The Addams Family keeps spooky season alive

Even though the Christmas ads are playing and the world seems to have forgotten about Thanksgiving, the Halloween season is still alive and well at the Aurora Community Theatre (ACT), where The Addams Family is playing through November 17.

The Addams Family tells the story of when the kooky Addams clan meets the normal family of their daughter Wednesday’s boyfriend. Over the course of the evening, loyalties are tested, secrets are revealed, and plenty of laughs are enjoyed amongst audience members.

Aurora High students may recognize a familiar face in the cast-Brian Pichola, a biology and geoscience teacher, plays Uncle Fester.

The musical lasts for about two and a half hours, with a 20 minute intermission between two acts. 27 songs are performed, ranging from the upbeat opener “When You’re an Addams” to the reflective “Wednesday’s Growing Up” to the love song to the moon entitled “The Moon and Me”.

Though The Addams Family shares a name and characters with a TV show from the 60’s, the plot is unique to this musical. Those familiar with the show would more than likely love this musical, and those unfamiliar would probably be interested in learning about the original show.

The great thing about the ACT in general is that it’s an intimate setting. The seats are arranged in a semicircle around a sunken stage, ensuring every seat in the house is a great one. In addition, the seats all cost the same, no matter what section you sit in.

Such a small theater makes for a unique theater experience; actors frequently use aisles to enter and exit the stage, and occasionally interact with the audience during the performance. This may make those who are more shy a bit uncomfortable, but overall adds to the humor of the plot.

Another special aspect of this production is how even though the set is small, the use of different additions makes it appear to have more variety than it truly does. Through the additions of staircases, tables, and picture frames, the set is able to transform from a graveyard to a dining room and back again

For anyone that likes musicals, this is a great addition to your must-see list. Even though the plot can get complicated with lots of subplots thrown into the main one, every story-big or small-is wrapped up by the end of the show.

Overall, this musical is a great way to experience top-notch entertainment that’s inexpensive and close to home. For anyone looking to expand their theater of knowledge or have a fun night out with friends, pay a visit to The Addams Family!

Tickets to The Addams Family are $13 for those under 18 and $18 for adults. The Aurora Community Theater is located at 115 East Pioneer Trail, in the same building as the Aurora Memorial Library.