"The Addams Family" is likely among the largest-scale shows Tigard's Broadway Rose has undertaken. In the program-notes it is revealed that it was even difficult to get the production's rented touring-set through Tigard High School's doors. This is unsurprising, as it often seems massive, particularly in a cemetery scene. As always, the band is large and gung-ho, leading me to be newly impressed with the scale and scope Broadway Rose manages to achieve without being among the heavy-hitters downtown, this production begin with an audience-participation snap-off, which I thought was a nice touch. All of the performers embody their characters delightfully, of particular note is Isaac Lamb as Uncle Fester, who deserves extra points for tipping slightly more toward goofball than weird-eccentric as Fester has been played in previous incarnations. It is a refreshing choice. Gomez is also given more complexity in the musical than I remember from the smattering of TV episodes I saw on tape, and the films from the '90s, here he tries to behave honorably towards both his wife and daughter when their desires conflict, which is not only fodder for comedy, but also gives him more depth.
Aside from one off-putting suggestive musical number, unless I'm experiencing a huge lapse, the rest of the show would likely be suitable for fairly young audiences, which is a great thing because even the movies are getting old, (which means so am I,) and thus this musical would seem the perfect vehicle to introduce the creepy and kooky Addams Family to a new generation.
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