Area schools gear up for Spring productions

Twin Lakes High School presents “The Addams Family Musical” for three performances: Friday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19, at 2:30 p.m..Tickets are now available for $9 in advance at the high school during school hours or $10 at the door. Photo provided/Twin Lakes High School

Staff Report

The Twin Lakes High School Theatre and Music departments will present “The Addams Family Musical” for their spring production. The show will be performed in the Twin Lakes High School auditorium for three performances: Friday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19, at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are now available in the school’s counseling office during normal school hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reserved tickets purchased in advance are $9, and assigned seats purchased at the door are $10.

“The Addams Family Musical” is directed by Susan Willbanks, who believes it’s the perfect show for this time, according to a news release.

“’The Addams Family’ is popular across all generations,” Willbanks said. “My generation loved the TV show when we were kids. The next generation fell in love with the kooky family through the films, and now their children love the ‘Wednesday’ series on Netflix!”

“’The Addams Family Musical’ debuted on Broadway in 2010, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. With a script by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, ‘The Addams Family Musical’ is a hilarious comedy that embraces the wackiness that is a part of every family – but especially the ghoulish Addams clan. The patriarch of the family is the suave, sword-wielding Gomez Addams (Kaleb Kiester), whose love for his family begins with his passion for his voluptuous wife, Morticia (Tessa Kirchner), and his devotion to his morbid daughter Wednesday (Kaida Collard) and his torture-loving son, Puggsley (Kaden Klein). Their family is almost complete with Uncle Fester (Aiden Vrotny), who’s in love with the moon; Grandma (Addy Corn), who at 102 is still experimenting with better living through chemistry; and of course, Lurch (Caleb Weiss), their impossibly tall man-servant who speaks volumes through grunts. But the Addams family also pays homage to their long line of Ancestors by releasing them from their graves one day a year to celebrate their heritage. But this year is different. This year, there is a problem — and the Ancestors must stay and help! Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke (Nolan Roeske) a nice young man from an average family – a man her parents have never met. Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Gomez does something he’s never done before: he keeps a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. This deception changes everything for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents, Mal and Alice Beineke (Griffin Hornung and Alex Edgell). Will Morticia ever trust Gomez again? Will Lucas and Wednesday find their happy ending? Will their families ever get along? And what about Fester and the moon? Find out for yourself at ‘The Addams Family Musical!’” a news release states.

Addams family ancestors are as follows: Marley Akers, Madalyn Alexander, Savannah Asbell, Reece Bartlett, Taylor Burns, Nyx Butler, Suri Clemons, Jay Connell, Hallie Egolf, Nolan Evans, Luci Galati, Allie Geiger, Clara Grennes, Aracely Gunn, Kris Kauffman, Hannah Kernagis, Brea Kiser, Jasper Kiser, Ariani Labra, Layni Lawley, Luke Lipps, Cale Maiden, Coral Marohl, Stephanie McCarthy, Mayah McCarty, Victoria Mecklenburg, Coreyn Nolan, Joseph Quillen, Natalie Quintanilla, Leigha Scott, and Genevieve Stroetz.

The student staff is as follows: Morgan Galyen, student director; Scottie Unger, stage manager; Sam True, Elysia Metzger, Kelly Ramirez, and Kenya Ramirez, lights; Yajir Lopez, projections; Xavier Scott, Logan Jacoby, and Angela Saunders, sound; and Morgan Galyen, Logan Jacoby, Sasha Kiser, Yahir Lopez, Ryan Nickerson, Angela Saunders, Xavier Scott, Scottie Unger, set construction and stage crew.

The orchestra is made up of the following musicians: Rick Russell, Myah Adams, Morgan Arthur, Therion Baker, Jackson Bohall, Hannah Chaney, Brady Deniston, Keeley Deniston, Diego Diaz Romero, Lexcy Duyag, Nathan Foster, Andy Hinz, Hayden Hufford, Angel Lopez, Levi Norris, Jacob Reed, and Jesse Ward.

The make-up crew is comprised of Sinai Aguilar, Karen Aragon, Alexis Baldini, Elizabeth Castillo, Shyanne Craig, Violet Foulks, Violet Hatfield, Cadie Keene, Hannah Kernagis, Mayah McCarty, Nikki Merida, Coreyn Nolan, Ruby Reyes, and Emma Young. Emma Young is working on costumes.

The adult staff is as follows: Susan Willbanks, director; Bob Willbanks, technical director; Christy Buschman, assistant; Corey Nolan and Steve Krawczyk, special projects; Barb Fielding, Holly Nolan, and Mamie Roberts, costumes; Leah Padlo, poster, program, t-Shirts, photos, and make-up; Heather Becker, instrumental music; Rick Russell, vocal music and pianist; Lucy Dold, featured vocals; Karson Gritten, choreography; Rob Schroeder, auditorium manager; Malika Gilbert, refreshments; Ellen Salomon and Abbie Napier, tickets; the Kirchner family and Leah Padlo, lobby display.

“The Addams Family Musical” is produced in arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide.