A One-Hour Author-Approved Edition THE ADDAMS FAMILY Will Benefit The Entertainment Community Fund Next Month

A special one-hour author-approved edition of the Broadway musical The Addams Family will be held next month to benefit the Entertainment Community Fund. The Addams Family features a book by Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman, and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on characters created by Charles Addams.

Directed and choreographed by Jesse Walker, the cast will feature New Jersey’s Bemba Balsirow as Mal Beineke, George Balsirow as Pugsley Addams, Serg Balsirowas Uncle Fester, Lois Blackman and Sherry Hecker alternating as Alice Beineke, Lyle Greene as Lucas Beineke, Rachel Levy as Morticia Addams, Kathryn Paidoussis as Wednesday Addams, Alessia Secli as Grandma, Aliyah Sulimenko as various Addams family ancestors, Henry Walkeras Lurch and Jesse Walker as Gomez Addams.

The TWO-PERFORMANCE ONLY special one-hour author-approved event is set for Monday, July 22, 2024 beginning at 2:00PM and 6:00PM at The Jackson Library (2 Jackson Drive) in Jackson, NJ. 

General Admission tickets are priced at $5.00 and may be purchased via email at jessewalker17@hotmail.com. Jesse Walker is fundraising for Entertainment Community Fund ( www.justgiving.com/page/tjws).   All proceeds from the event will go to benefit and support Entertainment Community Fund. 

The Addams Family, a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story and it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, 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 it 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 belove wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they hose a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

Entertainment Community Fund, founded in 1882, is a national human services organization here to meet the needs of our entertainment community with a unique understanding of the challenges involved in a life in the arts.

To make a one-time or recurring donation to Entertainment Community Fund, please visit: https://entertainmentcommunity.org/

Cast Biographies

Bemba Balsirow (Mal Beineke) was recently seen in Nice Work If You Can Get It as Chief Berry and All Shook Up. This is Bemba’s 4th production with Walker Productions.

George Balsirow (Pugsly Addams). This is George’s 2nd show and he’s happy to join his 2 brothers to reprise his role as Pugsley Addams.

Serg Balsirow (Uncle Fester). This is his 4th production with Walker Productions. He was recently seen in Nice Work If You Can Get It as Duke Mahoney and All Shook Up.

Lois Blackman (Alice Beinke) has performed in numerous Walker Productions over the years. She's happy to return to perform this dual role of Alice Beineke, alongside Sherry Hecker.

Lyle Greene (Lucas Beineke) is an actor, singer, director and lighting designer born and raised on Long Island, NY and based in NYC and NJ. He is a recent graduate from Rider University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and Minor in Technical Theatre. Currently, he is the assistant to the Production Manager at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. His big break into the theatre came in the 4th grade when I was cast as Willy Wonka, and the rest is history. When not performing you can find him raising his dog Jaxson, playing a multitude of instruments (piano, ukulele, guitar, banjo, and the occasional pickle drum), hiking, designing lights, and researching the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”.

Sherry Hecker (Alice Beineke) was one of the long-time members of the Stage Crafters, whether it was playing the role of Annie or doing a “striptease” on stage. Now, she has lent her varied talents into the Addams family. This is her 5th production with Walker Productions.

Rachel Levy (Morticia Addams) is a model with 10+ years of experience in commercial, print and runway exposure. She also trained as a professional actress and can play characters with a range of emotional depth!

Kathryn Paidoussis (Wednesday Addams) is a singer/actor/dancer based in NYC. She recently received a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cap 21 Conservatory.

Alessia Secli (Grandma). Grew up in Italy, moved to NYC to pursue her career as an actor at a young age.

Ailyah Sulimenko (various Addams family ancestors), in her second 2nd play with Walker Productions, she's ecstatic to join her 3 uncles as various Addams ancestors.

Henry Walker (Lurch) was recently seen in the live streaming production of A Christmas Carol and All Shook Up as a random townsperson. This is Henry’s 4th show for Walker Productions.

Jesse Walker (Gomez Addams/director/choreographer), named “Talk Show Host with Tenacity” by New Jersey’s Bergen Record in 2005, has been producing, directing, choreographing, and acting in his own plays, as well as other revivals, since he was 15-years old. Walker runs his own theater group and puts on plays locally around his neighborhood almost every year. During high school, he hosted his own show on public access on ECTV in Emerson, NJ. After relocating and a 6-year break, Jesse returned via internet with his revamped debut of “The Jesse Walker Show.” Musical theater credits include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Grease, Take Me As I Am (original), _Smile Annie Farbissen, A Christmas Carol_with a Jewish twist (an original adaptation). Television credits: “The Jesse Walker Show,” and “Caroline Rhea.” Awards: The New Jersey Governors Award for being the first handicapped person to have his own celebrity talk show.