A few years ago, my brother played Pugsley in The Addams Family Musical at his high school. I went down to see it to support him and his friends and was surprised by the cute, fun show. So when I found out that FSU was doing its own version of The Addams Family Musical, I was immediately interested. I expected to enjoy the show, I expected that it would be better than the high school production, but I didn’t quite know to what degree.
This is my last semester at FSU, and I hate to admit that I’ve never seen a show at the School of Theatre before now. $13 isn’t that expensive to see a show, but since a lot of things on campus are free to students it seemed unjust. However, when you think about the time and money that goes into designing costumes and sets, this price is nothing.
I don’t want to give away too many details about the show so I don’t spoil it for any future play-goers, but what I will do is give my unbiased opinion on everything but the plot.
Courtesy: Cassy Ledger
I was immediately struck by just how good the sets were once the show started. The curtains opened and we were in a graveyard with a massive mausoleum of Addams family members that have passed on. As the show goes on we are transported to the inside of the Addams’ family home, bedrooms, living spaces, man-caves (for lack of a better word), backyards and even the moon through practical yet effective visual effects and set-pieces. The lighting team also played a major part in setting the tone, using certain cues to alert the audience to various themes, characters and moods.
There wasn’t a sore thumb or a poor vocalist in the entire cast. Obviously, these people are theater majors and they are bound to be talented, but I hadn’t been expecting the near-professional air they brought to the stage. Every actor took their parts and owned it. The ensemble never felt like the ensemble; they genuinely seemed as though they were a part of the plot and propelled the action. I never had a moment of “that guy’s playing a character.” To me, everyone fit the part they were placed in. I could probably rave about every single cast member and why they were great, but that would make for a really long article, so I’m going to narrow it down to three. Alec Ruiz brought Gomez Addams to life, Bradley Ford Betros was a light on the stage as Uncle Fester and, while Alice Beineke wasn’t the main star of the show, Ashley Lewis made her a force to be reckoned with.
The show wasn’t flawless, but the flaws certainly didn’t slow the show by any means. There were a few times when the actors didn’t quite hit their notes—noticeable to someone who is involved in music or theater, but probably not so much to an average person. There were also times when the spotlight was a little slow to get to its mark, but again, not so much that it pulled the play-goer out of the scene.
Overall, The Addams Family Musical is a fun show with a lot of heart. There are showings through March 4, so make sure you stop by!