The Riverside High School Theater will present the musical, The Addams Family starting tomorrow on March 21-24 in the high school auditorium, 300 Country Club Drive, Ellwood City. (information about the show and how to get tickets can be found at the end of this article).
Today’s review is part three in a three-part series about The Addams Family Musical. Previous stories featured cast Q&As.
Get ready to laugh if you plan to attend The Addams Family Musical presented by Riverside High School Theater … and trust me, you should definitely make sure you are in the audience!
A cast and crew of over 100 students from the school district will participate in the production directed by Brent Rodgers. This is the 61st Anniversary of Theater at Riverside.
From the amazing set, which frequently changes and appeals to the gothic side, to the brilliant direction of Rodgers, production of Vaughn Hudspath, and agile choreography by Amee Boughter, to the musical talents of the ensemble and rounding out with the actors—they truly get into character and don’t miss a beat—this musical is certainly one you won’t forget and don’t want to miss.
You’ve seen the acting and singing “chops” of many of these young actors before as more than a handful of them were part of last year’s amazing production of Damn Yankees among other past productions, so you know they have what it takes to wow and captivate.
Let’s start with Jacob Storey as Gomez Addams. Gomez is an interesting fella and patriarch of the Addams family. His undying dedication and adoration of Morticia Addams is undeniable, and Jacob masters the role completely. He becomes Gomez flawlessly from accent to demeanor. Jacob has played very different roles in the past, more villain-like, so playing a loving family man was a transition that he seemingly made with ease on the stage.
Speaking of Morticia, Morgan Myers stuns with her long black hair, breathy sentiments, and iconic black dress that Morticia is known for. Despite her gothic nature, Morgan as Morticia adds a comedic value that will without a doubt buy the hearts of the audience. Morgan is no stranger to the Riverside stage. She was simply unforgettable as the hilarious Sister Miller in Damn Yankees. Morgan has a way of so convincingly morphing into character that we forget we are watching a high school junior.
Then there’s Kat Lubinsky, who plays Wednesday, the core character that this musical surrounds. See, Wednesday has found herself a boyfriend who is “normal.” He’s a bit mainstream for the ghoulish Addams family, but Wednesday is determined to prove that “normal” is really just a word, and idea rather than a state of being. Kat fully delves into character and her voice is just further proof of her talent. The audience is sure to love Wednesday.
Jonah Tritt is outstanding as Pugsley Addams, Wednesday’s pesky little brother. And in real life, you might say Jonah is the little brother of the lead cast members. A 6th grader at Riverside, Jonah very much holds his own along side his much “older” fellow cast members. He’s funny, confident, and has a great dynamic with Kat in her role as Wednesday. I expect we will be seeing a lot of Jonah in the future of Riverside Theater.
Lurch, the seemingly 10-foot tower of the family, played by Corban Knight, is sure to be a crowd favorite. A man of few words, his grunts and groans are sure to resonate with even the most serious audience members. What he can’t say in words, he certainly portrays in body movement and behavior. He truly lives up to the hype and height of his character. Corban kills it as Lurch.
Uncle Fester is always great for laughs, and Ellis Rebholz sure delivers. Rebholz as Fester is actually dazzling despite his pale skin and black attire. At times, he completely steals the show to be honest. His voice is strong and the cast plays up to him so well in the ensemble musical pieces. I image the audience will be talking about Rebholz and Uncle Fester for years to come.
These lead characters are surrounded with talent by supporting cast members, who complete the show.
See it once … see it twice … see it three times or four. There are plenty opportunities to catch the musical of the year!
Don’t miss the show:
- Thursday March 21-7:30 p.m.
- Friday March 22-7:30 p.m.
- Saturday March 23–7:30 p.m.
- Sunday March 24–2:00 p.m. *MATINEE
All tickets for these performances are $12.00 and can be purchased HERE.
If you have questions, you can contact The Addams Family HOTLINE at 724-758-7512 Extension 1264 or email the Producer at vhudspath@rbcsd.com.
The Addams Family is presented through special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
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