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There’s nothing quite like rigor mortis to make a show come to life. The Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production of “The Addams Family” managed to do just that, proving that sometimes a little morbidity — and a whole lot of musical talent — can breathe new life into the most macabre family on stage. With a diverse array of acting and musical talent showcased over its five-day run at the Agassiz Theater, this HRDC production was sure to take its audience’s breath away.
Based on the original characters by Charles Addams, “The Addams Family” musical opened on Broadway in 2010, earning two Tony nominations for its darkly charming take on America’s most enduringly peculiar household. Co-written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and with lyrics from Andrew Lippa, the show follows the macabre Addams clan after their daughter Wednesday (Lexi L. Sexton ’29) commits an unthinkable treason: falling in love with an alarmingly normal boy. Chaos ensues as the family prepares for a dinner with the Ohio-based, ordinary Beinekes — parents Alice (Chelsea J. Bohn-Pozniak ’27) and Mal (Adam N. Stone ’29) along with their son Lucas (Brady M. Rafferty ’27), whose recent engagement to Wednesday comes as a shock to all parties. At the end of the night, both families come to realize that love — no matter what form it comes in — will inevitably crawl out of even the darkest of crypts.
Even before the curtain rose, the colorful pre-show announcements highlighting the theater’s emergency exits made it abundantly clear that directors Riley B. F. Jackson ’27 and Mia E. Schenenga ’27 struck casting gold with their leads, Gomez (Arthur N. A. Camara ’28) and Morticia (Andreea Haidau ’27). Perfectly situating the audience in the Addams’ world of curiosities and camp, these performances demonstrated professional grade voice acting and singing as well as deep emotional nuance that allowed the story to resonate beyond its gothic trappings. With a central aspect of the “The Addams Family” plot being a festering lack of trust between the otherwise rock-solid married couple, the impeccable chemistry between these two leads became the emotional hinge of the entire production.
Whether addressing the audience with that signature Gomez suave or seamlessly adapting to a few technical glitches, Camara perfectly embodied one of the most iconic fictional patriarchs and was easily a standout performance from the night. Haidau was his equal and opposite — cool where he was frantic, poised where he was pleading. Every inch of her performance radiated disdain and elegance, coupled with powerhouse vocals, and a remarkably commanding stage presence.
Another standout in this star-studded cast was Sexton, who skillfully balanced the character’s quintessential deadpan composure — made so iconic in recent years by Tim Burton’s hit TV series “Wednesday” — with the genuine vulnerability that comes as she navigates young love. Her astounding vocal performance stole the show, with “Pulled” showcasing both technical skill and emotional range and her part in “One Normal Night” sending chills into the audience.
A large portion of the show’s brilliantly executed comedic relief came from Wednesday’s exchanges with her brother Pugsley (Nell I. Ranalli ’29), whose timing and mischievous energy perfectly complemented her morbid charm. The production’s deft blocking stood out in a number of interactions between the siblings, but its status as a professional-grade performance was truly solidified in “Crazier Than You,” which blended physical comedy, a heated lovers’ quarrel between Wednesday and Lucas, and a daring William Tell-style arrow-through-an-apple stunt that was all beautifully orchestrated by Jackson and Schenenga.
Scenic designer Ida Chen ’27 made the most of the intimate atmosphere of the Agassiz, drawing the audience directly into the macabre world of the Addams family. Positioned on the second floor of the set, the pit orchestra — led by conductor Sebastian Lennox ’27, who could be seen with the iconic disembodied hand “Thing” on his shoulder — was seamlessly integrated into the production and delivered consistently strong performances throughout the night.
While “The Addams Family” showcased generally strong technical elements, some intermittent microphone troubles on the production’s second night interfered with the otherwise stellar vocal performances. There was also some difficulty with the lighting cues, including imprecise spotlights and a missed lightning strike effect, but these small stumbles did not detract from the overall creativity and talent that was on full display in every scene.
Through a delightful integration of some of campus’s most promising talent, Jackson and Schenenga certainly leave their mark on Harvard’s theater scene with “The Addams Family.” Perfectly balancing the iconic family’s mischievous mayhem with the emotional depth that shines throughout the plot, “The Addams Family” doesn’t just raise the dead — it raises the bar.
“The Addams Family” ran at the Agassiz Theater from Oct. 22 to 26.
—Staff writer Sara R. Eyjolfsdottir can be reached at sara.eyjolfsdottir@thecrimson.com.
