They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky. They’re all together ooky. They’re the Addams Family, and they’re performing in Fort Lauderdale.
The national touring company of “The Addams Family” will act, dance and sing as the classically quirky family at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts until April 21.
The musical is not based on the numerous TV and film adaptions of the ghoulish characters, but, rather, on Charles Addams’ single-panel cartoons that were first published in The New Yorker between 1938 and 1988. The show opened on Broadway in April 2010 and closed on Dec. 31, 2011 after 725 performances. It’s now on its second national tour, which premiered in Rochester, N.Y. on Feb. 5.
“The show is about a crazy, kooky family who have a slightly abnormal way of living life,” said KeLeen Snowgren, who portrays Morticia Addams, the matriarch of the family, known for her dark hair and even darker soul.
“Morticia is a dark, sultry, sensual woman who wants to be a wonderful hostess, mother and wife, and only wants her family to be wonderfully unhappy,” said Snowgren.
The musical’s plot centers around a secret about Wednesday. No, there’s nothing mysterious about the day of the week. Wednesday is Morticia’s anything-but-normal daughter and she is in love with a shocking person: a perfectly normal boy named Lucas.
Although the lines and scenes aren’t directly based on the beloved TV shows or films, Snowgren said that fans of the oddball family will quickly recognize the musical’s ensemble.
“You’ll see all of your favorite characters and have cameos of Thing and Cousin Itt. Lurch, Pugsley and Gomez are there — everyone’s favorite characters.”
With their harsh makeup, gothic clothing and raspy voices, the Addams family may be far from the expected image of a constantly smiling, happy-go-lucky Broadway clan, but Snowgren still views the musical as a fairly typical one.
“There’s a bit of everything,” she said. “There’s some pop culture music through Wednesday and Lucas and there’s some adult humor from Gomez’s lines. All in all, there’s a bit of something for everyone – even kids.”
And, despite the Addams Family seemingly oh so very abnormal to observers, they have plenty in common with the Patridges, the Bradys, the Flinstones or any other fictional family.
“Every family has struggles,” Snowgren said. “Every family works hard to communicate. When one little secret happens, it can throw people through a loop. But, in the end, love always triumphs. They may be a creepy, odd family but they still love each other.”
Snowgren feels right at home with the family, as her voice naturally fits with the tone of Marticia, who has previously been portrayed by Carolyn Jones, Anjelica Huston and Bebe Neuwirth, among other actresses.
“I already have a dark, raspy singing voice and speaking voice. So, I try to find that inner – I don’t know what the word is – sensuality? I try to remind myself that she doesn’t just walk, she floats. She glides. She doesn’t speak; she sort of has a sing-songy quality to her voice.”
Although Snowgren said that she tries to put her own special twist on her already quite special character, she doesn’t want to “stray too far from that iconic character than everybody loves.”
Snowgren clearly considers herself a fan of the show, as she said, “It’s so amazing that I get to be performing a part that everyone is so familiar with. It’s been around for such a long time and it’s such a privilege to be able to perform this role. I think that’s my favorite part about the show — everybody knows it and so, it’s like I get to continue the story.”
To score your own invitation to the family affair, visit browardcenter.org or call the box office at 954-462-0222.
