N

Show continues for second weekend Oct. 6-8

The Addams Family have left their dilapidated mansion for the Manchester stage, as Gomez, Morticia are joined by their children Wednesday and Puglsey along with Uncle Fester and Lurch for a theatrical evening of song and dance.

Running through Oct. 8, The Addams Family is directed by Rick Ruiz, himself a longtime fan of the beloved kookie family.

“I love the Addams Family first off,” he said. “This particular show I have head fantastic, amazing things about.”

Ruiz said he jumped at the opportunity to direct the Millennium Repertory Company’s production.

“I wanted to audition, but I am very happy I didn’t because they sound better than I do but I can help bring a different kind of flare to it,” he said.

Robert Jarman portrays the Addams’ butler Lurch in the show.

“It is fitting for me, I am older, I move slow and I am a base baritone,” Jarman said.

While Lurch does not speak, Jarman said he enjoys portraying Lurch’s mannerisms and breathing life into the iconic character.

“He is non-verbal, but there is a little kind of twist at the end, but I am not going to tell you about that now,” he said.

Greg Ray takes on the role of family patriarch Gomez Adams for the production.

“I really got back into theater after college with the show The Addams Family,” Ray said. “When my wife and I were fresh out of college we helped with Cannon County’s production and that is the first time I really listened to the music.”

Ray, a music teacher, said he loves the way the music is written throughout the show.

“It is very smartly written and there are a lot of funny little ‘in jokes’ written in the music that are really funny as a musician,” he said.

Michael Higdon is having fun playing the role of the one and only Uncle Fester.

“It is a ton of fun, Fester’s character is so light and bubbly and he is kind of all over the place,” Higdon said. “He is the narrator for the story so he is able to break the fourth wall and knows what is going on at all times so that is a very fun role to play.”

“I am not reacting as if I am in the story, I am reacting as if I am telling the story,” he added.

Higdon said he did some research for the role, tapping into the original Addams Family TV series, which ran from 1964 through 1966, as well as the later Hollywood films.

“I grew up on the old shows and The Addams Family and Addams Family Values movies and Christopher Lloyd playing Fester in that one,” he said.

The Addams Family will continue Oct. 6 – 8, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, and $10 for students, and are available at millenniumrep.org or by calling 931-570-4489. The Manchester Arts Center is located at 128 E. Main St.