The Firehouse Theatre presents The Addams Family

Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice

Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa

Based on characters created by Charles Addams

Directed and Choreographed by Alli Franken

Music Directed by Molly Robinson

Assistant Director Billy Betsill

Lighting Design Destini Spraggins

Sound Design Michael Marbry

Costume Design Dayna Dutton

Scenic Design and Build Logan Uhtenwoldt, Maggie Sproul

Stage Manager Hannah Tolle

Asst Stage Manager Esteban Vilchez

Cast

Jason Philip Solis

Georgia Fender

Delaney Wenger

Wyatt Hartz

Grant Hollowell

Andi Allen

Christopher Ryal

Hunter Lewis

Hilary Allen

Dylan Ciminna

Emily Denner

Logan Hanson

Lisette Sandoval Perez

Payton Reeves

Danielle Smith

Maximilian Swenson

My thoughts on The Addams Family at The Firehouse Theatre or…a ghoulishly grand time.

From the get-go when Gomez speaks of “the intoxicating smell of the graveyard” and sings that when you’re an Addams you need to “put some poison in your day.” you realize fairly quickly that you will not be spending the next two hours with the Waltons, and you are entering a deliciously dark world where pain equals pleasure and roses are celebrated for their thorns. Dark? Yes. Bawdy? A bit. Great giddy fun performed by a top-notch cast? You betcha!

The plot involves the repercussions of Wednesday Addams falling in love with Lucas Beineke, a sweet “normal” young man from a strait-laced Ohio family and the fateful comical night when the “kooky” Addams family meets the conventional Beinekes. It’s one laugh after another as the one liners and double entendres fly.

The physical look of The Addams Family sets the stage for the macabre mayhem of the musical. The dark gray stone mansion designed by Logan Uhtenwoldt and Maggie Sproul looms over the stage and windows and doors open to reveal the horrors within. There are some spooky lighting and sound effects by Destini Spraggins and Michael Marbry. Dayna Dutton’s costumes are on point and range from ghostly to sophisticated with Gomez and Morticia looking particularly sharp.

Alli Franken, who serves as both the director and choreographer of the production, certainly knows her way around a musical and she keeps The Addams Family moving at a fast clip, but never misses a chance to bring out the comedy. Her choreography, especially for the ancestors, is fun to watch, perfectly integrated into the scenes, and performed beautifully. Music Director Molly Robinson has everyone sounding wonderful and the cast has many exceptionally good voices.

I have to give Franken an A plus for casting as this cast delivers one phenomenal performance after another. The cast is populated with scene stealers who know how to please an audience.

Andi Allen is terrific as the lascivious, rat chasing Grandma Addams. Grandma has no filter and Allen mines the character for every possible laugh. You don’t want to take your eyes off of her.

Christopher Ryals as Lurch spends most of the evening walking and talking in slow motion. He is quite the commanding presence standing many inches taller than anyone else on stage. Ryals gets his scene stealing moment near the end of the show when he steps into the light revealing his handsome face from which emerges an amazing tenor voice.

Wyatt Hartz is Pugsley, the youngest of the Addams clan. Although young in years, Hartz works the stage like a pro. Whether being tortured or causing chaos, Hartz gets laughs. He also has a surprisingly good voice. This kid is one to watch.

There are few actors as appealing as Grant Hollowell on stage and you’ll be “mooning” over him as Uncle Fester. Fester is in love with the moon and professes his love in the faux romantic song “The Moon and Me” during which Hollowell works the props and scenery like an old vaudevillian. He is a master of humor.

Also brilliant comedians are Hilary Allen and Hunter Lewis who play the “normal” Beinekes, Alice and Mal. Allen gets probably the best comic scene in the show when Alice drinks a potion causing her to lose all her inhibitions. Allen literally throws herself into the part and lets out all Alice’s marital frustrations in the hilarious song “Waiting.” How many times have you heard ice skating and lactating rhymed in a showtune? Lewis gets his chance to shine when the passionless businessman Mal reawakens his inner Deadhead busting out in a t-shirt and putting his tie around his head promising Alice he can be “Crazier Than You.”

Dylan Ciminna and Delaney Wenger are the unlikely couple Lucas and Wednesday. Ciminna makes Lucas a lovable nerd straight out of Central Casting. Ciminna brings much warmth and likability to the character who at first seems to be an odd choice to attract Wednesday Addams. Wenger’s Wednesday is every bit as morbid and eerie as you would expect, but Wednesday’s love for Lucas mellows her character. Wenger is a first-rate actor and singer and makes Wednesday a delightful antagonist.

Georgia Fender is the slinky, sexy Morticia. The beautiful, passionate Morticia cares for her family and wants to keep the morbid status quo. She is very hesitant to accept that Wednesday is in love with a normal boy. Fender is a wonder delivering most of her lines with Morticia’s signature deadpan demeanor. Fender is also quite the vocalist and opens Act II with the spirited and witty “Just Around the Corner” making it one of the highlights of the show. Fender’s Morticia is a worthy mate to Gomez.

Ah, Gomez. He’s head of the family and, after seeing The Addams Family, Jason Philip Solis will head your list of favorite actors. Solis delivers a star turn that is almost unbelievable. Solis simply owns this part. They make every line, every lyric, every dance move, (especially that tango with Morticia) a work of comedic art. It’s one of those uncanny performances that makes you look around to remind yourself you are in Farmers Branch, Texas and not NYC. Bravo.

I also want to give a shout out to the hard working, scenery moving, singing, and dancing ensemble known as the ancestors. The ensemble includes Emily Denner, Logan Hanson, Lisette Sandoval Perez, Payton Reeves, Danielle Smith, and Maximilian Swenson. They are a major reason The Addams Family is such a success.

The Addams Family is crowd pleasing, rousing, and major fun. Franken, Robinson, the creative team, and the dynamite cast make this musical a Pre-Halloween treat that you must not miss. By all means, get to the Firehouse Theatre before October 1st and bring your ghoul friends!

*See brief interviews with cast members on @dfwcenterstage TikTok