I have to admit, I’ve never been a fan of musicals or plays, but watching “The Addams Family” musical at NAHS made me feel like Baby Moon in the first “Sing” movie.

“The Addams Family” had me entranced from the get-go. From the moment the curtain rose, I was pulled into a world where love, chaos, and restless ancestors come together in a gothic novela. 

At the heart of the story is Wednesday Addams, played by Ava Siegel. She has fallen in love with a regular boy from Ohio named Lucas, played by Luca Tausinga. This collision of worlds creates a domino effect of secrets, awkward dinner conversations, tough choices, and the awakening of generations of Addams ancestors who cannot rest until this bizarre relationship without blessing is resolved. 

One of the first aspects of the musical I heard was the School’s budget of over $50,000. I thought that was an absurd amount of money for something you could only watch for two days, once a year.  I then learned that the school was partnering with Theatre Horizon, a professional theater company in Norristown. I was still opposed to this excessive usage of money, but on opening night, I saw the amount of work and passion put into the set, choreography, and performances from each cast member. As Theatre Horizon brought a director, music director, choreographer, and a stage manager, I saw where all of that money was going.

One of the most outstanding parts of the production was the choreography, which was directed by Brianna Beitler. Every movement felt purposeful and dramatic, blending in well while keeping each personality. The most notable was the beautiful ballet sequence, in which Uncle Fester falls in love with the moon and begs for her attention. The choreography felt dreamlike, with graceful motions that contrasted perfectly with the quirky show. 

The gorgeous set, constructed by Philadelphia Scenic Works, featured a giant staircase as a centerpiece. Cast members came in and out through the door in the middle of the stunning set’s stairs. A humorous highlight was the cartoonish, yet unique torture device that Wednesday would use on her brother Pugsley, played by Eddie Baldwin. That scene stood out, especially with Baldwin’s wacky performance. 

The singing throughout the show was equally impressive. Each cast member’s vocals carried emotion, humor, and intensity through every song. The performers clearly understood their characters, bringing personality to every note. They were projecting well too. The microphone quality felt crisp. 

This is not to say there weren’t mishaps. There were times when you couldn’t hear Lucas. I could not hear him professing his love to Wednesday during his solo number. This problem also occurred during dialogue scenes, but it was not as prevalent. Other than that, NAHS has redeemed itself from last year’s musical’s sound quality in every respect. 

The amount of passion brought by each cast member was real. You could feel how much they wanted to be there, all giving their characters life. Eymee Barroso especially understood their character, Gomez Addams. You could feel charisma in every joke they delivered and every song they performed.  Their chemistry on stage with co-star Makyla Harrell, who played Morticia, radiated. While both lead performances were incredible, Harrell’s vocals stood out to me, with her ability to belt while performing  a complicated choreo with no mistakes. 

Experiencing the musical changed my mind on the money spent; you could see the quality that went into the production. Professionals on the creative team put this all together wonderfully. The student stage crew collaborated well with professionals working within the team. The prop changes were so quick, they were barely noticeable. Theatre Horizon and teacher liasons David Fazzini and Damien Bucci did a marvelous job presenting what the drama club members and all students longed for, which was quality and passion, all delivered that night in the form of an enchanting performance.