Another successful AHS production
Angelina Maravilla
Staff Writer
Opening matinee for this year’s spring musical, a phenomenal comedy, The Addams Family, was on Thursday, May 21. The intriguing musical, directed by Drama teacher Troy River, was about the iconic family member of the Addams family.
The story began to unravel when Wednesday Addams (senior Chloris Li), child of Gomez (senior Nathan Yeung) and Morticia Addams (senior Ria Marathe), approaches her parents asking to have dinner with a boy named Lucas and his “normal” family. As the story continues, many problems arise causing an eccentric scene filled with comedy and drama. The comedy continues unfolding as Gomez is crushed between the two loves of his life, Wednesday and Morticia.
The most attractive aspect of the musical was the astonishing cast members who captured the essence of each character. Without the support of minor characters such as Lurch (senior Trevor Broberg) and Grandma (senior Rizza Bautista), the musical would have not been such a success. Although the minor characters did not have many lines, their unique personalities and expressions brought comedy to the stage capturing the audience’s attention.
Leading character Morticia Addams, played by Marathe, phenomenally captured Morticia’s character and performed well in her monologues, emerging as a breathtaking actress. Marathe successfully retains her character throughout her performance. Similarly, Alice, played by senior Jamie Kennerk, surfaces as an incredible singer with the song “Waiting.”
Bringing a twist into the cast, River had alumni Alexander Prucha perform as Uncle Fester. Prucha brought great comedic triumph to the storyline. His previous acting experience was noticeable through his confident performance as he provided comic relief and dazzled the audience by his performance.
All the components of this musical were perfect from the singing, acting, music, and choreography. The efforts of Marathe and Kennerk were clearly shown, as they used their creative imagination to choreograph brilliant routines. It was noticeable that the choreography was well rehearsed, since it contained no mistakes during the performance.
Nevertheless, the musical could not have been successful without the support of sound and stage crew, set painters, and the orchestra. They all worked together to put on a successful show. The set painters created an intricate set, building two scenes on the same stage, making it look realistic. Despite having such a tight space, cast and crew members efficiently and noiselessly removed furniture in and out of the stage. The orchestra made sure the sound effects were delivered at the right place and the design crew made sure lighting and sound was perfect, adding to the success of the musical. Overall, all of these components made this high school musical seem professional, realistic, and engaging.
“AHSPA productions have won Bay Area awards and our shows are high quality amateur theatre at its best. We have super talented student actors, singers, dancers, choreographers, musicians, artists, and technicians at AHS,” Mr. River said.
The Addams Family musical was yet another successful production held by American High School. The laughter and applause was enthusiastic and constant, making the show very entertaining. Altogether, it was a magnificent musical that brought a great audience.
“I absolutely enjoyed the musical, I couldn’t stop laughing,” sophomore Amanda Ebert said. “It was great to see familiar faces onstage and see their amazing talents.”
Eagle Era 