Since Theatre performed the sensational musical Matilda in 2020, the actors have been itching for another show, and they have it. The Addams Family Musical opened on Jan. 21, 2022 and refreshed the actors with a chance to showcase their theatrical souls on the stage.

Based off of the popular 1960’s sitcom, The Addams Family Musical is about the unusual and macabre Wednesday Addams who wishes to elope with her dorky, normal boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, and her family’s journey through the hilarious situation. With themes of protective parenting and cherishing the abnormal, the musical embraces family relationships through children growing up and parents falling back in love with each other.

Leads of the show feature Tanner Loyd, a junior, playing Gomez Addams; Avery Dennard, a junior, playing Morticia Addams; Vanessa Brown, a junior, playing Wednesday Addams; Rachel Bader, a junior, playing Uncle Fester; Lizzete Velez, a senior, playing Pugsley Addams; Anna May, a junior, playing Grandma; and Kade Smith, a sophomore, playing Lurch.

“Though the Addams are over-the-top and comedic, our show deals with the real-life conflicts of marriage and family,” Avery Dennard, a junior, said. “Playing Morticia has taught me how to balance her flamboyance and comedy with a more authentic story that regular families can relate to.”

Principal Majewski and Dean of Instruction, Perry Johnson, elegantly cameoed in the show’s opening number. The family’s ancestors were introduced during the chorus dance, erupting from a crypt as part of the annual Addams ritual, and the two took the spotlight for one hilarious moment as they initiated the famous ‘15 Second Dance Party’ with the ancestors before leaving the stage for the last time in Majewski’s career.

“Graduations are the most special and rewarding student activity,” Majewski said. “Seeing kids walk across the stage that coming into high school the odds were stacked against them. This is a testament to team Creek and our culture in believing in kids.”

The musical also had a massive ensemble who performed extravagant dance numbers and in jaw-dropping solos that truly set the theatrical tone for the year of 2022. With the help of a choreographer, Susan Cilie, the cast performed dozens of elaborate dances throughout the show, such as waltzes, tangoes, and jazz numbers.

“It was a pretty consistent effort that took a lot of dedication to make it show-worthy and it paid off,” Julius Bob, freshman who played a Solider Ancestor said. “My favorite dance was the Tango because I have a great dance partner, and honestly, it’s just a really fun dance to do.”

With long, hard-working rehearsals since November, the actors put in hundreds of hours of work to learn scenes, songs, dance numbers, stage blocking, and backstagery in order to cohesively piece together the musical. The crew worked incredibly hard to design sets, craft props, program lights and sounds, and create stunning costumes and makeup looks. The remarkable production truly showcased the huge range of skills that Wildcats possess.

Technical theatre students were the backbone of the show, operating with dozens of props, set pieces, and, even, the haze machine. Lights and Sound Crew also showed their skills with colorful spotlights and hilarious sound effects bringing even more magic to the actors’ performances. Costumes and makeup were a quintessential part of The Addams Family Musical, as the ancestors were airbrushed to obtain an ‘undead’ appearance.

“I had a bright idea to take some inspiration from Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride and incorporate it into the ghostly Ancestors,” Leira Yanoc, junior and head of makeup, said. “I ran into some road blocks, such as figuring out how I was going to get makeup on 15-17 people in an hour, but after a bit of trial and error, I figured it out.”

Additionally, for the first time since 2016, the cast performed with Creek’s orchestra, under the leadership of Tate Fincher. The soundtrack for the show was fully performed by the students in the pit of the auditorium.

“The most fun part was getting to come together and create a culture where everyone felt welcome,” Fabien Gonzalez, a saxophone-playing junior, said. “Which ultimately lead to the creating of an incredible musical that was so much fun to be a part of!”

The Addams Family Musical was a huge success with Theatre, Choir, and Orchestra joining forces to create a magnificent masterpiece performed by passionate students. Additionally, the show would not have been possible without the exemplary visions and executions of Head Director, Jennifer Alcala; Tech Director, Matthew Samson; Choir Directors, Sean Stultz and James Park; and Band Director, Tate Fincher.

Next up, Creek Theatre moves forward with We Are the Sea, their UIL competition show. Excited to compete and much up their sleeves, the actors prepare daily for a truly phenomenal performance in March.