THE ADDAMS FAMILY Treads the Boards at Theatre Memphis, Now thru 9/14

The Addams Family, the musical comedy based on the beloved Addams family cartoons created by Charles Addams, comes to life tonight, August 22, 2014 and runs through September 14, 2014 on the Lohrey Stage at Theatre Memphis. The frightfully funny and comically macabre show opens the 2014 -15 season for Theatre Memphis and features well known characters such as Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Lurch and Grandma. Director Cecelia Wingate returns to Theatre Memphis at the helm of the production having directed last season's Theatre Memphis hit, Young Frankenstein. She is supported by musical director Jeffrey Brewer and Choreographer Jay Rapp.

Wingate's approach to the show is centered on discovering the places where the humor can be played that might be unexpected. She says, "With a show like this ... a familiar concept that brings a certain humor to mind ... you have to be true to the memory and then kick it up a notch. We are finding the funny at every turn and the musical aspect is so accessible. We have a great ensemble. We have some real theatre ninjas knocking their roles out of the park!" Wingate has some knowledge of successful runs having just returned from performing in the critically acclaimed production of Cicada in Chicago, Illinois.

The singing and dancing cast includes Rob Hanford and Emily Chateau, respectively as Gomez and Morticia Addams. Other leading actors performing are Greg Krosnes, Lorraine Cotton, Brie Leazer, Oakley Weddle, Caiden Britt, John Hemphill, Kell Christie and Justin Asher. Hanford and Chateau have worked as a couple before but with a very different dynamic as the love interests in last season's blockbuster The Music Man. Asher is no foreigner to his type of role as Lurch having played the Monster in the TM 2013-14 season musical, Young Frankenstein.

Theatre Memphis Executive Director Debbie Litch is not frightened by leading off with this off-beat musical comedy. "This cast is so good and is having so much fun that it will be infectious," she says. "Our goal is to entertain our patrons and The Addams Family completely fills the bill."

The Addams Family

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY: Andrew Lippa

BASED BY: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice

DIRECTOR: Cecelia Wingate

VENUE AND ADDRESS: Theatre Memphis on the Lohrey Stage, 630 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, 38117

RUN DATES: August 22 - September 14, 2014

TIMES OF SHOWS: Thursdays @ 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm with matinees @ 2pm on Sundays

TICKETS: $30 adults, $15 students with valid ID, $10 children 11 and under

BOX OFFICE: 901.682.8323

WEB: www.theatrememphis.org

Theatre Memphis is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization located at 630 Perkins Extended (corner of Perkins Extended and Southern) and is a community theatre whose mission is to provide outstanding theatrical experiences to enrich the lives of our audiences and participants.

To post a comment, you must register and login.