Mann, Carmello, Chamberlin, Hoffman, James and More Join Lane and Neuwirth in THE ADDAMS FAMILY

Two-time Tony Award winners Nathan Lane (The Producers, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) and Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago, Sweet Charity) will star as Gomez and Morticia in The Addams Family, a new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams. Produced by Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt and Five Cent Productions, by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical, The Addams Family will open on Broadway Thursday, April 8, 2010 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced.

Previews will begin Thursday, March 4, 2010 following a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre in Chicago that begins November 13.  

Joining Lane and Neuwirth in the cast of The Addams Family are two-time Tony Award nominee Terrence Mann (Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables) as Mal Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello (Parade, Lestat) as Alice Beineke, two-time Tony Award nominee, Kevin Chamberlin (Seussical, Dirty Blonde) as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray, Xanadu) as Grandmama, Zachary James (South Pacific) as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor (Theatre World Award winner and Outer Critics' Circle nominee this year for Rock of Ages) as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez (In the Heights) as Wednesday.

Storm clouds are gathering over The Addams Family manse. Daughter Wednesday, now 18, is experiencing a sensation that surprises and disgusts her - caring about another person. Young Pugsley, jealous of his sister's attention, begs her to keep torturing him, severely, while mother Morticia, conflicted over her daughter's lurch into womanhood, fears being upstaged and discarded.... like yesterday's road kill. All the while, father Gomez - master of the revels, mischievous and oblivious as ever - would prefer everything and everyone remain as it is. But when outsiders come to dinner, the events of one night will change forever this famously macabre family - a family so very different from your own...or maybe not.

The Addams Family will feature an original 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-winning composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party), direction and design by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Shockheaded Peter, the Metropolitan Opera's recent acclaimed production of Philip Glass's Satyagraha) and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Next to Normal, Jersey Boys.)

In a prolific career spanning six decades, Charles Addams created several thousand cartoons, sketches and drawings, many of which were published in The New Yorker. But it was his creation of characters that came to be known as The Addams Family that brought Addams his greatest acclaim. With a unique style that combined the twisted, macabre and just plain weird with charm, wit and enchantment, Addams' drawings of Gomez, Morticia, Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandmama, Lurch and Thing have entertained millions worldwide and served as the inspiration for multiple television series and motion pictures.

Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets now for The Addams Family in Chicago by calling the toll-free number (877)-ADDAMS1 (877-233-2671). Individual tickets will be placed on sale to the general public through Ticketmaster later this year.

Nathan Lane (Gomez). Broadway credits: Present Laughter (Drama Desk nomination), Merlin, The Wind in the Willows, Some Americans Abroad, On Borrowed Time, Guys & Dolls (Tony nomination, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Love! Valour! Compassion! (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Producers (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Olivier Awards), The Frogs, The Odd Couple, Butley, November and Waiting For Godot . Off-B'way: 1992 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence. Credits include Trumbo; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Measure for Measure (Bayfield Award); Luv the Musical; She Stoops to Conquer; The Common Pursuit; The Film Society; Mizlansky/Zilinsky; In a Pig's Valise; The Lisbon Traviata (Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards); Bad Habits; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; Love! Valour! Compassion! (Obie Award); Dedication (Drama Desk nomination) and Do Re Mi at Encores! Television: Five Emmy nominations, two Emmy Awards and a People's Choice Award. More than 30 films including The Birdcage (Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards), Ironweed, Frankie and Johnny, Mousehunt, Jeffrey, The Lion King, Stuart Little, Nicholas Nickleby (National Board of Review Ensemble Acting Award) and The Producers (Golden Globe nomination). Honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and recently inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Bebe Neuwirth (Morticia) most recently appeared on Broadway as Roxie in Chicago, the same production for which she won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and an Astaire Award for her turn as Velma, making her the only triple-threat to play both leading lady roles on Broadway. She also received a Tony Award for her role as Nickie in Sweet Charity. Her other Broadway credits include Fosse, Damn Yankees, Dancin', Little Me and A Chorus Line. In addition, she has performed leading roles in numerous Regional Theater Productions including West Side Story for the Cleveland Opera, the title role in Kiss of the Spiderwoman on London's West End, The Threepenny Opera at A.C.T., and Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew at Williamstown Theater Festival. In the summer of 2004, Ms. Neuwirth completed a successful run of Here's Lies Jenny at The Zipper Theater in New York. The show played the next year in San Francisco to rave reviews. Comprised of music by Kurt Weill, the show was created by Leslie Stifelman, Roger Rees, Ann Reinking, and Ms. Neuwirth. Ms Neuwirth has been crossing the country with Bebe Sings Weill and Kander & Ebb for the past two years, working with such venerable symphonies as the Seattle Symphony and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Recent concert performances include a piano/cabaret show, Stories With Piano, which opened at Feinstein's in NYC to rave reviews. Ms. Neuwirth's work in film includes Liberty Heights, Summer of Sam, Celebrity, Jumanji, The Green Card, The Paint Job, Bugsy and Tadpole among others. On television she is well known for her role of Lilith Sternin on "Cheers," for which she won two Emmy Awards. Other television appearances include her Emmy nominated portrayal of Dorothy Parker in "Dash and Lily" and guest work on "Frasier" and "Star Trek, the Next Generation." A few seasons ago, she starred for NBC in "Law & Order - Trial by Jury."

Ms. Neuwirth is a recipient of the 2007 Dance Magazine Award, the 2007 CTFD Rolex Dance Award and in 1997 became an Honorary Ziegfeld Girl. She is a vice-president of The Actors' Fund, for whom she recently founded The Dancers' Resource.

Terrence Mann (Mal Beineke) originated the roles on Broadway of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), Inspector Javert in Les Miserables (Tony nomination), Rum Tum Tugger in Cats and Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel. Other Broadway credits include Lennon (Ensemble), The Rocky Horror Show (Frank 'N' Furter), Getting Away With Murder (Greg), A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), Rags (Saul), Barnum (Ringmaster, matinee Barnum on tour), Jerome Robbins' Broadway (Narrator) and Jekyll & Hyde (title roles, pre-Broadway workshop). Off-Broadway and regional credits include The Studio (South Coast Repertory); Promises, Promises; Assassins and 1776. He can currently be seen as "Bob" on the Sci-Fi Channel's series The Dresden Files. Other film and television appearances include Critters, A Chorus Line, Big Top Pee Wee, Solar Babies, " Love Monkey," "Law & Order," "Mrs. Santa Claus," "American Revolution," "One Life to Live" and "As the World Turns" (Emmy Nomination). He was the Director/Composer for the musical adaptation on Romeo & Juliet. He is founding Artistic Director of the Carolina Arts Festival. He also served as Artistic Director of the North Carolina Theatre for 14 years.

Carolee Carmello (Alice Beineke) is currently starring on Broadway as Donna in Mamma Mia! Other Broadway roles: Gabrielle in Lestat (Tony nomination, Drama Desk nomination); Lucille Frank in Parade (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award); Kate in Kiss Me, Kate; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel; AbiGail Adams in 1776; Oolie in City of Angels; Cordelia in Falsettos; and Ms. Pennywise in Urinetown.

Off-Broadway: Elegies, A Class Act, john and jen, Das Barbecü, I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Vagina Monologues, Hello Again (Obie Award for Outstanding Performance). National tours: Chess, Big River, Falsettos, Les Misérables. TV: Maple La Marsh on "Remember W.E.N.N." (SAG Award nomination), "Frasier," "Ed," "Law & Order."

Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester). Broadway: The Ritz, Chicago, Seussical (2002 Tony, Drama Desk, Grammy nominations) Dirty Blonde (2001 Tony and Drama Desk nominations) My Favorite Year, Abe Lincoln In Illinois and Triumph of Love. City Center Encore's: Stairway to Paradise, Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 and One Touch of Venus. Off-Broadway, he co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker in Wonder of the World at MTC, the Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical workshop Wise Guys, directed by Sam Mendes, Smoke on the Mountain, and Juno. Kevin is a member of Drama Dept. and appeared in their production of As Thousands Cheer. For Reprise!: Merrily We Roll Along, A New Brain, Assassins and Company. Film: Lucky Number Slevin, Road to Perdition, Christmas with the Kranks, Die Hard: With A Vengeance, In and Out, Trick, Letters From a Killer, Suspect Zero. Television credits include "State of Mind," "Jake in Progress," " Frasier," "Ed," "Without A Trace," "Kingpin," "It's All Relative," "nip/tuck," "According to Jim," "Earthly Possessions," (HBO) "Crossing Jordan," "New York News" (series regular).

Jackie Hoffman (Grandmama). Broadway: Xanadu, Hairspray (Theatre World Award). Solo shows: Scraping the Bottom, Jackie with a Z, Chanukah at Joe's Pub (Bistro Award), The Kvetching Continues (Time Out New York's Outstanding Achievement Award). Off-Broadway: Regrets Only, Manhattan Theatre Club Tribeca Theatre Festival, The Book of Liz, (Obie Award) Straightjacket, Incident at Cobbler's Knob, (Lincoln Center Theatre Festival) and One Woman Shoe. Regional: Second City Chicago (Jeff Award); The Sisters Rosensweig, Old Globe, San Diego. Films: The Extra Man, A Dirty Shame, Garden State, Legally Blonde II, Kissing Jessica Stein, Mo' Money. Television: "30 Rock," "One Life to Live," "Starved," " Hope and Faith," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Strangers with Candy," "TV Funhouse," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," " Soulman," "Cosby." Animation: Dilbert and PB & J Otter, Robots, Queer Duck the movie. Comedy Album: Jackie Hoffman Live At Joe's Pub.

Zachary James (Lurch) has previously appeared on Broadway in Coram Boy and the Tony Award winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center. A winner of the 2009 Lotte Lenya Competition, he has sung with Ash Lawn Opera (Madama Butterfly), Knoxville Opera (Madama Butterfly, Little Women), Central City Opera (Don Giovanni, The Ballad of Baby Doe, L'incoronazione di Poppea), the role of Oberon in the world premiere of Kristin Hevner's Il Sogno in Citta della Pieve, Umbria and in concert as the baritone soloist in Carmina Burana. In the Theatre World he has performed with The Bucks County Playhouse (Abner in Lil Abner), The York Theatre (Petr in The Toymaker), Theatre By The Sea (Miles Gloriosus in Forum), Pocono Playhouse, The Kitchen Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse and The Public Theatre. TV: Carl on "30 Rock."

Adam Riegler (Pugsley) Adam Riegler is currently playing the roles of Young Shrek and Grumpy in the original Broadway cast of Shrek the Musical. He is also known for his work as Cubby Bernstein: Tony Campaign Manager in last year's record-breaking web series for Xanadu. Other shows include, Off-Broadway: I and Albert, A Tribute to Joseph Stein (York Theatre), Intervention (NYMF); Regional: David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol (Westport Country Playhouse).

Wesley Taylor (Lucas Beineke). Broadway: currently playing Franz in Rock of Ages (Theatre World Award and Outer Critics Circle nomination). Off Broadway: Rock of Ages. Regional/Workshops: See Rock City (Barrington Stage, NAMT), West Side Story (Ravinia Festival), Myth (The O'Neill Center), Two Gentleman of Verona (Roanoke Island- Festival Park), On The Line (NYU Grad). Concerts at Joe's Pub, The Duplex, Kaufman Center. BFA in Acting: North Carolina School of the Arts ('08). www.wesleytaylor.org

Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday) has appeared on Broadway in In The Heights, Spring Awakening, Good Vibrations (Original Casts) and the revival of A Chorus Line (Bebe). Other regional credits include Bye Bye Birdie (Encores!), The Boy Friend directed by Julie Andrews (National Tour) and the title role in Gidget The Musical directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Television credits include "Gossip Girl".

CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Charles Addams (Creator/Cartoonist). Born in Westfield, New Jersey in 1912, Charles Samuel Addams' prodigal artistic talent led him to become one of America's most loved cartoonists. In 1933, at just 21 years of age, The New Yorker first published his work. Addams went on to become one of that magazine's marquee contributors until his death in 1988. His body of work spans almost 60 years of output and is estimated to contain several thousand works. Over 15 books of his drawings have been published so far, appearing in many languages across the globe. Addams' works appear in a number of prestigious Permanent Collections including The New York Public Library, The Museum of the City of New York and The Library of Congress. www.addamsfoundation.org.

Marshall Brickman (Book) co-wrote Jersey Boys (2006 Tony Award, Best Musical) with Rick Elice, now in its fourth year on Broadway. Also with Elice, Turn of the Century, directed by Tommy Tune, at the Goodman Theatre. His film work as author or co-author include Annie Hall (Academy Award), Sleeper, Manhattan, Manhattan Murder Mystery; and as writer/director Simon, Lovesick, The Manhattan Project, Sister Mary Explains it All. His television credits include "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" (head writer); "The Dick Cavett Show" (head writer/co-producer). Mr. Brickman entered show business as a musician, first as a member of the folk group The Tarriers and then, along with John and Michelle Phillips, as one of The New Journeymen, which re-emerged a year later as The Mamas and the Papas. Brickman's recording (with Eric Weissberg) of the soundtrack of Deliverance, recorded in 1963, achieved gold status twice and remains a healthy seller around the world 40 years later. Mr. Brickman has been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Playboy and other periodicals.

Rick Elice (Book) co-wrote Jersey Boys (2006 Tony Award, 2009 Olivier Award/Best Musical) with Marshall Brickman, directed by Des McAnuff, now in its fourth year on Broadway. Also with Marshall Brickman, Turn of the Century, directed by Tommy Tune, at the Goodman Theatre. His play, Peter and the Starcatchers, based on the popular novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, recently premiered at La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers. From 1982-2000, as creative director at Serino Coyne Inc., he produced ad campaigns for some 300 Broadway shows, from A Chorus Line to The Lion King. Since 2000, he has served as creative consultant for The Walt Disney Studio. In 2003, he appeared Off-Broadway in Elaine May's comedy, Adult Entertainment, directed by Stanley Donen. BA, Cornell University; MFA, Yale Drama School; Teaching Fellow, Harvard University; charter member, American Repertory Theatre; Trustee, The Actors' Fund.

Andrew Lippa (Music and Lyrics) wrote the book, music and lyrics for the Manhattan Theatre Club production of The Wild Party, for which he received a Drama Desk Award. He recently composed the music for the Broadway production of Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention. On Broadway he was also represented by the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, for which he wrote three new songs. His musicals also include Asphalt Beach (music and lyrics) at Northwestern University by the American Music Theatre Project in October 2006, A Little Princess (music) and john & jen (book and music) Off-Broadway at the Lamb's Theatre. Mr. Lippa's recordings include Julia Murney's new CD I'm Not Waiting (producer, 3 songs), The Wild Party (RCA Victor) which he also produced, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (RCA Victor) which earned him a Grammy Award nomination, and john & jen (Fynsworth Alley) which he associate produced. As Kristin Chenoweth's music director he has conducted The Chicago, San Francisco and St. Louis Symphony Orchestras, led concerts at Carnegie Hall and The Metropolitan Opera House, among many others. He is currently writing the music and lyrics for a new musical based on Jules Feiffer's The Man In The Ceiling which is being produced by Disney Theatrical for Broadway.

Phelim McDermott (Direction and Design). With Julian Crouch, he recently directed and designed the acclaimed production of Philip Glass's Satyagraha, in collaboration with the English National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. As co-founder of London's Improbable Theatre, he also collaborated with Crouch on the award-winning international sensation Shockheaded Peter, which played London's West End, the Little Shubert Off-Broadway and around the world. Other productions with Improbable include the multi-award-winning 70 Hill Lane, Lifegame, Animo, Coma, Spirit, Sticky, Cinderella, The Hanging Man and Theatre of Blood, a collaboration with The National Theatre. Other directing includes Gaudete (Time Out Director's Award), The Vinegar Works, The Glass Hill, The Sweet Shop Owner, The Ghost Downstairs at Leicester Haymarket; Dr Faustus and Improbable Tales (an entirely improvised two-hour play) at Nottingham Playhouse; The Servant of Two Masters, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Government Inspector for West Yorkshire Playhouse; and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the English Shakespeare Company in 1996/97.

Julian Crouch (Direction and Design) With Phelim McDermott, he recently directed and designed the acclaimed production of Philip Glass's Satyagraha, in collaboration with the English National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. As co-founder of London's Improbable Theatre, he also collaborated with McDermott on the award-winning international sensation Shockheaded Peter, which played London's West End, the Little Shubert Off-Broadway and around the world. Other productions for Improbable include Animo, 70 Hill Lane, Lifegame, Coma, Spirit, Sticky, Angela Carter's Cinderella, The Hanging Man, Stars Are Out Tonight with Amici Dance Theatre Company and The Wolves in the Walls. For Phelim McDermott, Crouch also designed Dr. Faustus, Improbable Tales, The Servant of Two Masters and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and co-directed and designed The Quest for Don Quixote and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the English Shakespeare Company. He also designed the multi award-winning Jerry Springer - The Opera (Best Musical - Evening Standard Awards, Olivier Award, Critics Circle), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the National Theatre and The Magic Flute for the Welsh National Opera. His most recent designs are John Adams' Dr. Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as their 125th Anniversary Gala.

Sergio Trujillo (Choreography). Broadway: Next to Normal, Jersey Boys (Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations); Guys and Dolls; All Shook Up. Recent: Memphis (5th Avenue, La Jolla); Saved (Playwrights); Romeo and Juliet (Public); The Wiz, Zhivago (La Jolla); Mambo Kings; Disney's European Tarzan; Kismet, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Encores!); Peggy Sue Got Married (West End); Kiss Me, Kate (Japan); The Sound of Music, West Side Story (Stratford); Chita and All That Jazz; Salome (NYC Opera); The Marriage of Figaro (L.A. Opera); Ballet Hispanico. TV: "Broadway: The American Musical" (PBS), "The 14th American Comedy Awards" (ABC), "Triple Sensation" (CBC). Ovation Award for Empire: A New American Musical, three Dora Award nominations. Future projects include Memphis and Havana.

Stuart Oken (Producer) is a producer for Elephant Eye Theatrical. He spent 9 years at Disney Theatrical where, as Executive Vice-President and co-head of the division, he produced The Lion King (Tony Award), Aida and Der Glockner Von Notre Dame (a German language world premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Berlin.) Most recently, he founded and served as Artistic Director of The American Music Theater Project at Northwestern University. Mr. Oken began his career in Chicago co-founding the Apollo Theater Center where he produced works including Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Gemini, Hold Me and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company productions of True West and Balm in Gilead. Mr. Oken produced the feature films About Last Night, Impromptu and Queens Logic.

Roy Furman (Producer) is currently represented on Broadway by the new hit revival of West Side Story. Other recent productions include The Color Purple, Gypsy, Spamalot (Tony Award), All My Sons, Impressionism, Legally Blonde, The Seafarer, The History Boys (Tony Award), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Pillowman and The Odd Couple. Mr. Furman co-founded the investment firm Furman Selz and is currently vice chairman of Jefferies & Company. He is vice chairman of Lincoln Center, chairman emeritus of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and vice president of the New York City Opera.

Michael Leavitt (Producer) is a producer for Elephant Eye Theatrical. His productions include Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award); One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Tony Award); Death of a Salesman (Tony Award); You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile); and Edward Albee's Three Tall Women (Pulitzer Prize.) Mr. Leavitt began his career in Chicago where he produced numeroUs Productions, initially through the Payne Leavitt Group, then as President of Fox Theatrical. In addition to producing theater, Mr. Leavitt has also operated numerous venues, including overseeing the $25 million redevelopment of the 1926 Palace Theatre (now the Cadillac Palace) which was subsequently sold to Broadway In Chicago.

Five Cent Productions (Producer) is a producing partner in Elephant Eye Theatrical. Five Cent is a consortium of five nationally renowned performing arts centers that have joined forces to take a proactive role in the development of new theatrical material. The five performing arts centers of Five Cent are: The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts of Hartford, CT; The Citi Performing Arts Center of Boston, MA; The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts of St. Paul, MN; The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts of Philadelphia, PA; and The Pittsburgh CLO and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (shared) of Pittsburgh, PA.  

Elephant Eye Theatrical (Producer) is a Broadway development and Production Company operating under the direction of producers Stuart Oken, Michael Leavitt and Five Cent Productions. The Addams Family is the company's first Broadway project. EET will also produce the new musical Bruce Lee: Journey to the West on Broadway, in the 2010-11 season, with a book by Tony Award winner David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly, Aida), music and lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee David Yazbek (The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific). Last season, Elephant Eye, in association with Playwrights Horizons, presented the world premiere of the musical Saved.

For more information on The Addams Family visit www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com