Oasis Charter High School Theatre Director Carrie Guffy presented Ashlynn Richardson with a unique challenge. She had her conceive and install the choreography for Oasis’ spring musical, “Addams Family.” To complicate matters, Guffy cast 17 students in the roles of Addams Family Ancestors – more than double the usual number seen at equity and community theaters.
“When I first started in 2018, we only had 11 people in choir and seven people in thespians,” Guffy explained. “Now we have over 50 across the board in everything, and the talent is so absolutely amazing that when I did auditions, I just couldn’t say no.” [Laughing]
To make sure that no one got lost in the shuffle, Richardson implemented a novel strategy. She split the ensemble into two groups with separate dance captains.
“That was definitely something that helped me immensely and helped everyone else immensely because they had other resources and they had other people that they could go to,” said Richardson.
Having such a large contingent of backup dancers gave Richardson the latitude to design intricate formations and lots of movement. But that presented a different challenge when Guffy moved the troupe from its rehearsal space at Oasis to Cultural Park Theatre just three days before opening night. To make sure everyone hit their marks on stage, Richardson was seated in the front row during large parts of the cast’s final dress rehearsal even though she was one of the dancers in the show.
“Definitely watching to make sure all the formations were right and make sure everyone was OK and safe because with the number of ancestors that I have, the formations can be challenging and they can be difficult,” Richardson noted.
Thanks to Richardson’s designs and direction, Oasis High’s production of “Addams Family” was filled with one big, satisfying wow moment after another.
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Ashlynn Richardson appears in “Addams Family, A New Musical Comedy” as Flapper Ancestor. Her acting credits include work in the ensemble of Footloose at Cultural Park Theatre; Bebe Benzenheimer in “A Chorus Line Teen Edition” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2023); Liv in “Chicago” (The Belle Theatre, 2023); Victoria in “Cats Young Actor Edition” (The Belle Theatre, 2022); JoJo in “Newsies” (The Belle Theatre, 2022); Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2021); Donna in “The Big One Oh” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2021); Lovely Lady and work in the ensemble in “Les Miserables” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2023, 2021); Lavender in “Matilda Jr.” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2021); Tinker Bell in “Peter Pan Jr. Pilot” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2020); “Onstage Places Please” (Cultural Park, 2020); Jack in “Into the Woods” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2020); Merisister Atina in “Little Mermaid” (Cultural Park, 2029); Ti Moune (young) in “Once on this Island” (Oasis High, 2020); Baby Kangaroo in “Seussical” (Oasis Middle School, 2020); Snack in “Once on this Island” (Alliance Youth Theatre, 2019); Edwina in “Dear Edwina Jr.” (Oasis Arts, 2019); Pearl in “Finding Nemo Jr.” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2019); King Julian in “Madagascar Jr.” (Oasis Arts, 2018); Nala in “Lion King Jr.” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2018); Camille in “Julie B. Jones” (Alliance Youth Theatre, 2018); Middle Elsa in “Frozen Jr.” (Melody Lane Theatre, 2018); Janelle in “Freckleface Strawberry” (Alliance Youth Theatre, 2018); Orphan in “Annie” (Oasis Arts, 2017); Thespian in “High School Musical” (Oasis Arts, 2017); and Golden Chorus in “Aladdin Jr.” (Oasis Arts, 2016).
Among Ashlynn’s awards are the Outstanding Performance Award at the 2021 Junior Theater Festival, Outstanding Performance Award at the 2019 Junior Theater Festival, FVA’s Superior 2019, 2021 and 2022, Best in Ensemble at the 2022 Junior Theater Festival and Participant in the 2022 New Works Showcase. She also won two awards at the 2024 High School Musical Theatre Awards, including The Standout Technical Student Achievement Award for her choreography in “Little Mermaid.”
“Ashlynn is an absolutely incredible dancer,” said Oasis Charter School Theatre Program Director Carrie Guffy. “She’s on the dance team at Oasis and this is her second full show for me as our choreographer. I’ve known her since she was in sixth grade. When I taught at Oasis Middle for the choir, she was with me for three years, and I got to know her and the family. And then when she went into the high school, she started to really get into more dance, and I noticed how exceptionally talented she is.”
While a seasoned actor, Richardson also has the skill set needed to choreograph a big, messy musical like “Addams Family, A New Musical Comedy.”
“She’s a very good teacher, and that is one of the reasons I chose her last year to take over as the choreographer from Athena Rose Belis, who was the choreographer before.,” said Guffy.
Richardson gives clear, succinct instructions and commands attention and respect from her peers, even from those who are seniors.
“I definitely think creating a bond with my cast members has been the most important thing to do, the thing I needed to do most to have them listen and have them follow directions.”
“She’s just exceptional," said Guffy. "She really knows how to break things down for people. She takes the time to really get to know the show. I usually tell her the show beforehand so she has all summer, and she’s very meticulous in what she does. But the main thing is that she’s compassionate and she’s intelligent and she’s extremely talented."
The choreography was all Ashlynn. Guffy simply exercised veto power, and there wasn’t much of that.
“I’m not a dancer,” Guffy conceded. “My background is an opera singer and concert pianist. But Ashlynn is very talented in any case. I was really impressed by what she did with the show.”
Richardson’s primary concern was to make sure the large “Addams Family” cast members were comfortable and confident with both her choreography and blocking.
“This is a funky show," said Richardson. "‘Addams Family’ is a very strange, weird show to choreograph and we’ve all worked together to find our own ways, I just wanted everyone to feel as confident and as comfortable as they possibly could."
To engender that comfortable, confident mindset, Richardson enlisted Carleen Lockwood as the show’s main dance captain and senior Zoe Belis as beginner dance captain.
Lockwood was seen as Flight Attendant Ancestor in “Addams Family,” which was her second show at Oasis. Among her stage credits are “13 the Musical,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Legally Blonde.”
“Addams Family” is Belis’ fifth show at Oasis. She has been performing in theater for nine years and dancing for 15. Her stage credits include “Mama Mia,” “Little Mermaid,” “Shrek,” “Cats,” “13 the Musical” and “Newsies.”
Next to the size of the cast and the show’s quirky demeanor, Richardson’s biggest challenge was shifting her choreography from a rehearsal space at Oasis to the stage at Cultural Park just three days prior to the opening. While the stage’s size and configuration was marked off on the floor of the rehearsal space, it’s just not the same as occupying the stage during a run or full dress rehearsal. Richardson was careful to make sure no one got out of position or otherwise lost their way. With that many bodies moving around on stage, an errant performer could get injured, or injure someone else, in a heartbeat.
Richardson said she chose not to adapt the choreography to suit the talent level of her dancers.
“We all worked together, even though we had two separate groups. “
Tristen Espaillet appeared in the role of Gomez Addams. Emily Feichthaler played the part of Addams matriarch, Morticia. Isabella Chica played Wednesday; Cosmo Pina was Pugsley; and Viktor Sweeney played Uncle Fester. Lucas was played by Constantine Belis, with Ayden Witte playing Mal and Peyton Eubanks in the role of Alice. Sonayca Dodin was Grandma and William Splendorio was Lurch.
The Advanced Dance Ensemble consisted of Ashlynn Richardson, Carlene Lockwood, Presley Hopper, Gianna Rainero, Marilee Spendorio, Allison Tarabokija, Juliauna Falbo and Julia Deletrain.
The Beginning Dance Ensemble featured Zoe Belis, Ava Del Valle, Genavieve Seyffert, Marian Michelena, Liberty Pawloski, Adelynn Hechler, Carolina Perez, Hope Johnson and Kevin Morilo.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.