Walnut Street Theatre (WST) kicked off their 218th season with THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical. This production only runs through November 1.

A comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical is the magnificently unhinged hit musical featuring everyone’s favorite creepy, kooky characters. Wednesday Addams is the ultimate princess of darkness and has fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family… a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, she confides in her father and 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. 

Originally created in 1938 by CHARLES ADDAMS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY did not receive their first names until the 1960s. The iconic characters quickly moved from the comics page to the television screen and became a household name for their quirky archetypes that challenged modern sitcom relationships. In the 1990s, the franchise gained more traction with modern audiences with the production of several movies before becoming a full Broadway musical in 2010 with book by MARSHALL BRICKMAN and RICK ELICE, and music and lyrics by ANDREW LIPPA. The Tony Award-nominated musical ran on Broadway until 2011 and toured internationally until 2021.

RICHARD STAFFORD returns to the Walnut as Director/Choreographer, having previously directed and choreographed numerous Mainstage shows, including A Christmas Story The Musical, Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, and Mamma Mia!. Music and vocal direction are provided by CHRIS BURCHERI, who returns to the Walnut for his seventh season. His Walnut credits include 1776 The Musical, A Christmas Story The Musical, Dreamgirls, ELF The Broadway Musical, Jersey Boys, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and more.

Taking on the Addams Family Matriarch and Patriarch are LINDSEY BLIVEN (Beehive – the 60s Musical) as Morticia Addams and DAMON BONETTI (The Best Man) as Gomez Addams. ABBIE PARKER is making her Walnut debut in the role of Wednesday Addams. The role of Pugsley Addams is shared by KIERAN GALLAGHER (A Christmas Story The Musical) of Philadelphia, PA and TRISTAN MONAGHAN (A Christmas Story The Musical) of Trevose, PA.

Portraying other iconic Addams Family members include KELLY BRIGGS (Elvis – A Musical Revolution) as Uncle Fester, AREN DUFFY (Mary Poppins) as Lurch, and MARY MARTELLO (Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective) as Grandma. Taking on the role of Lucas Beineke, Wednesday’s boyfriend, is GALEN GRAHAM in his Walnut Mainstage debut. Bringing the Beineke parents to life are DON DANIELS (Annie) as Mal Beineke and CHRISTINA STROUP in her Walnut debut as Alice Beineke.

Scenic Designer JOHN FARRELL (A Christmas Story The Musical) brings the Addams Family mansion from New York City to Philadelphia and Lighter Designer JULIE DURO (Rocky, the Musical) lights up the stage in the spookiest way. Sound Designer SEAN MCGINLEY (Million Dollar Quartet) returns to create the eeks, creaks, and shrieks of The Addams Family. Costume Designer MARY FOLINO (1776 The Musical) and Wig Designer DESTINEE STEELE (A Christmas Story The Musical) work together to create the iconically gothic wardrobes that the Addams are known for.

Your favorite characters come to life in this heartwarming tale of acceptance, change, and growing up! THE ADDAMS FAMILY: The Musical will keep audiences engaged with wall-to-wall laughter and frights for the Halloween season.  

Foreground: Abbie Parker and Kieran Gallagher. Background: Kelly Briggs, Damon Bonetti, Aren Duffy, Lindsey Bliven, and Mary Martello in The Addams Family: The Musical. Photo by Mark Garvin.