The Addams Ancestors spook the audience on opening night of CCS Musical Theater’s “The Addams Family” in the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, May 9. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photos)
By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Cherokee Central Schools (CCS) Musical Theater performed “The Addams Family: School Edition” on the evenings of May 9-11. The play was packed with the classic Addams Family characters, spooky ancestors, and Cherokee humor.
The play opened with Thing, played by Cherokee High School (CHS) junior Gideon Freeman, performing the iconic double-snap between the red curtains of the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center. Gomez Addams, played by senior Gabe Terrell; Morticia Addams, played by junior Jade Squirrel; Wednesday Addams, played by senior Ann Toineeta; Pugsley Addams, played by freshman Knox Sneed; Uncle Fester, played by sophomore Colby Lossie; Grandma, played by sophomore Araceli Martinez-Arch; Lurch, played by junior Noqwisi Crowe; and Cousin It, played by freshman Madigan Welch, performed “When You’re an Addams,” dancing on the graves of their ancestors to bring an eerie group of ghoulish white Addams ancestors rushing onto stage through the cemetery gate.
Wednesday Addams, played by Ann Toineeta, and Lucas Beineke, played by Anadeti Durham, argue while Uncle Fester, played by Colby Lossie, and the Addams Ancestors eavesdrop.
The Addams ancestors included Ancestor Flight Attendant, played by senior Dayvian Pheasant; Ancestor Cheerleader, played by junior Amiya Lequire; Ancestor Mad Scientist, played by junior Corbin Freeman; Ancestor Ballerina, played by senior Jimya Driver; Ancestor Cast Away, played by junior Gideon Freeman; Ancestor Gangster, played by junior Joselyn Long; Ancestor Miss Cherokee, played by junior Ayosta Lossie; Ancestor Graduate, played by sophomore Dewi Thompson; Ancestor Saloon Girl, played by sophomore Izabella Terrell; Ancestor Marie Antoinette, played by freshman Addison Stewart; Ancestor Bride, played by freshman Elizabeth Myers; Ancestor Knight, played by freshman Clyde Bird; Ancestor Groom, played by freshman Jayden Bradley; and Middle School Ancestors Jaylee Arch, Dylan Crisp, Kimberly Crowe, Kayha Cucumber, Khloe Cucumber, Georjia Girty, Savannah Hornbuckle, Olivia Huskey-Morales, Walela Ledford, Taleeah Murphy, Ava Murphy Walkingstick, Kylana Sampson, DeMakus Staton, Kylea Swayney, Joslynn Thompson, Brayon Tucker, Brannon Arch, Aurora Crowe, Makai Henandez, Piper Owen, Story Martens, and Aiyana Arch. The ancestors were a spookily perfect addition to the play, adding a happy haunting to every scene.
The Addams’ “normal” counterpart, the Beineke Family, included junior Tyruss Thompson as the father, Mal Beineke; sophomore Jocelyn Saunooke as the mother, Alice Beineke, and sophomore Adaneti Durham as Lucas Beineke, Wednesday’s love interest.
With the families caught in a Romeo and Juliet style dilemma, the play follows their hilariously dramatic journey to love for Lucas and Wednesday.
Terrell played a compelling, impassioned father and helplessly in love husband, excellently portraying the key elements of Gomez Addams. His humor and impressive singing in his solos, “Wednesday’s Growing Up,” “Trapped,” “Gomez’s What If,” and “Not Today,” struck a nice balance of comedic relief and emotional intensity. His duets with Wednesday and Morticia in “Happy Sad,” and “Live Before We Die” revealed the same.
Squirrel brilliantly portrayed Morticia Addams, in all her glory, glamour, and macabre beauty. Squirrel perfectly executed one of the most memorable lines of the play in a back and forth with Alice Beineke, where Alice asks. ‘What is the thing that everyone wants but only few have?’ and Morticia answers, “Percap?” Squirrel’s Morticia was commanding, striking, and mystifying.
Toineeta’s Wednesday Addams captured the complex emotions of a teenage Wednesday in love, and the horror that Wednesday Addams would find love. Her singing was gorgeous, and her expressions were reflective of a young, dark girl facing her darkest fears: a cute boy, and her domineering mother. Freshman Elizabeth Myers, who portrayed Ancestor Bride, also portrayed “Little Wednesday,” who appears in a memory Gomez has of Wednesday. Myers encapsulated terrifying young Wednesday before the love bug struck.
Lossie’s Uncle Fester was a hilarious comic relief. He consistently narrated with the ancestors, bringing the audience along as Wednesday falls for a seemingly normal boy—who has some secret Addams tendences—and Fester falls for the moon. The play ends with Uncle Fester flying to the moon to be with his love, the moon.
Sneed’s Pugsley Addams was the little brother we all know and love, with his cute, bizarre desire to be trapped in a torture device by his sister. Sneed portrayed Pugsley’s emotional journey in discovering that Wednesday is growing up and falling in love, which threatens their sibling dynamic, however bizarre. Sneed’s Pugsley was a darkly sweet character with a beautiful solo in “What If.”
Pugsley Addams, played by Knox Sneed, performs “What If.”
Martinez-Arch’s Grandma was also hilarious, with her eclectic style, mysterious potions, and brutal honesty. Crowe’s Lurch was captivating in the perfect portrayal of the odd, lurking yet polite Addams family staple. Welch’s Cousin It was the same cuddly creature we are all curious about but can’t help to love.
Thompson portrayed the classic dad as Mal Beineke who rediscovers himself and his love for his family. Saunooke portrayed the sweet Alice Beineke who also rediscovers herself with a little help from one of Grandma’s potions, performing a dynamic solo in “Waiting” during the “full disclosure” Addams dinner game. Durham’s Lucas Beineke was the precious yet strange love interest of Wednesday with just the right number of creepy interests to make him fit in with the Addams.
The fantastic play was elevated by ghostly backdrops, props, lighting, and costumes. The stage manager was senior Jaylynn Brady, the backstage manager was junior Sadie Rivera-Gomez, the stage crew included senior Niyahi Mora, senior Maribel Armachain, junior Aaliyah Reed, junior Eliana West, freshman Denver Porterfield, freshman Alexis Grimes, junior Kiri Hill, freshman Ajalah Locust, freshman Jade Palomo, freshman Chloe Locust, and junior Jada Cruz who was also part of lighting.
The director and choreographer was CCS Dance and Musical Theatre Teacher Valerie Tissue, the art director and costume designer was Cherokee Middle School Art Teacher Megan Barnes, set construction was done by Cherokee Middle School P.E. Teacher Judy Castorena, lighting was done by Gus Zimmerman, executive assistant for Cherokee Historical Association, and sound was done by theater technician Travis Nagorski.
The Addams Family presented by CCS Musical Theater was an incredible display of talent, hard work and fun by the students and staff. And most importantly, it was all together ooky!
