By Sarah Opdahl

In one week New Fairfield High School’s auditorium will come alive with the sounds of the Rebel Players who will be primed to knock ‘em dead with the musical, The Addams Family. At its heart, the show is a love story in which the characters contend with the difficulties in navigating change and the importance of modifying expectations; ultimately, it is about open-mindedness and acceptance.

Patterned on the original 1960s television show, later a 1990s movie, and in the midst of the hit Netflix show Wednesday, the Addams Family brand has both nostalgia and current fans in its favor. The musical, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, which originally ran on Broadway in 2010-2011, is at once macabre and delightful and is packed with hilarious dialogue that allows the actors to truly run with their performances.

With strong singers and actors in the Rebel Players upperclassmen, many of whom play the lead roles, NFHS Choral Director and the show’s Musical Director Andrew Gadwah said, “Addams Family is such a fun show, and a great choice for our theater program for this year. There are great roles that feature our talented and hard-working students, giving them a chance to show off their vocal power and comedic chops.” New Director Kate Kovacs agreed, saying, “We knew we had a strong group of singers and actors this year and wanted a show that would showcase a large ensemble on stage. Other fun options could have been Grease, We Will Rock You, or a Disney favorite, but we settled on The Addams Family for its fun and endearing story, great cast of characters and truly catchy songs.” She gushed, “This show has so many funny lines, clever songs, and dances. It will be so fun to hear the audience react.”

Kovacs, who has an impressive background in regional theater, was excited to take on the challenge of the show and this school’s production. “This show and theatre are both new to me, double the fun, right?! It’s exciting to learn about a new venue, what makes it special and its unique challenges.” She pointed out some interesting features, such as the fact that “there is no fly space, but it has a really neat extension outside the proscenium. Or those interesting spiral staircases, which I am not using…this time.” Kovacs enjoys joining the actors in learning about each show she directs “and I have yet to do a show twice. But I imagine even if the show itself were not new to me, the cast and folks helping to put the show together would be, making it a new experience each time.”

Working with the teenage actors, Kovacs shared, “Sometimes I feel like Ana in the King and I, new to the area and trying to navigate all the many faces and unfamiliar specs. However, there were so many kind helpers at the school, both in the cast and crew and the educators, that I did not lack for support. Our Music Director, Andrew Gadwah, is a great partner, and I appreciate both his music skills and experience with the students.” A learning experience for new and seasoned Rebel Players, Kovacs added in new workflows and approaches for managing this production by introducing costumes early, adding in props throughout the show, and more. Gadwah shares her appreciation about their partnership, saying “One of the best things about working with our new director Kate is her artistic vision. The set for this show is incredible! I’ve always wanted to have a real, solid set in our amazing new theater space, to really show off what we can build on that stage. Kate has brought a really amazing artistic vision to this production, and I can’t wait for everyone to see how it all comes together.”

Unlike Kovacs, this is the fourth time Gadwah has worked on The Addams Family and “It’s always fun to revisit a show, because I get to know the music inside and out and I know what moments will need extra work or what fun elements we can feature. For this year’s show, one of the joys and challenges has been the ensemble – we have a lot of freshmen in our cast this year! And since many of our upperclassmen are featured in the principal roles, those underclassmen in the ensemble have really had to step it up in terms of vocals! They have all risen to the challenge in an amazing way, and I’m so proud of how everyone is sounding.”

With a lot of newness this year—a new director and many new students—Gadwah points to the show for a fun reference, “Alice, the bubbly mother-in-law of Wednesday’s boyfriend, recites an impromptu poem at one point, which I think sums up this experience perfectly: ‘Be open to experience, and welcome in the new. Reach deep in your surprise bag; there might be a gift for you!’…every day has had its surprises, its challenges, and its gifts. Everyone involved in this show has fully embraced the experience, bringing their talent, enthusiasm, and dedication together to make something great.”

As Gadwah referenced above, theatergoers can expect a spectacular set, but Kovacs shared that creating it was not without its challenges. Though she blocked out the set pieces with tape in the months prior, “not having the actual structure until a week before tech is definitely a hurdle. We may need to adjust our blocking and choreography to navigate a staircase or the extra exciting ‘height’ we plan to show off.” In general, though, Kovacs’s biggest challenges were the “snow days, I can’t tell you how frustrating those are, but I suspect the students probably enjoy the opportunity to sleep in.”

Gadwah is looking forward to the audience reactions to the range of song types in the show, from waltzes to his favorite number, “Tango de Amor,” which falls “toward the end as Gomez seeks to reconcile the conflict with Morticia that has been driving the show. It starts off with a slow, expressive violin solo, and it builds and builds, ending in a joyful, high-energy groove that is exhilarating to play and conduct. I’m sure the on-stage dancers are having just as much fun with it as we are in the pit!” The pit features nine students and eight hired musicians, two of whom are recent NFHS graduates.

Both Kovacs and Gadwah are proud of all of the students’ hard work. Kovacs said, “I hope they consider doing it all again next year or in a community theatre or professional theatre. And I hope above all, that they had fun and made lasting memories.” She went on to say that she has definitely made lasting memories, “These students are so talented and so kind and patient. They always greeted me, offered to help and came to me with questions and ideas to share. All the parents, families, and friends should be proud of their hard work, but also proud of these students as respectful and caring individuals.”

Get ready for some kooky, spooky fun for the whole family with The Addams Family. All of your favorite classic characters will be happy to welcome you, including Wednesday, Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, and Pugsly…and be sure to keep an eye out for “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” and “Thing 3″….The Addams Family will slay on Thursday, Mar 19, Friday, Mar 20 & Saturday, Mar 21 at 7:00; and Saturday, Mar 21 & Sunday, Mar 22 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 adults; $10 students & seniors and are  available at RebelPlayers.BookTix.com or at the door.