{"id":10944,"date":"2014-11-03T14:20:59","date_gmt":"2014-11-03T14:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/for\/?p=10944"},"modified":"2014-11-03T14:49:57","modified_gmt":"2014-11-03T14:49:57","slug":"%e2%80%98the-addams-family%e2%80%99-coming-to-the-stage-nov-14-16-21-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/featured\/2014\/%e2%80%98the-addams-family%e2%80%99-coming-to-the-stage-nov-14-16-21-23\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Addams Family\u2019 coming to the stage Nov. 14-16, 20-23"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Erin Hensley-Schultz (Morticia) and Chris Greene (Gomez) rehearse a scene from the musical, based on the beloved Charles Addams' cartoon characters.<\/p><\/div>\n

They\u2019re spooky, a bit kooky and they\u2019re coming to the stage soon in Northeast Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Theatre-at-Tusculum is presenting \u201cThe Addams Family,\u201d the first time the Broadway-award winning musical has been staged in East Tennessee. The musical, based on the beloved Charles Addams\u2019 cartoons, will be presented\u00a0 at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14-15, 20-22 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 23 in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum College campus.<\/p>\n

Well known and respected actors from the Northeast Tennessee fill the cast for the musical that finds the weird and wonderful Addams family with an affinity for all things macabre with a developing crisis. Wednesday Addams has fallen in love with nerdy Lucas Beineke, who is from a \u201cnormal\u201d family. Meanwhile, well meaning Uncle Fester has been working behind the scenes with the Addams family ancestors, who set about helping the family with its new challenging situation, and the fun ensues for the audience.<\/p>\n

Under the direction of Marilyn duBrisk, the talented cast includes Erin Hensley-Schultz, a well-known Johnson City thespian, who is bringing Morticia to life, opposite Chris Greene who is portraying the suave Gomez. \u00a0Wednesday Addams is brought to life by Hannah Faith Rader, who has performed in Jonesborough and Johnson City productions, and her love interest, Lucas Beineke, is talented Parker Bunch, who many will remember from his role as Bob Cratchit in Theatre-at-Tusculum\u2019s 2013 production of \u201cA Christmas Carol.\u201d<\/p>\n

Undertaking Fester and also acting as assistant director is Brian Ricker, who has become a local favorite through his many roles in the Theatre-at-Tusculum program. A relative newcomer to the local stage, but who is also quickly becoming a favorite, is Audrey Shoemaker, who is being transformed for the show into 102-year-old Granny Adams. Young newcomer Tate Brumit plays obnoxious and cheeky little brother while Mike Willis, who delighted audiences as the Ghost of Christmas Future in \u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d will bring the memorable Lurch to life. Lucas\u2019 parents, Mal and Alice Beineke will be portrayed by Josh Davis, who has starred in roles in Morristown productions, and Jodi Carter, another veteran of Theatre-at-Tusculum productions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Hensley-Schultz practices a dance with the Addams Family Ancestors during rehearsal. From left are Angie Willis, Austin Bird, Josh Beddingfield, Hensley-Schultz, Charlene Kight, Laura Berry, Zach Gass (partially hidden) and Toni Bates.<\/p><\/div>\n

Portraying Gomez has meant lots of practice in using a Spanish accent for Greene. \u201cIt has been challenging, but a lot of fun.\u201d Audiences will find lots to love about the show,<\/p>\n

Greene says, and he has especially enjoyed the music. \u201cThe music in this show is great. It is different from the other musicals \u2013 the songs are a lot more in the rock and jazz vein.\u201d Greene is a local favorite, and some of his memorable leads include The Cat in the Hat in \u201cSeussical,\u201d the Scarecrow in \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d and Sir Toby in \u201cTwelfth Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hensley-Schultz is returning to the Theatre-at-Tusculum stage as Morticia, a role she has wanted to play since a child. She recalls seeing the Addams Family movies and finding the Morticia to be the \u201ccoolest character\u201d because of her dark beauty and graceful movements. Hensley-Schultz was in duBrisk\u2019s productions while in high school and then moved away from the region and recently moved back to the region.\u00a0 Among her memorable roles are Patsy Cline in \u201cAlways Patsy Cline,\u201d Winifred in \u201cOnce Upon a Mattress\u201d and Columbia in \u201cRocky Horror Picture Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bringing the \u201cvery loaded\u201d character of Wednesday to life has been a welcome challenge to Rader. Falling in love has pulled Wednesday in a new direction from the dark world that is her norm. \u201cThe Addams Family\u201d is a show that has something for everyone, Rader says. \u201cIt has a great message in terms of love,\u201d she said. \u201cAlthough the Addams family members are weird, they are all about family, they look out for each other.\u201d Rader\u2019s recent work includes Jonesborough Repertory Theatre\u2019s \u201cHairspray,\u201d and Blue Moon Dinner Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cRocky Horror Picture Show.\u201d She also appeared in several productions while in college at Carson-Newman University.<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s new love, Lucas Beineke, is portrayed by Bunch, who finds himself playing a shy teenager in love, much like the character of Peter in Theatre-at-Tusculum\u2019s production of \u201cAnne Frank,\u201d but unlike his own outgoing personality.\u00a0 Audiences will find the musical to be funny, with lots of great music and costumes, he says. Bunch has been featured in such plays as \u201cChristmas Carol,\u201d but says he especially enjoyed being part of last spring\u2019s production of \u201cThe Complete Works of William Shakespeare.\u201d<\/p>\n

The role of Uncle Fester is much like The Cat in the Hat in \u201cSeussical\u201d in moving the action along, said Ricker of the role. Uncle Fester also has some interaction with the audience. \u201cI love that,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is sort of like improvisation \u2013 it makes you be on your toes and focused.\u201d Ricker is also taking on the additional role of assistant director, which has been a fun challenge. \u201cI can\u2019t say enough about the amazing cast, they are absolutely brilliant,\u201d he said, noting that it will be difficuult for him during the performances to stay focused on his character as he will also be thinking about things that need to be happening backstage and onstage.<\/p>\n

Shoemaker says it has fun but challenging to play a 102-year-old. \u201cThe lines are awesome,\u201d she said of the part, but the role is also physical as Granny\u2019s body language is as important as the lines. Shoemaker\u2019s past Theatre-at-Tusculum roles in such shows as \u201cCarnival,\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re a Good Man, Charlie Brown\u201d and \u201cSeussical,\u201d have all been strong character roles, which has been an enjoyable change. Prior to coming to Theatre-at-Tusculum, she was primarily cast in leading roles, but she said she is more comfortable in playing the character roles such as Granny.<\/p>\n

The youngest member of the cast is Brumit, whose portrayal of Pugsley is his first leading role. While the play has been fun, he says, it has also been a lot of work. \u201cMost of my parts are in the first act. It is hard because I go on and off stage several times.\u201d Brumit\u2019s experience in the theater began with a role in \u201cSeussical.\u201d \u201cI really liked it a lot and enjoyed being in it with my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

A veteran of both Morristown and Greeneville theater, Davis has been tasked with playing the much older character of Mal Beineke, Lucas\u2019 father. Returning to work with duBrisk and a talented cast has been the best part of his experience with the Addams Family, Davis says, and invites audiences to come enjoy the fun musical. \u201cThe Addams Family are American icons and it is fun to see them brought to life on the stage,\u201d he notes. \u201cThere are some things about the show you will not be expecting but there are different things you should expect. It is very funny, and there are lots of surprises.\u201d Audiences have enjoyed Davis in such roles as Lord Farquaad in \u201cShrek the Musical\u201d and as the lead role in the production of \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d at Walters State Community College in Morristown.<\/p>\n

Portraying Mal\u2019s wife Alice is Carter, who agrees with her stage husband that the best part of the production has been the camaraderie among the cast. A music teacher in the Greene County School System, Carter\u2019s first experiences under the tutelage of duBrisk was as a participant in the GLAWPIGT (Great Literature Alive, Well and Playing in Greeneville, Tennessee) program for students in grades 3-12). She has had lead roles in \u201cSeussical,\u201d \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d and \u201cOliver.\u201d<\/p>\n

The production staff includes Angie Clendenon, music director; Chris Beste, accompanist; David Price, percussion, and Kim Berry as the show\u2019s choreographer. Frank Mengel is technical director and set designer; Barbara Holt, costume director; Suzanne Greene and Jim Holt, stage management; Zach Holdich, lighting design; Margo Olmsted and Sandy Neinaber, props management; Trenda Berney, make-up director; and Jennifer Hollowell, house manager in charge of the box office.<\/p>\n

Parents are cautioned that while \u201cThe Addams Family\u201d is family friendly, it is rated as a \u201cPG\u201d show due to a few instances of rough language.<\/p>\n

With\u00a0 music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and story by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice,\u00a0 the original show opened in April 2010 with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia.\u00a0 The show won a Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Broadway Musical and played 722 performances before closing on December 31, 2011.\u00a0 It then went on tour both in the U.S. and Internationally.<\/p>\n

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 60 and over, and $5 for children 12 and under.\u00a0 To reserve tickets, please call 423-798-1620 or email jhollowell@tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

They\u2019re spooky, a bit kooky and they\u2019re coming soon!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[91,19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018The Addams Family\u2019 coming to the stage Nov. 14-16, 20-23 :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/featured\/2014\/\u2018the-addams-family\u2019-coming-to-the-stage-nov-14-16-21-23\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018The Addams Family\u2019 coming to the stage Nov. 14-16, 20-23 :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"They\u2019re spooky, a bit 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