'Addams Family' musical casting announced
Expect the Chicago Broadway tryout of the musical "The Addams Family" to be a hot ticket this fall. That's because two-time Tony Award-winners Nathan Lane ("The Producers," "The Birdcage") and Bebe Neuwirth ("Cheers," "Chicago") are set to star as the macabre married couple of Gomez and Morticia Addams.
The full casting to "The Addams Family" was announced at a news conference on Monday at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre. It's where this new musical based upon the cartoon characters of illustrator Charles Addams will play in its pre-Broadway tryout from Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010. A tentative Broadway start date is in April 2010.
Other notable casting includes Broadway luminaries such as Kevin Chamberlin ("Dirty Blonde," "Seussical") as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman ("Hairspray," "Xanadu") as Grandmama, Terrence Mann ("Beauty and the Beast," "Les Miserables") as Mal Beineke and Carolee Carmello ("Parade," "Lestat") as Alice Beineke.
The musical's producers (which include Chicago-based Stuart Oken) also gave some insight to the adaptation taken by composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa ("The Wild Party") and playwrights Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice ("Jersey Boys"). The musical centers on daughter Wednesday (Krysta Rodriguez) who is aged up to be an 18-year-old in the midst of falling in love - much to her own disgust and her creepy and kooky family's bewilderment.
"The Addams Family" casting announcement was timed to build excitement for individual ticket sales, which begin Wednesday, May 13, as a special pre-sale for American Express cardholders. General ticket sales begin Friday, May 29. For more information, visit broadwayinchicago.com or call (312) 902-1400.
- Scott C. Morgan