By: Rebecca Capozzi | Staff Writer
On March 5th, Stagefright opened their production of The Addams Family in the Megley Theatre. I have seen several productions of The Addams Family and have loved all of them. So, I had pretty high expectations for this performance. Let me tell you, this performance exceeded my expectations. There was not one part of it that I was not impressed by.
The first thing that the audience saw when they walked into the Megley Theatre was the incredible set. Every single piece of the set was deeply thought out and perfectly executed. From the extremely detailed, brick background to the spiderwebs everywhere, I really felt as though I was in the Addams Family’s world. There was also a great use of props. When Fester, played by freshman Winder Landaverde, was singing “The Moon and Me” Ancestor, freshman Sara McCormick, was dancing around with an inflatable moon. This added a comedic, yet beautiful aspect to the performance. There was also a scene where Gomez, played by freshman Sam Johnson, and Lurch, played by freshman Liam Fryer, began fencing with actual swords. The last thing I expected to happen was sword fighting, but I guess you can’t really expect anything less from the Addams Family, right? I’m sure it took a lot of practice to handle those swords without hurting someone!
I genuinely believe that each character was casted perfectly. Sam Johnson, who played “Gomez”, had such a good accent that I would actually believe that he was from Spain. Freshman Mary Melo-Serverino, who played “Morticia”, had such a strong and intimidating voice and personality, which made her execution of the character perfect. Freshman Olivia Thomas, who played “Wednesday”, had to say such absurd and funny lines, and somehow did it without bursting into laughter. I would not be able to hold myself together no matter how many times I would have practiced. Freshman Grace Farrow, who played “Pugsley”, had a bright, sweet, yet intimidating personality in the outrageous role of Wednesday’s little brother. Senior Henry Nickerson, who played “Lucas”, has the same funny and charming personality as his character, making his part so genuine and realistic. Also, if freshman Jonah King was not meant to play “Grandma”, I don’t know who was. He portrayed that character beyond perfectly.
The show would not have been the same without the Ancestors. Not only were they amazing while they were doing their dance routines, but they were amazing while they were just spectating in the background. Many times I found myself just looking at them. Their reactions to what was going on with the family were hilarious. Just like the props and set, the attention to detail with the Ancestors’ costumes and makeup was phenomenal. The Ancestors made it so that there was always something happening on the stage and that there was never a dull moment.
There is not one specific part of this show that I can say was my favorite. However, I can say that it was my favorite production of The Addams Family that I have ever seen. I have never seen a version of this show that the characters included jokes that related to today’s news. This relatable aspect made the show ten times as funny. That just shows how talented and creative the actors and crew of this show are. Their hard work really payed off, as all of the shows, including one that had to be added, were completely sold out. If you are disappointed that you were not able to see The Addams Family, I highly suggest that you see Stagefright’s future performances, as I’m sure that they only get better.
