April 1, 2023
By Mary McPartlin, Staff Writer
ROCKLAND- Rockland High School’s The Addams Family musical took the stage on March 24 and 25 and was a major success, selling out the RHS auditorium both nights
The play's characters and plot are based on The Addams Family, originally a cartoon in The New Yorker that has spawned movies and television shows as well as the musical.
Music teacher Mr. Steven Bergman was inspired when the play was performed at his previous school two years ago, and decided it would work well for the students of Rockland.
He explained, “It’s grades seven through twelve here [in the play], so it’s a really good fit for the mix of different grade levels and different talents that we have here.”
The play was cast right before Christmas break, and rehearsals began right when school returned.
Organizing these rehearsal times has been the most challenging part of the play, Mr. Bergman explained, and he said it’s crucial to him that the students don’t feel burnt out by too much rehearsal.
Mr. Bergman said, “The upperclassmen are really setting a good example… we have seventh graders who have never done a show before in our cast so the upperclassmen are really great with setting a really positive example.”
He said he is eager for everyone to be able to see it come to life on stage.
“The cast has worked really hard at it and they deserve the opportunity to show it to the community. I think the community’s really going to have a great time,” Mr. Bergman said.
Elias Carbone, a junior, played Gomez Addams in the play, one of the main characters.
Unfortunately, Carbone became sick at the start of Friday night’s show and had to leave, with Emma Bergman, Mr. Bergman's daughter and one of the show’s directors, coming on to act as an understudy.
Carbone said he was “excited” to act in the entire second night of the play “because of the unfortunate incident of the first night.”
Carbone explained, “I’ve been in all the plays that have gone on while Mr. Bergman’s been here, which is Puffs and Shrek last year, and Midsummer.com this year.”
Shrek has been his favorite up until now, and he said The Addams Family has become his most cherished.
Allyson Leary, a sophomore, played Wednesday Addams and said she was most nervous for the “Happy Sad” scene and song because she thought she would get emotional.
“I thought I was going to cry every time so I am glad I didn’t,” she added.
Lil Bossie, a sophomore, played Alice Beinke, the mother of Wednesday’s fiance.
Bossie said their favorite scene to perform was “‘Full Disclosure’ because it was just really fun and it involved the whole cast.”
Rockland's drama program usually produces a play in the fall and a musical each spring.