grandma, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez as Wednesday.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY features lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (The Coast of Utopia, Aida), sound design by Acme Sound Partners (Tony nomination for In the Heights) and puppetry by acclaimed Obie Award-winning puppeteer Basil Twist (Arias with a Twist).

The production also features music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell (the revivals of Sweeney Todd and Company), orchestrations by Larry Hochman (Monty Python's Spamalot), dance arrangements by August Eriksmoen (Memphis), hair design by Tom Watson (Wicked), make-up design by Angelina Avallone (The Little Mermaid) and special effects design by Greg Meeh (Monty Python's Spamalot).

The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is located at 205 West 46th Street. Regular box office hours are 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Ticket prices range from $51.50 to $136.50. Tickets are also available online at Tickmaster.com or by calling 877-250-BWAY (2929). For more information, please visit www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com.