The Addams family has taken up residence at the San Jose Stage Theatre and everyone who visits is guaranteed a serendipitous, wild, weird, let-all-the-stops-out joyous experience with a little nostalgia thrown in for the baby boomers who will recall the TV series of the 1960s.
With a super solid cast under the strong direction of Tony Kelly, who brings in a solid production, a resilient orchestra with superb costuming and unusual, innovative choreography make you want to get up and join the chorus on stage.
With Johnny Moreno (Gomez), Allison F. Rich (Morticia), Will Springhorn Jr. (Lurch) Scott McQuiston (Uncle Fester) Courtney Hatcher (Wednesday), Zac Scuman (Pugsley) Dona Federico (Grandma), Edward Hightower and Elise Yousset, (as the normal dad and mom,) each becomes off-the-wall characters with great voices and good moves and they never let go.
Opening on Broadway in April 2010 with lukewarm reviews, the show beat the odds and reached the audience. It went on for over 700 performances and continued with multi-community theater productions, movies, a TV series.
“The Addams Family “went international touring to Sydney, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Mexico and Prague and continues to cover the world as well as U.S. national tours. It is a unique piece of business that entertains and tickles.
When you enter the theater “Lurch” greets you with a friendly grunt and the delightful “Thing” gleefully hands you a program and directs you to your seat.
The plot really doesn’t matter but becomes funnier when daughter Wednesday falls in love with a normal guy and the effect it has on her family when his family and her family get together at a hilarious dinner.
The appealing score by Andrew Lippa (“The Wild Party”) and book by Marshall Bricksman and Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys”) keeps things interesting and holds attention.
For a morbidly, ghoulish different evening of laughs and fun don’t miss “The Addams Family.”
‘The Addams Family’
Where: The San Jose Stage Company
490 South First St., San Jose
Through July 19
Tickets $20-$65
Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes with one 20 minute intermission
