The Addams Family Musical plays at West T. Hill; Every show will have ASL interpreters
Published 11:40 am Tuesday, July 11, 2023
- Ancestors of the Addams family loom over Pugsley, played by Peak Price-Handcock, as he pours a mysterious liquid into someone’s glass. Photo by Fiona Morgan
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BY FIONA MORGAN
The Addams Family Musical is opening Friday at the West T. Hill Community Theater in Danville. The show continues July 14-16. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. with a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee.
The musical stars locals of all ages portraying the well-known, ghoulish characters of the Addams family. Director Beth Marlowe said the show is much different, and much bigger, than what West T. Hill normally does.
We chose this show because we wanted to do something different that West T Hill had never done before,” Marlowe said. “But we also wanted to do something that people would enjoy seeing. The Addams Family are characters that people know and love, so we thought this show would be fun to try.”
The Addams Family Musical, music written by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, tells a story of love and friendship through adversity. The normally moody, forbidding Wednesday seemingly falls in love. She tries introducing her new boyfriend to the Addams family, which doesn’t go as planned, leading to a multitude of troubles.
The cast features 26 people, which is more than usual for West T. Hill. Marlowe said it’s been a big undertaking in a small time in a small theater.
The show stars some high school students from both Boyle County High School and Danville High School. The youngest of the cast, Peak Price-Handcock, is going into fifth grade at Toliver Elementary. He plays Pugsley Addams, brother to Wednesday.
“It’s Peak’s first show ever and I’m so proud of him,” Marlowe said. “He is really, very good, and I’m glad I get to claim being his first director.”
Christopher Meccia plays the patriarch Gomez Addams, Corbyn Martin plays his wife Morticia, Brandon Mattingly plays Uncle Fester, Alex King plays Wednesday, Hannah-Kate Fox plays Grandma and Mark Porter plays Lurch.
Other main cast includes members of the Beineke family. Malcolm Springs plays Mal Beineke, Jennifer Pusateri plays Alice Beineke and Ethan Scott plays Lucas Beineke.
Every performance will welcome members of the deaf community, as there will be ASL interpreters on stage each night. Marlowe explained that they are trying “shadow interpreting,” where interpreters are actually cast members.
Interpreters are cast as Addams family ancestors, and will follow characters around on stage, instead of standing off stage. Marlowe said this is their first show having interpreters for every performance, instead of just one night.
“That was a dream my daughter and I had last summer,” Marlowe said. “We’ve been trying to think of ways to get it done. I was so blessed to have Ann Arnold and Jonah Cline agree to be ancestors for the show and shadow-interpret.”
The rest of the cast, who play different ancestors of the Addams family throughout time, are:
• Jonah Cline – Tourist
• Morticia’s mom – Kaylee Tewmey
• Military – Nick Powell
• 50’s Girl – Maggie Jenkins
• Viking – Austin Gorley
• Flapper – Lilla Walter
• Flight Attendant – Lori Patterson
• Nurse – Sophia Wilson
• Lurch Ancestor – Madison Porter
• Renaissance – Skylar Hensley
• Bride – Jenna Haines
• Ballerina – Sadie Pusateri
• Saloon Girl – Rachel Wade
• Farmer – Allie Fowler
• Baseball Player – Ann Arnold
• Pirate – Brianna Bruner
