By Jon Chown
BEN LOMOND — On the second night of The Addams Family’s monthlong run at Mountain Community Theater, I didn’t see an open seat, and that’s good, because as many people as possible should take the opportunity to see this marvelous production.
I’m a huge fan of live music and rarely attend live theater, so I’ll admit I was surprised by the high level of production and talent here. For such a small theater in Ben Lomond to create such a large-scale show is really something to see and hear.
Photo Credit: Davis Banta/Right Hand Creative
Musical director Jesse McMillan recruited the band and noted, “From the first practice, I could feel this group gel in a way that made me breathe easy and look forward to the final product.” The final product is outstanding. I particularly enjoyed Benjamin Nye on trombone and Jacqueline McMilin on violin. I could have watched the band alone for hours and been entertained, but they were out of sight. Of course, if they were on stage, we would have missed the brilliant performances of the cast.
This Addams Family adventure is based on the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and was originally produced for Broadway. Wednesday Addams, now a teen, has fallen in love with a boy, Lucas Beineke, and they plan to marry. How will her eccentric family react? And how will she introduce her seemingly “normal” boyfriend and his family to hers? The path to love and the final result are hilariously fun.
The opening dance number, “When You’re an Addams,” sets the tone for the next few hours of entertainment. Dave Leon, as Gomez, the patriarch of the family, shines in the opening number, leading the song and introducing the audience to his family of misfits. As the story moves along, Amy Carlson, as Morticia, stood out to me. She has a beautiful voice and filled the role convincingly. Carlson and Leon have strong chemistry, particularly in their Act Two duet, “Live Before We Die.”
As a musical, nearly every scene features a song and dance number, and some have multiple. The talent of the cast is impressive throughout. Ana Bogren, as Wednesday, leads the ensemble with a standout performance. It’s her fifth show with MCT, and it’s easy to see why she was cast in the starring role. I especially enjoyed her scenes with her brother Pugsley, played by Daemon Nowatski. It’s Nowatski’s first MCT production, and the young actor is excellent. He delivered some of my favorite moments.
You could feel his distress at the thought of his sister, his best friend, leaving home to marry this boy.
“What if all the good times are behind me?” he asks their grandma, before breaking into the solo number “What If?” which he performs with aplomb.
The show is also a comedy, and a very funny one. Gage Henderson, as Lurch, might have delivered the biggest laugh of the night when, without speaking an actual word, he described who he was to the Beineke family.
The sets, props and costumes were all well done. I especially enjoyed some of the costume details, like Lucas Beineke’s sweater tucked into a high-waisted belt and pant legs just short enough to stay dry in a puddle.
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The show runs through Oct. 19. Don’t miss it. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. On Oct. 18, the theater will host a Dress as Your Favorite Character night.