They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re all together ooky, and now they star in a hilariously ghoulish musical in which Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met.
And if that weren't upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father that she’s agreed to marry him but begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia.
Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents … and play The Game.
Soel Novello stars as Wednesday Addams.
“It's so exciting,” said Novello. “It's fun playing a role that is …. so iconic and it's a whole different vibe than anything that I've ever been … a part of. It's very dark, but in a comedic way.”
Wednesday is not only becoming a woman, but also searching for her own identity – one that is vastly different from the girl she was and the person her parents expect her to be.
“I don′t have a sunny disposition
I'm not known for being too amused
My demeanor′s locked in one position
See my face, I'm enthused
Suddenly, however, I've been puzzled
Bunny rabbits make me want to cry
All my inhibitions have been muzzled
And I think I know why
I'm being pulled in a new direction
But I think I like it.”
At its core, “Addams Family” tells three parallel love stories.
Wednesday and Lucas negotiate new love, which includes being accepted by each other’s very different families.
Lucas’ parents, Alice (Nicole Anderson) and Mal (Frank Edwards), find themselves in a marriage that’s gone horribly stale … as the audience discovers in the tumultuous act one table top closing number, “Full Disclosure,” when Alice sings:
As the woman, waits in the dark
For a spark that once was there
That isn't there
Not ever there
Alone and waiting and
wailing, whining and waiting,
wanting and wasting and whoa
Waiting, fixating, debating, lose
weighting, ice skating, lactating and so
We wait to laugh (weird laugh)
We wait to cry
We wait for every hopeful breath
Waiting for a lousy, rotting, vicious,
rancid, flushed out fetid frenzied fatal
Death.”
And then there’s Gomez and Morticia. Their seemingly solid relationship crumbles when Gomez breaks his bride’s sacred trust by keeping a secret from her.
To win her back, Gomez has to cajole her into dancing with him. He does this in their duet, “Live Before We Die.”
The world we see
Can only be our friend
If you and me
Keep dancing 'til the end
Can't we see eye to eye
And oversimplify
Let's live before we die and dance
“In the beginning of the duet, I'm still very mad at him,” explains Paola Cifuentes, who portrays Morticia Addams. “And then he breaks me down slowly with how Gomez is suave and very good with his words. And then obviously, once we kiss in the middle of the dance, she gives in completely to him.”
That dance is the musical’s memorable “Tango de Amor,” which features Cifuentes and her real-life husband, Parrish Danesh, in the role of Gomez Addams.
“It's finally after the tension through the whole musical between Gomez and Morticia, keeping secrets and everything like that,” said Danesh. “‘Tango de Amor’ is where they finally come back together as the couple that they're always supposed to be. And I hope that shows it on the dance floor.”
In fact, Danesh and Cifuentes choreographed the number with assistance from director/choreographer Robin Dawn Ryan.
“We added a little bit of speed to the tango, faster motions to better feature Morticia and Paola’s beautiful leg movements,” said Danesh.
He and Cifuentes have strong backgrounds in dance. He’s been dancing since college and trained with Bruce Akioka at Aki’s Dance Studio and has been featured in various ballroom dance showcases and spotlight events between 2018 and the present. She studied ballet from the age of 3 until she was in her early 20s.
Three parallel love stories.
Three different trajectories.
All told through a plethora of big, bold dance numbers and a ghostly ensemble of Addams ancestors who departed before their time.
“The Addams Family Musical” is onstage in the Fort Myers Dinner Theatre through Nov. 7.
For tickets, visit https://ftmyerstheatre.com/ or telephone 239-323-6570.
MORE INFORMATION:
The Addams Family first came into existence as a series of cartoons in The New Yorker, but the creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky family became known ’round the nation when the TV adaptation premiered. Characters like Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday and Pugsley all come to life in the stage production, which premiered on Broadway in 2010, garnering two Emmy nominations. The musical has been a fan favorite on the theatrical scene ever since.
Cast
Gomez Addams...........................Parrish Danesh
Morticia Addams........................Paola Cifuentes
Uncle Fester..........................................Terry Lavy
Grandma........................................Jessica Turner
Wednesday Addams........................Soél Novello
Pugsley Addams...........................Everett Sollow
Lurch...........................................Kevin Crumpler
Lucas Beineke..............................Jake Raterman
Alice Beineke............................Nicole Anderson
Mal Beineke.................................Frank Edwards
Ancestor....................................Madison Alward
Ancestor...............................................Aly Braun
Ancestor...........................................Amy Fenicle
Ancestor..................................Kieran McKinney
Ancestor................................................Sky Rose
Ancestor..........................................Imani White
Creative team
Director...................................Robin Dawn Ryan
Vocal Director.............................Chris Stalbaum
Choreographer.......................Robin Dawn Ryan
Stage Manager................................Lilikoi Porter
Lighting Design...........................Jake Raterman
Sound Design..................7Mary34 Productions
Producers..................Jeremy & Michelle Kuntze
Songs/musical numbers
Act One
- When You're an Addams - The Addams Family, Ancestors
- Fester's Manifesto - Fester
- Two Things - Gomez
- Wednesday's Growing Up - Gomez
- Three Things - Gomez
- Trapped - Gomez
- Pulled - Wednesday
- Four Things - Gomez
- One Normal Night - Company
- But Love (Reprise 1 & 2) - Fester, Ancestors
- Secrets - Morticia, Alice, Female Ancestors
- Trapped (Reprise) - Gomez
- What If - Pugsley
- Full Disclosure (Part 1) - Company
- Waiting - Alice, Ancestors
- Full Disclosure (Part 2) - Company
Act Two
- Just Around the Corner - Morticia, Ancestors
- The Moon and Me - Fester, Female Ancestors
- Happy/Sad - Gomez
- Crazier Than You - Wednesday, Lucas, Mal, Alice
- Not Today - Gomez
- Live Before We Die / Tango de Amor - Gomez, Morticia
- Finale Act II - Company
- Bows – Company
About Parrish Danesh
Parrish Danesh plays Gomez Addams, a role he played for Fort Myers Theatre in 2022. Other credits include Billy Flynn in “Chicago” for Gypsy Playhouse, Captain Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” for Fort Myers Theatre, Brad Majors for Fort Myers Theatre in “The Rocky Horror Show,” director and choreographer Zack in “A Chorus Line,” Teen Angel & Johnny Casino in “Grease” (March 2022), Ghost of Christmas Past in “A Christmas Carol the Musical” (December 2021) and Reverend Shaw Moore in “Footloose the Musical” (September 2021). At Gulfshore Ballet, he regularly appears as a Party Scene Guest in The Nutcracker.
About Paola Cifuentes
Cifuentes reprises the role of Morticia, which she first performed for Fort Myers Theatre in 2022. Her stage credits include being a featured dancer in “Encore: A Broadway Revue,” Velma Kelly for Gypsy Playhouse in its production of “Chicago,” Maria in “The Sound of Music” for Fort Myers Theatre, Janet in “The Rocky Horror Show,” the Ghost of Christmas Future in “A Christmas Carol” and Cha Cha DiGregorio in “Grease.” Before relocating to Florida from California in 2021, Cifuentes appeared in many shows, including “Ramona,” California’s Official Outdoor Play and America’s longest continuously running drama, and “Wait until Dark” at Play With Your Food Productions in Hemet, California, in which Paola reprised the role played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1967 movie. Her prior stage credits also include “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Blithe Spirit” and “Romeo & Juliet” (Inland Stage, 2010).
About Soel Novello
Novello makes her Fort Myers Theatre debut in the role of Wednesday. Prior credits include Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors,” Natalie in “All Shook Up” for North Fort Myers High School (for which she was runner-up for the Best Performer in a Female-Identifying Role at the 2024 High School Musical Theatre Awards) and Amber in “Hairspray” for Florida Repertory Education (2025). She is currently pursuing a degree in biology at Florida Gulf Coast University.
About Everett Sollow
Everett Sollow (Pugsley) has been in nearly 20 shows with Fort Myers Theatre. Some of his favorite roles include Banzai in “Lion King Jr” and Clarence in “Gypsy.”
About Terry Lavy
Terry Lavy portrays Uncle Fester. A Fort Myers Theatre regular, Lavy has appeared as Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid, Lt. Weinberg in “A Few Good Men,” the Man in the Chair in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Santa in “Elf the Musical,” the Narrator in “The Rocky Horror Show” (which he also played in 2022), Mayor Shinn in “The Music Man,” the Ghost and Hamlet’s father in “Save Hamlet” at Lab Theater (2023), Cogsworth in “Beauty and the Beast” for Fort Myers Theatre (2023), the detective, Hunyak’s defense attorney and the prosecutor in “Chicago” for Gypsy Playhouse (2023), Mr. Lawrence in “Little Women” (2023), the Von Trapp butler, Franz, in “The Sound of Music” (2023), Uncle Fester in the “Addams Family” musical (2022) and the grieving killer, Wilson, in “The Great Gatsby” (2022).
About Jessica Turner
Jessica Turner plays Grandma. Previous stage credits include Violet in “9 to 5,” Miss Gardner in “Carrie” at Cultural Park Theatre, Pabbie in “Frozen,” work in the ensemble of “Rent” at The Belle Theatre, the dual roles of Elle’s mom and D.A. Joyce Riley in “Legally Blonde the Musical” at Fort Myers Theatre, the title role in “The Drowsy Chaperone” at Fort Myers Theatre, Deb in “Elf the Musical,” Eulalie Shinn in “The Music Man” for Fort Myers Theatre, and the ensemble of “Beauty and the Beast.”
About Kevin Crumpler
Kevin Crumpler is a standout in the role of Lurch, and brings down the house when he finally sings at the end of the show. Crumpler has previously played Hans in “Frozen,” Trunchbull in “Matilda,” Bob Wallace in “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” at Gulf Theatre, Fort Myers Theatre and the Arts Center Theatre on Marco Island, Willy Wonka in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of “Willy Wonka the Musical,” Judas and John the Baptist in “Godspell,” Professor Bhaer in “Little Women” (his Florida debut), Caractacus Potts in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” the Beast in “Beauty & The Beast,” Lancelot in “Camelot,” Buck Barrow in “Bonnie and Clyde,” Warren Sheffield in “Meet Me in St. Louis” and Sonny Malone in “Xanadu.” He also appeared at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre as Dan in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and IQ in “Hairspray.”
About Jake Raterman
Jake Raterman appears in the role of Lucas Bernicki. He works as the technical cirector at Canterbury School and does lighting design throughout Southwest Florida. Prior credits include Horton in “Seussical,” Pfc Louden Downey in 7Mary34’s production of “A Few Good Men,” Chadwick and the manager at Macy’s in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of “Elf the Musical,” Damian Hubbard in “Mean Girls High School Edition” for Melody Lane Theatre, the title role in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Mr. Holgate in “Bulletproof Backpack” at the Center for Performing Arts Bonita, Hovstad in “An Enemy of the People” at Florida Gulf Coast University, Max in “Cabaret” at the Alliance for the Arts, Fred Casely in “Chicago” for Gypsy Playhouse, Jesus in “Odd Couple: Female Version” for Belle Theatre, work in the ensemble of “Rent,” Paul San Marco in “A Chorus Line,” Doody in “Grease” and Chester McKee in “The Great Gatsby” at Fort Myers Theatre, Josh in “Bang Bang You’re Dead,” Warner in “Legally Blonde,” Romeo in “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet,” Morris in “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs,” Kevin in “So You Wanna Be a Cheerleader,” and Joe in “26 Pebbles” in Canterbury’s theater productions. He also appeared as a Miner in “The Burnt Part Boys” at Alliance for the Arts Youth Theatre.
About Nicole Anderson
Nicole Anderson’s tabletop rendition of “Waiting” is one of the highlights of “Addams Family.” She appeared in Fort Myers Theatre’s 2022 production of the musical in the role of Nurse Ancestor. Other stage credits include work in the ensemble of “Rent” at The Belle Theatre, Emily Hobbs in “Elf the Musical” for Fort Myers Theatre, Alma Hix in “The Music Man,” Grimhilde, and the Evil Queen, in “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical.” Her role as Nurse Ancestor in 2022 marked her return to the stage following a 25 year hiatus in on-stage appearances. Nicole studied performing arts and musical theater at Columbia College Chicago.
About Frank Edwards
Frank Edwards plays Mal Bernicki. He was last seen “in A Few Good Men” as Lt. Col. Markinson and as Captain Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.”
About the ancestors
Madison Alward is Nurse Ancestor. She has appeared often at Fort Myers Theatre, including multiple roles in “A Christmas Carol.” Other credits include the role of Electra in “Cats” at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. A product of the Cypress Lake School of the Arts theater program, Alward is an actor, dancer choreographer and model. She also assistant directed “Newsies” at Fort Myers Theatre.
Aly Braun is the French Aristocrat Ancestor in “Addams Family.” Braun has previously appeared as Mrs. Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol,” Ensemble in “Young Frankenstein” and as Elektra in “Gypsy.”
Amy Fenicle is Flapper Ancestor (from the 1920s). She works as an educator and director at Fort Myers Theatre. She also appeared in the ensemble of “Addams Family” at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. She last played Mrs. Wormwood in “Matilda.” A graduate of the University of West Florida with a BFA in Musical Theatre, Fenicle’s other stage credits include Flounder in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” for Prather Entertainment, “Footloose,” Rita in “White Christmas,” Bebe in “A Chorus Line,” Liesl in “The Sound of Music,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,”“Singing in the Rain” at Dutch Apple Theatre (for which she was Associate Director, choreographer and Dance Captain), Karla in “Grumpy Old Men” (in which she served as Dance Captain), Sprinkles in “Sounds of Christmas,” Hat Box Girl in “Guys and Dolls,” Doreen/ensemble in “Saturday Night Fever” (as well as U/S Pauline), ensemble of “Elf! The Musical” (in which she also served as Dance Captain), Lorrain Fleming in “42nd Street,” ensemble of “My Fair Lady,” Ali/ensemble in “Mamma Mia!” (as well as U/S for Lisa), Female Swing/Kitty in “Chicago” and Repunzel in “Rapunzel,” all for Prather Entertainment. Other credits include Flounder in “Disney’s Little Mermaid” (Thingamajig Theatre Company), Lulu (Featured) in “Cabaret” (Thingamajig Theatre Company), The Geminae in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Thingamajig Theatre Company), Elf (Dancer) in “The Holly Jolly Elf Show” and work in the ensemble of “Seaplane: An All American Musical” (Saenger Theatre in Pensacola). College productions included “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” (ensemble), “Psycho Beach Party” (Chicklet), “Floyd Collins” (reporter) and “The Servant of Two Masters” (Clarice).
Kieran McKinney is Gangster Ancestor). No stranger to the Fort Myers Theatre stage, he was Finch in “Newsies” and Pied Piper in “Shrek.” Before being in the community theater show, he played Gomez Addams in the youth edition “Addams Family.”
Sky Rose is making her her theatrical debut in the role of Ballerina Ancestor, who died tragically when her partner dropped her on her head. A student at Florida Gulf Coast University, Rose comes from a dance background and is excited to give musical theatre a try.
Imani White is Bride Ancestor. She made her Fort Myers Theatre debut as Acrobat and Mom in “Matilda.”
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.
