Sometimes weird can be a good thing.
As in: people who are really weird, but not bad. As in: affectionate as a family. And laugh-out-loud funny.
“One of the things that made ‘The Addams Family’ TV show special was not its weirdness, but how much the characters love each other,” explained Keith Andrews, director and choreographer of The Gateway’s “The Addams Family Musical.”
“In the early 1960s, the show was the opposite of other sitcoms then, where the characters were always arguing with each other.”
The Gateway’s “The Addams Family Musical” in Bellport, launching Jan. 24 to Feb. 16, was a riotous spoof when it hit Broadway in 2010. The story includes a Goth family experiencing a dilemma when daughter Wednesday Addams falls in love with a “normal” sweet guy. She confides in her father, Gomez, begging him to secrecy, knowing her mother, Morticia, will be beside herself. And Gomez has never lied to his wife. Add characters like Uncle Lurch, the sonorous, grunting butler with scary features and Fester, who’s in love with the moon. Well, you get the picture.
The Long Island Advance sat down with Andrews, musical director Andrew Haile Austin, leads Aaron De Jesus (Gomez) and Jennifer Byrne (Morticia), and Gateway artistic director Paul Allan, to discuss the show.
Andrews is directing and choreographing the musical. Which can’t be easy. “I started out as a dancer in the 1990s and always looked at a musical as a whole,” he explained. “So even though I wear both hats, there’s a physicality and I match the dance to the show.” Andrews said he’s updating this version a bit with Kelly MacMillan, a New York-based dancer and choreographer, to help.
Artistic director Paul Allan pointed out that usually directors are not so ultra-focused on dance. “But Keith switched early on, so he’s a director who knows how to choreograph a show,” he said.
So what elements switch the macabre to humor? “The story takes a seemingly normal family and turns it on its head,” Andrews said. “A beautiful day is rainy. Morticia cuts off the tops of flowers. The best part for me is understanding and emphasizing that type of humor.”
“The audience catches on right away,” added Morticia lead Jennifer Byrne. “It’s darkness, grief and unspeakable sorrow.”
Byrne (first national tour, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” and others)) parlayed Angelica Huston, who played Morticia in the 1991 movie, as a reference point, admiring her fluidity and timbre of voice, she said. “Morticia is about family first. She is macabre, but not evil. And she’s compassionate and guides her child to the way she knows best.”
De Jesus, back from a recent “Jersey Boys” stint and before that a 10-year Las Vegas period performing in musicals, practically came out of the womb singing. His grandmother was a concert pianist and organ player. His grandfather was an opera singer. And his mother nursed his vocals early. “I’m the oldest of five,” he said. “As soon as I could talk, she had me singing.” Mom had him matching pitch and singing melodies; his grandmother was a great accompanist. He grew up in Massapequa and Hicksville, teaches at Rutgers University, and started directing last year. As for his character Gomez with Morticia, “They’re deeply in love and appreciate those things that make them different,” he said. “It’s a highly functional family.”
Musical director Andrew Haile Austin was asked if the distinctive television theme song will be inserted. “It’s played very briefly in the beginning,” he said.
But there are short resemblances to the snappy intro throughout, he said.
Name a couple of show-stopping numbers, please. “One is called ‘Pulled,’ sung by Wednesday, while she’s falling in love, meaning she’s pulled to goodness, unicorns, puppy dogs at the same time while torturing her brother on a rack.
“Also, Morticia sings (are you ready?) ‘Death is Just Around the Corner’ in a kick line tradition.”
Organ, harpsichord, and other classical instrumental sounds are immersed in the musical. How do they fit in the orchestra pit?
“The keyboards have come a long way,” Austin said, “so a lot of sounds come from there, including harpsichord. The rest is standard, but we do have a double bass in the pit and had to figure out how to fit it in. The music blends pop music with Goth sounds of church music and harp.”
There are 19 in the cast, some Broadway stars, many Gateway alumni you’ll recognize. Get tickets at thegateway.org.
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