Nordonia Drama presents The Addams Family musical

by Laura Bednar

They’re creepy and they’re kooky, and they’re coming to the Nordonia stage this spring. Nordonia High School Drama will present The Addams Family from April 11-13.

The musical is based on the Addams Family characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams. Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and Lurch are put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling them into a night that will change their lives forever.

Nordonia Drama Director Chris Simmons said it is still the same family people have come to expect, despite all the narratives that emanated from the original TV series. The musical focuses on Wednesday falling in love with a “normal boy” and the families meeting over dinner.

Simmons said the music in the show is from the Broadway version but not exactly the same score. Some songs have been added since its debut. The cast has 33 students and another 50 off stage working in tech crew, costumes, makeup and orchestra.

Among the lead roles, senior Aubrey Spinetti plays Morticia and junior Ezekiel Rayle plays Gomez.

Spinetti has been in every school production since her sophomore year. Her performance in the fall musical, Little Shop of Horrors, helped prepare her for The Addams Family.

“This musical is very bittersweet, because I’ve wanted to do The Addams Family since I started drama, and I knew that if we ever did, I would work as hard as I possibly could to get a lead role,” she said. “It’s a great last production, and I’m so glad I get to be on stage and working on costumes and really going all in for my last production.”

Rayle said his biggest challenge was trying to translate the character of Gomez from the movies to the stage. “Gomez is just a bigger than life character and it’s so much fun being just over the top with every movement, every note and every line,” he said.

Each character has small details and bits they exemplify throughout the show. “Whether a person is talking or not, if you look at them they’re probably acting within their respective parts,” said Rayle, adding that audiences can see the show multiple times and notice things about the characters they missed.

The drama club will participate in Playhouse Square’s “Dazzle Awards,” in which a panel of judges views a production and provides feedback and a score to determine award nominations. Performances are Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. Tickets are available through HomeTown ticketing at nordoniadrama.com. 

Photo caption: Ezekiel Rayle, who plays Gomez, and Aubrey Spinetti, who plays Morticia, are two of the leading roles in Nordonia Drama’s production of “The Addams Family.” Photo submitted.