Sarasota News Events:

The Addams Family musical performed at Venice Theatre:

This is a spooky time of the year and Venice Theatre comes through with a great musical that had run on Broadway for over two years.

It is tale of a ghoulish American family, eccentric, and spooky. A showcase of a unique group of misfits, who live, as they wish, worthy of love. The Addams Family ran 2 years on Broadway and to date has had over 4,000 first and second tier productions internationally.  

The Addams Family is about an odd family seemingly unconcerned that other people find them different, frightening and bizarre. Instead they are about embracing individuality, where each family member pursues his or her own ideas of what love is. It showcases the glaring differences between them, while exposing their hidden dark secrets and desires.

A favorite scene depicts each drinking from a potion made by spooky old Grandma, watch closely as their naughtiness is revealed! With adult dark humor, everyone will be laughing along in this musical comedy, which is entertainment for all ages.

A favorite character by many, is Wednesday, daughter to her father Gomez, she shows us she is every father’s nightmare while their young daughter falls in love, during her rebellious stage in life, as Wednesday played beautifully by Sophie Buchmeier, embraces her deepest love for anything grim or gruesome, all while displaying her narcissistic, psychopathic traits obsessed with all things morbid. 

Morticia, her mother, is played by Erica Jade Drew, in a chic gothic way alongside Gomez, the husband and father role well played by Randy Ronco, who appears courtesy of Actions Equity Association. The scenery and design crew are outstanding along with wigs, makeup and costume designs. The wooded central park scenes and graveyard depictions are beautifully executed.

The cast and crew were all well prepared on opening night and a delight to watch. From one scene to the next, although at times, a bit challenging to follow along, especially if you’d never seen previous television or cartoon versions, as they moved through scene to scene from zany to funny to spooky and crazy to crazier. 

You’ll laugh, maybe even sing, and surely snap your fingers, alongside others while being drawn to one of the zany family characters, as there’s no dull moment. The Addams Family production reminds us all to celebrate our differences and be true to ourselves. A delightful must see! Congratulations for a job well done.

The Addams Family new musical now showing 10/13 through 11/12.

Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. 

Music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.

Orchestrations Larry Hochman

The Cast

Gomez: Randy Ronco*

Morticia: Erica Jade Drew

Pugsley: Brennan Reisinger

Wednesday: Sophie Buchmeier

Grandma: Candace Artim

Alice: Colleen Buchmeier

Mal: Chris Caswell

Lucas: Kyle Ramon

Fester: Ross Boehringer

Lurch: Will Smith

Ancestors: Charlotte Crowley, Emily Kelly, Maddie Campbell, Van Dinverno, Josh Roberson

Pit Singers: Michael Snyder, Jamie Becker, Debi White

*Appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The Addams Family is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York; NY, 10036. www.theatricalrights.com

By Val Walters reviewer for Our Town Sarasota

Photos by Renee Mcvetty