Just in time for Halloween, Orcas audiences can enjoy the dark humor and everlasting love of the Addams family.
“We have a lovely cast and they really look their parts,” said guest director Samuel J. Pettit.
The all-local cast will perform on Orcas Center’s main stage from Oct. 26 to Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. as well as during a matinee on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $17, $13 for student, $2 off for Orcas Center members; $5 subsidized tickets are also available. Visit www.orcascenter.org, call 376-2281 ext. 1 or visit the box office.
“The Addams Family” is a musical comedy with lyrics by Andrew Lippa and the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The story follows Wednesday Addams, who invites her “normal” boyfriend and his “normal” family from Ohio to dine with her relations on her 18th birthday. What should be a peaceful evening turns into a night of mayhem.
Pettit is associate artistic director of Studio East Training for the Performing Arts, which provides opportunities for children in Kirkland. He has worked as choreographer and director on “Legally Blond,” “Oliver,” “Pirates of Penzance,” “Anything Goes,” “Peter Pan,” “Pippi Longstocking,” “Annie,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and more. He’s been teaching theatre for 13 years and is co-founder of “Origami Girl Productions,” which was voted Best of Fest at the Seattle Fringe Festival. Pettit has directed Addams Family previously so many of the set pieces for the Orcas production were brought in from Studio East.
Pettit has been on Orcas from Monday-Thursday for the past six weeks for rehearsals. He sailed in the San Juans as a child with his parents, and says he has “loved spending more time here.”
“The community has been very warm and welcoming,” said Pettit. “And Orcas Center is a beautiful space. I want to take this whole building back with me to Kirkland!”
Gina Da Silva-Villalobos is playing Morticia; Joey Gonzalez is Gomez; Bailey Sande is Wednesday; Moose Kinsey is playing Pugsley; Rick Markov is Lerch; Don Yerly is portraying Fester; Leslie Liddle is playing the Grandma; Kevin Hauschild is Lucas Beineke; Jessica Diamond is Alice Beineke and Tom Eversole is Mal Beineke. Solianna Halabisky, Brenda Loney, Malia Michelle, Chris Moore, Isabella Schermerhorn and Lisa Spesard are all ancestors.
“Gina is tailor-made for Morticia and Joey is enthusiastic as Gomez,” he said. “Wednesday is a tour de force and has a fantastic singing voice.”
As a theatre educator, Pettit has been working with the actors on technique as well.
“I will always try to help people grow,” he said.
Rounding out the backstage help is stage manager Danna Nicole Kinsey; costume designer Asifa Pasin; sound engineer Jeffery Horton; and musical director Jim Shaffer-Bauck.
“Although the Addams Family is dark and spooky, it really is about love and family,” said Pettit. “Their world is big enough to include everyone.”
