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The Addams Family: See This New Musical Comedy at Lees-McRae Sept. 29 – Oct. 2

They’re creepy and they’re kooky—and they’ll be appearing in the Lees-McRae College fall musical. The Addams Family will make its debut from Thursday, Sept. 29 until Sunday, Oct. 2.

Based on the popular macabre magazine cartoons drawn by Charles Addams and the subsequent 1960s television show, The Addams Family tells the story of now-grown Wednesday Addams’ attempt to introduce her fiancé and his family to her clan. Needless to say, when a straight-laced mother and father from Ohio come to the Addams’ mansion for dinner, all goes awry.

“If you remember the television series, you’ll love the stage musical,” said Michael Hannah, director and associate professor of performing arts. “All the characters from the original are there, with the addition of Wednesday’s fiancé and his parents, and although Wednesday just wants ‘one normal night’ for their meeting, the musical shows us that ‘normal’ is in the eye of the beholder.”

The TV series—which starred John Astin as Gomez and Carolyn Jones as Morticia—regularly featured the culture clashes that inevitably resulted when the Addams clan intersected with the modern world. Morticia cut the buds off of her rose bouquets preferring to admire the thorns and bare stems. Wednesday played with headless dolls, Uncle Fester could turn on light bulbs in his mouth and Gomez blew up his toy trains.

The production features a large cast comprised completely of students. Naythen Rinehart, a senior musical theatre major from Kill Devil Hills, N.C., will act as Gomez Addams. Morticia will be played by Novita Hardy, a freshman musical theatre major from Delaware.

The rest of the cast includes Sabrina Becker as Wednesday, Andrew Duggins as Uncle Fester, Breanna Jackson as Grandma, Cole Kennedy as Pugsley, Logan Bryant as Lurch, Peggy Ellyn Wasmund as Alice, John Michael Sloan as Mal and Wyatt Neff as Lucas. The Addams Family Ancestors are played by Ali Spencer, Mark Williams, Jakob Sanchez, Alice Gomez, Sarah Melton, Ashley Hartwig, Aubrey Pond, Taylor Noll, Randi Sowards and Kelsey Martin.

The Addams Family runs Sept. 29 until Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. in the Hayes Auditorium at the Lees-McRae College campus in Banner Elk. Entrance is free for Lees-McRae students, faculty and staff. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and children. Tickets are only sold at the door and will become available one hour before show time. All seats are general admission.

Need more information? The box office can be reached at 828.898.8709.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. Field-specific career preparation and hands-on learning enhance the broad core curriculum. For more information, please visit www.lmc.edu or call 828-898-5241.