Earlier this year, the Nightingale Theater Company at Townsend Harris High School selected The Addams Family to be its annual spring production. Advised by English teacher Ryan Dunbar and Instructional Support Services teacher Kevin Schwab, the Nightingale Theater held cast auditions back in December and has been rehearsing since then. When speaking to The Classic, members from all departments of Nightingale Theater expressed excitement for this year’s production of The Addams Family, which is set to take place in April.
According to Mr. Dunbar, The Addams Family the musical’s coordinators, which consists of himself, Mr. Schwab, Music teacher Kevin Heathwood, Science teacher Katherine Cooper, and ISS teacher Brian Remy, have been trying to put the show on for a while. They first tried to launch a production in 2020 but were forced to halt due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
The script, which remains unchanged since it was licensed from Theatrical Rights Worldwide, stays faithful to early adaptations of the show which first aired in the ’60s.
“I think it’s really nice to be able to see characters like Morticia, Fester, Wednesday, and Pugsley. You see characters familiar to you and then they act and behave in all the ways that you expect them to in that crazy, cooky Addams Family way. I think that the audience would really appreciate that,” Mr. Dunbar said.
By being able to preserve the same comical elements of the original Addams Family, the THHS production hopes to simultaneously accentuate the ability of the student actors, whether it comes from their outstanding talents for singing, acting, or a new skill that we haven’t seen often in THHS play productions.
Junior Julia Waters, who is playing the role of Morticia Adams, described her experience in the play, saying “When The Addams Family was first announced, I wished that we chose a more upbeat musical. But after watching other high school productions on YouTube, I realized that this production was a lot different than I thought it would be, so I really looked forward to auditioning for it. The Addams Family is a very campy musical, which is exciting because it is something that we haven’t done before,” she said.
Similarly, Junior Vee Shupty, who is a part of the Ensemble said, “When the show was first announced, I was pretty skeptical. I had never taken much interest in any Addams Family related media, and I had doubts about [how] engaging the story was going to be. However, I’ve grown to have a love and appreciation for it. The dancing we’ve had to do for the show has definitely grown on me. And of course, it wouldn’t be a musical without the music, so I also sing and act in the background.”
“This new spooky theme is completely different from last year.,” said Junior Alex Yauri, who plays the character of Lucas.
Students who have watched The Addams Family through its previous adaptations, whether it be productions from other schools, or the show itself, and agree that the Nightingale Theater will be more than capable of living up to the original, especially with a talented cast of students.
Freshman Victoria Ng who is a part of the ensemble said “The experience is very [fun] and chaotic with rehearsals all over the place. For me, I contribute to the show by mainly attending rehearsals and practices as needed to ensure we will have a successful musical that is fully equipped with people, whether it be actors, backstage, or music.”
Freshman Sophia Cherry, who is a part of the main cast said, “It’s been fun to talk with new people and spend more time with those I already know in this production. I like expressing myself through the theatrical arts, and this play has been a great creative outlet to do so. As Pugsley in The Addams Family, I love his not-so-subtle sour attitude when something conflicts with his motives. It makes for an interesting play and a fun character to act as.”
Vee said, “Thanks [to] an amazing group of friends by my side, rehearsals have been a joy to attend. The musical [has] introduced me to such kind souls that I’ve grown to love, and I have made memories I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
