By Jeanni Ritchie
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, and Pineville High School Theatre brought all their delightful eccentricities to the stage in its production of The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy.
Based on the beloved characters created by Charles Addams, the musical follows the famously unconventional family as they face a rather unexpected crisis: Wednesday Addams has fallen in love with a perfectly normal young man.
And if there’s one thing the Addams family doesn’t do well, it’s normal.
Wednesday’s romance with Lucas Beineke leads to an unforgettable dinner party when his parents, Mal and Alice, arrive at the Addams mansion to meet their son’s prospective in-laws.
What follows is a hilarious exploration of family secrets, relationships, acceptance and the lengths parents will go to for their children.
One of Pineville High Theatre’s strengths is its commitment to double casting, providing more students with opportunities to tackle major roles.
I had the pleasure of watching both casts perform, and the talent was phenomenal throughout both productions. Each group brought its own personality to the familiar characters, making it especially interesting to see how different performers approached the same material.
Riley Kennedy portrayed Gomez Addams in both casts, bringing the family’s devoted patriarch to life as he struggled to balance his loyalty to Morticia with his promise to keep Wednesday’s secret.
Kaigen Setliff and Lexi Porter shared the role of Morticia, offering distinctly different interpretations of the family’s elegant and wonderfully eccentric matriarch.
Natalie Johnson and Abigail Roper portrayed Wednesday, while Cadence Lamoreux and Michelle Lundin took on the role of her mischievous younger brother, Pugsley.
Nathalie Buller and Kay Saucier brought Uncle Fester’s unusual charm to the stage in vastly different—though equally intriguing—ways, while Alayah Wells and Ava Stewart shared the role of Grandmama.
The Beineke family was equally entertaining, with Malise Lewis and Michael Majors portraying Mal, Hahva Stroderd and Bella Walker as Alice, and Jacob Jones and Malachi Marzett as Lucas.
Corbit Bonner and Justice Patrick rounded out the principal cast as Lurch, startling unsuspecting audience members as they made their way to the stage.
The musical numbers provided some of the production’s most entertaining moments, particularly “Secrets,” “Crazier Than You” and my personal favorite, “Full Disclosure.”
In that memorable number, a seemingly innocent family game takes a disastrous turn when the guests are expected to reveal their deepest secrets. A mysterious truth serum only adds to the chaos.
Can you imagine unknowingly drinking a potion that causes you to reveal your deepest, darkest thoughts in front of your family and future in-laws? Talk about a terrifying dinner party!
But the unexpected honesty ultimately proves beneficial for Mal and Alice Beineke, whose marriage has lost some of its spark. What begins as an embarrassing revelation of long-buried frustrations eventually helps the couple rediscover the magic in their marriage.
“Crazier Than You” offered another entertaining reminder that love doesn’t always follow conventional rules, particularly when the Addams family is involved.
The production also featured a large ensemble of resurrected ancestors summoned during “When You’re an Addams.” Between their ghostly appearances, spirited choreography and standout musical performances, they brought to life the wonderfully macabre world of the Addams mansion.
What makes The Addams Family so entertaining is that beneath all the darkness, eccentricities and outrageous humor lies a surprisingly relatable story about identity and family connections.
Pineville High Theatre’s talented students brought those themes to life through humor, music and two thoroughly enjoyable casts.
After all, normal is overrated. Just ask the Addams family!
Pineville High School Theatre — The Addams Family Cast
Principal and Featured Roles
Gomez Addams — Riley Kennedy
Morticia Addams — Kaigen Setliff, Lexi Porter
Wednesday Addams — Natalie Johnson, Abigail Roper
Pugsley Addams — Cadence Lamoreux, Michelle Lundin
Uncle Fester — Nathalie Buller, Kay Saucier
Grandmama — Alayah Wells, Ava Stewart
Mal Beineke — Malise Lewis, Michael Majors
Alice Beineke — Hahva Stroderd, Bella Walker
Lucas Beineke — Jacob Jones, Malachi Marzett
Lurch — Corbit Bonner, Justice Patrick
Head Ancestors
Amelia Beck, Kloey Stone, Parker Thomas, Rylee Burgess, Sophia Guin, Ava Connella, Mckenzie Weidner, Natalie Pardue
Lead Dancers
Abby Beach, Iyi Kyley, Kadence Lemoine, Lainey Thiels, Charlie Hernandez, Kaigen Setliff, Celeste Saragnese, Bryleigh McKeithen, Audrey Ewing, Malachi Marzett, Lexi Porter
Ancestors
Laney Abercrombie, Elizabeth Baker, Athens Price, Evy Stroderd, Hunter Clair, Lainey Delbridge, Kira Garcia, Wednesday Greer, Olivia Lanclos, Abygail McGrew, Grace Nixon, Kymani Thigpen, Katelyn Dubois, Haven Harrison, Brooke Pickens, Bella Lewis, Christin Spann
Pineville High Theatre continues its 2026–2027 season with The Crucible, January 7–9; Anastasia: Youth Edition, February 18–21; and We Will Rock You, April 8–11.
For tickets and additional information, visit pinevillehightheatre.com.
