Submitted Photo Pictured is the full cast of The Adams Family, School Edition” musical, which will be performed at Cassadaga Valley Middle/High School Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoon.

SINCLAIRVILLE – The Cassadaga Valley Drama Club will be performing “The Adams Family” school edition musical. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoon at the middle/high school.

The plot line of The Addams Family musical is an original idea conceived by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elise, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The iconic Addams Family is based on the characters conceived by cartoonist Charles Addams, who was known for his dark characters. He was inspired by his hometown of Westfield, N.J., an area full of ornate Victorian mansions and archaic graveyards. Addams’s comics were published in the New Yorker magazine from 1938 until his death in 1988. The musical first opened on Broadway in 2010.

In the musical, 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, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother until after they all have dinner together and it’s clear that “the families can get along.” 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 party for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents. Uncle Fester Addams enlists the help of the Addams family ancestors, but will they be able to help love triumph?

The production team of Cassadaga Valley High School teachers Nicole Zenns, John Cole, and Reggie Cole are very excited about the premiere of The Addams Family at CVCS. Zenns is in charge of stage direction, pit orchestra, and costumes. John Cole is the vocal director and administrative member of the team, and Reggie Cole produces the sets with his stage crew. Over 55 students in grades 6-12 are involved in the production, and many parents and community members have helped with painting, props, and makeup.

“Aside from the very recognizable ‘Addams family’ members, the show has an ensemble of ancestors who, according to the story, come out of their crypt once a year to visit with the living Addams family members. They become involved in the story to help love triumph, because they are not allowed back into the crypt until the main characters find love. The original production had 10, but in the school edition, we can have as many ancestors as we want to, and it has been a wonderful way to involve more students in the production,” according to Zenns. She has helped students create ancestor characters that are original to Cassadaga Valley’s production such as a pirate, waitress, Greek goddess, and jungle explorer, to name a few.

“We are thankful to be putting on a show that involves so many wonderful CVCS students and are incredibly proud of their hard work this year. Our director team is also grateful for the support of our school and community. We hope to see you at one or more of our three performances of The

Addams Family.” stated J. Cole.

Production director Reggie Cole said, “This has been an exciting year working on the musical. We have welcomed several new students to the CVCS stage crew to help build the set and run lights this year. I am extremely proud of the hard work that the crew and cast have put into this production.”

Gomez and Morticia Addams are portrayed by Matthew Helwig and Eliza Andersen. Caden Frost plays Uncle Fester, who serves as the show’s narrator. Wednesday Addams is portrayed by Bella Dutton, her brother Pugsley by Matthew Lawrie, Grandma by Miranda Ryen, and Lurch by Mr. Steve Helwig, CVCS math teacher. Wednesday’s boyfriend Lucas is played by Cameron Katilus, and his parents Mal and Alice Beineke are portrayed by Austin Gloss and Ariana Main.

The ensemble of Addams ancestors are led by six dancers: Mya Cusimano (suffragette), Alicyn Debo (bride), Addison Helwig (saloon girl), Lilleen Meacham (conquistador), Brandi Meder (flapper), and Shea Richerson (Egyptian goddess). The ensemble is rounded out by Anthony Clark (caveman), Katie Pattison (Civil War Soldier), Jaidyn Briggs and Liliana Payne (cowgirls), Gia Knott (Egyptian goddess), Elora Kelley (flight attendant), Quinn Johnson (Greek goddess), Lillian Phillips (heiress), Zoe Zuech (hippy), Gemma Andersen (jungle explorer), Olivia Jackson (nurse), Maliyah Stone and Gabby Hubler (pioneer girls), Roclynn Ulinger (pirate), Marli Deyell (Renaissance woman), Eliana Katilus (Pilgrim) Hannah George (waitress) and Brionna Doland (aviator).

The pit orchestra includes Anna Burlingame, piano; Angelica Mullen, trumpet; Cathryn Russell, horn; James Mullen, bari sax; Andrew Faulkner, guitar; Nora Nopper, sax & clarinet; Evelyn Winton, clarinet; Aubre Bonasera, percussion, and Mr. Stephen Beardsley (student teacher with Mrs. Zenns), Sinfonia software.

The stage crew includes Emma DeGolier, Suzy Dewyea, Lauren Jasinski, Alex Kahle, Olivia Lopez, Eric McKeown, Bridget McQuiggan, and Robert Polley.

Show times are Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m. in the J. Arthur France Auditorium at Cassadaga Valley Central Middle/High School. Tickets are available online by going to https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/81641. There is also a link on the school website: cvcougars.org. Balcony tickets are available at the door before each performance.