About the Musical
The show is based upon The Addams Family characters created by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, which depict a ghoulish American family with an affinity for all things macabre. In addition to the original characters created by Addams, the musical introduces the new roles of Mal, Alice, and Lucas Beineke, who are described as "straight arrow Midwesterners." The ensemble consists of a group of Addams Family ancestors, each from a different time period.
SYNOPSIS:
THE ADDAMS FAMILY features an original story, and it’s every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren’t upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before — keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
We highly recommend that you watch the entire musical.
Please watch various productions on Youtube! Refer to them in terms of understanding the storyline - please do not copy these performances in your audition. Just use them to learn what the story is about and familiarizing yourself with the characters and songs!
You may also want to check out the movie version (PG-13) or the television shows, (G), but as the stage production is based on the original cartoon, you'll get the best for feel for by watching the musical.
CASTING:
Please choose roles that best reflect your talents. Sometimes we can slightly adjust the key of a character's solo song, but we prefer to keep accompaniment in the original key. As you get to know the show and the music, please pay attention to the characters' vocal ranges and required skill sets. Just because you like a role doesn't mean you are suited for it, and you want to have the strongest audition possible!
Carefully read the character descriptions and requirements below.
Character Breakdowns
Ancestors - Ensemble - All chorus members will be assigned an Addams Family Ancestor "character" and therefore have their own cameo character to play. Examples of the Ancestor characters are Bride, Groom, Stewardess, Saloon Girl, Flapper, Pilgrim, Conquistador, Caveman, Cavewoman, Soldier, Sailor, etc. The ensemble has a very important role in The Addams Family. As descendants of the Addams lineage from various eras and locales, the Addams ancestors act as a backup chorus for multiple scenes and numbers.
Morticia Addams - Morticia is the real 'head' of the Addams family, the matriarch. She is concerned her husband is hiding something, and will use all her wiles and tactics to lure his secret out. An easy comedic actress with sarcastic & dry wit. She is glamorous; witty... and given to low-keyed rhapsodies about her garden of deadly nightshade, henbane, and dwarf's hair. Although it may seem that Gomez has the most say in family dealings, Morticia’s influence over him proves that she’s really the one in charge. Elegant and gorgeous, Morticia sees only the good in everyone, and comes off as wiser for doing so. Her cool head and dry sense of humor help temper the flames of love in Gomez, and bring tangibility to her fear of growing old.
Wednesday Addams - The goth teenage daughter of Gomez and Morticia, Wednesday leads with a dark cloud exterior, but deep down she has her father’s heart and her mother’s dry wit and sensibility. Wednesday finds love with a "normal" boy (Lucas) and wants to introduce his family to hers. She is stuck between sticking with the traditions of the Addams family and moving forward with her relationship. Experiences the youthful drama that comes with first love – and will do just about anything to get her way! Her dry sense of humor is reminiscent of her mother, but sometimes gives way into the manic episodes that show her humanity.
Grandmama - Grandmama Addams is a kooky elder, a feisty 102-year-old woman. Fun and quirky, but don’t mess with Grandma. This disrespectful old hag is the mother of Gomez... she willingly helps with the dishes, cheats at solitaire and is roughly dishonest... foolishly good-natured... fumbling, weak character... is easily fooled. Grandma acts as the wise, if sometimes wacky, sage of the family. She helps Pugsley through his problems, and has a crass sense of humor.
Pugsley Addams - Wednesday’s little brother, Pugsley is a danger-seeking, charming, funny, boy - who loves being tortured by his sister. Wednesday’s relationship with Lucas has left Pugsley with separation anxiety. He wants to ensure he won’t lose Wednesday to her new boyfriend so he takes matters into his own hands. An energetic monster of a boy... and a dedicated troublemaker.
Gomez Addams - The father of the Addams family. Gomez takes great pride in his family and revels in all it means to be an "Addams." He struggles with having to keep his daughter's secret from his wife, whom he adores more than death. He is pulled in different directions in order to appease them both. Smart, comedic actor with tenor vocals. Husband to Morticia... a crafty schemer, but also a jolly man in his own way... though sometimes misguided... sentimental and optimistic, he has full enthusiasm for his dreadful plots... is sometimes seen in a rather formal dressing gown.
Uncle Fester Addams - The narrator of the show, Uncle Fester serves as the musical's narrator. He is larger than life, an energetic, joyous, child-like presence. A vaudeville style comedian with tenor vocals. Uncle Fester is incorrigible and except for the good nature of the family and the ignorance of the police, would ordinarily be under lock and key... the eyes are pig-like and deeply embedded... he likes to fish, but usually employs dynamite... he keeps falcons on the roof which he uses for hunting... his one costume, summer and winter is a black great coat with an enormous collar… a total character. Ukulele skills are a plus!
Alice Beineke - Mother of Lucas, devoted to her family so she puts aside her own desires. A typical suburban mom with typical suburban mom problems. Because of a cold relationship with her husband Mal, she has refocused her love on Lucas. She is prone to speaking in rhyme when upset. While at the Addams Family dinner party, she drinks a potion that causes her to let her hair down and speak her truth.
Mal Beineke - Mal is Lucas’ stuffy father and an exasperated husband to his rhyming wife, Alice. A typical conservative suburban father that’s cynical of life and especially the Addams family. Always looking out for his family. Has difficulty accepting his reality and pretends to be better than others. At one time he was a follower of The Grateful Dead but has lost that side of himself.
Lucas Beineke - A hopeful romantic and the son of Mal and Alice Beineke, Lucas is the 'average' young man who has fallen in love with Wednesday Addams and plans to marry her. The epitome of the love- torn teenager, Lucas experiences the youthful pain and drama of young love and struggles with the differences between his family and the Addams family. He writes poetry and appears to be a traditionalist, but he harbors an unexpected crazy and dark side, and appreciates the macabre… which is why he gets along so well with the Addamses.
Lurch - Lurch is the Addams family butler, who knows all the family secrets. A man of very few words, Lurch mostly responds in drawn out moans, groans and grunts — without becoming a cartoon version of himself. His movement is always very slow. Must have great non-verbal story-telling abilities (think: facial expressions and sound).