Homegrown Talent To Star In 'The Addams Family’ Production

Director Thom Pickersgill said seeing the production take shape after months of Sunday rehearsals has been rewarding. Photo source: Ayr State High School

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The Burdekin is set for a weekend of ghoulish comedy, tangos, and toe-tapping musical numbers as Ayr State High School presents its production of The Addams Family.

Opening at the Burdekin Theatre this Friday evening, the production marks the culmination of months of dedication from student performers and staff, transforming the iconic macabre clan into an energetic theatrical showcase.

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The musical follows Wednesday Addams after she secretly falls for Lucas Beineke, a “normal” boy from Ohio. When her father Gomez promises to keep the secret from Morticia, chaos erupts during a fateful dinner party where two vastly different families collide, forcing the clan to face secrets, change, and acceptance.

Director Thom Pickersgill, involved with ASHS and Burdekin Singers for over a decade, said seeing the production take shape after months of Sunday rehearsals has been rewarding.

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“We're at a point now, a week out from production, where I can see all of the different layers actually come together,” Mr Pickersgill said.

ASHS school captain and lead performer Caitlyn Cheyne said audiences could expect something vastly different to mainstream iterations of the story.

“It isn't like the Addams Family movie or the series on Netflix,” Caitlyn said.

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“The behaviours of the characters are similar, but because this is specifically a musical, it's completely different to the TV shows.”

For her co-lead and fellow school captain Ayden Barnett, stepping into his role as Gomez has meant mastering a Spanish accent.

“This is the first character that I've ever done that had an accent,” Ayden said.

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“It's definitely been through a lot of stages of evolution. At the start, I think you could probably say it was more Jamaican, but now it's got a proper European flair to it.”

The pair of long-time performers round out a tight-knit core cast who have performed together since primary school.

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Mr Pickersgill said watching the group develop even further was his “favourite thing.”

“When I do musicals, I make sure that the kids are the most important thing on stage and that their experience is positive,” he said.

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“It’s all about building up those relationships with each other, relationships with the audience, and the experience overall.”

He hopes crowds can also leave with something after the weekend’s performances.

“I hope audiences leave realising that someone's normal might not necessarily be someone else's normal, that family can be accepted in any shape or form, and that they see the talent we have within our school,” Mr Pickersgill said.

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The show runs at the Burdekin Theatre from Friday, 21 August to Sunday, 23 August, with evening performances at 7:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and a 12:00 pm matinee on Sunday. Tickets can be booked here:

https://www.burdekintheatre.com.au/Events-directory/Ayr-State-High-School-presents-The-Addams-Family-School-Edition

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