Rehearsals are in full flight for the School Production of the Musical ‘The Addams Family’.

We have been rehearsing twice a week all term and the cast of 10 principal roles, dancers, and singers are looking and sounding excellent!

The wonderful cast, chorus, and dancers are going to be rehearsing in the second week of the school holidays, while everyone else is enjoying a break! We know all the hard work will be worth it in the end though!

Tickets are on sale NOW at the school office - $15 for adults and $5 for school-aged students. The show runs for three nights in week two of term two - Thursday 13th, Friday 14th, and Saturday 15th of May, 7.30 pm in the Kaiapoi High School Auditorium.

What the cast are loving about rehearsals / working with the others:

Morticia (Ruby Kitto): I’m loving how much of a true “family” we are becoming. There are some really great friendships and inside jokes starting to form which is always exciting because you know that when we start doing more rehearsals and eventually the show, the atmosphere is going to start becoming more and more electric. I love that it has brought me closer to different people I would have never encountered if I didn’t do the show.

Lucas (Josh Smith): I’m loving rehearsals so much. I love how close we are all getting as a cast. I really am enjoying seeing everyone having fun and letting loose during our practices.

Alice (Chloe Schroder): I have loved the relationships I have been forming as the rehearsals and practices go on, have the opportunity to get close with people I don’t usually talk to is amazing and makes rehearsals so much more fun than they already are.

Fester (JJ Jones): I’ve really loved just the vibes of rehearsals. It’s great to see everyone doing their scenes and seeing everyone just having fun with their character.

Grandma (Rhian Campbell): I have enjoyed rehearsals a lot, they have been really fun.

Pugsley (Lee Pockson): Rehearsals always have really great energy and are a guaranteed source of happiness, everyone there is so cool and really talented, plus we’re all becoming friends.

Wednesday (Leane Visser): I’m loving the energy and vibe everyone has when we have rehearsals, everyone is always so energetic and excited to start going through the scene. I love seeing how everything's coming together every time we rehearse and being able to be in the scene and seeing how everything is being played out. I love working with everyone because every person has such an amazing personality and without them, the show wouldn’t be the same.

Lurch (Wolf Pene): Personally, I have found the rehearsals a great experience. It has boosted my confidence, and given me a new perspective on performing and acting. Though my part as Lurch is often at times slow, I have greatly enjoyed watching the whole production come together into something amazing!

Gomez (Lachie Smith-Taumata): What I love about rehearsals is that I can be myself and I don't have to be afraid.  It has most definitely helped me with my confidence and I've loved making new friends.

What the cast are excited about coming up in the next few weeks:

Morticia: I love doing the longer weekend and holiday rehearsals because everything starts to come together. We get to fall in love with being on stage all over again, which is always so refreshing. The holiday rehearsals are so awesome because you are able to see everything come together and see how beautifully this production flows.

Lucas: I’m looking forward to the weekend and the holiday rehearsals because it’s when we can really get into the scenes and perfect them.

Alice: I am excited to see the actual show and different scenes coming together and being able to do full run-throughs because it’ll be awesome to see the full thing and how it's going to look for the actual shows.

Fester: I’m really looking forward to doing the full show in costumes. I really think that all the costumes, props, and set will bring the whole show together.

Grandma: I’m really excited for costumes and doing rehearsals in costumes, I think that will be really fun.

Pugsley: It’s going to be so cool to see the whole thing start to run smoothly, especially once we get the props, costumes, and everyone else who’ll be on stage.

Wednesday: I’m excited to see how everything comes together and getting to finish blocking our last few scenes. I'm also really looking forward to using my crossbow, even though it will take some time to get used to carrying around all the time, but that’s part of the fun.

Lurch: I can't wait to see the end result of everyone's hard work. I know that Ms Hamilton has been working with the dance troop (ancestors and stuff) to make an awesome show become even MORE awesome! I'm especially looking forward to seeing them on stage, as we haven't yet had a practice with them.

Gomez: I'm really excited for when we have finished all scenes and that it is time to put our scripts down. It will most likely be scary, but awesome, to see this amazing show get tied together.

How the cast feel about their character:

Morticia: I am so happy and privileged to be playing Morticia because she is such an icon!! It's awesome to be playing a character who is a mother because I feel like I have a lot of motherly instincts and although Morticia raises her kids in a very quirky way, after all, they are a quirky bunch, it means that I feel truly in my element. In some ways, I look up to Morticia because of how much she values her family and stays true to herself in the entire production. She knows that she does not need anyone, let alone a man, to be as strong and beautifully poised as she is.

Alice: I love how outgoing and positive my character is and am so excited to be able to act as her, it's been really fun having the opportunity to act like someone who I nowhere near relate to, and change the way I talk and move to suit her.

Lucas: I love becoming my character so much because the character I play is the complete opposite of myself. It’s fun to step into someone else’s shoes and have some fun.

Fester: My character is so much fun to play! When at rehearsals I love the energy and enthusiasm I’m able to put into portraying Fester.

Grandma: I really like my character, it is really fun to act as her and do the voice.

Wednesday: I love my character, Wednesday is such a cool character to play. She’s so sarcastic and her lack of emotion just adds to her sarcasm and her whole personality. I’m so happy that I get to play her.

Pugsley: My character is definitely really fun to play, he’s obviously different from me which brings up some challenges, but he’s also fairly similar in terms of posture/stance which lets me be as clumsy as I want on stage, as long as I don’t trip over myself.

Lurch: I think I suit my part as Lurch very well, because I feel we share many of the aspects in our personalities. The 'Lurch' role can often be overlooked as being an unimportant part in the show, but I think that he is one of, if not the, most important characters in this show. He gives me great joy when playing him, because quite often he has some of the funniest jokes, mainly because they're so subtle.

Gomez: I am so proud that I got the role of playing Gomez. I've been able to use his humourous side to make myself a much funnier person, being able to act silly but also helping me to be calm in stressful situations. I'm just so thankful and privileged to be playing this part.

How the cast feel about performing five shows in five days!

Morticia: From past experiences, like doing Guys and Dolls in 2019, it is an absolute mission, energy levels are low and sleep is very much valued, but it all pays off with the feeling you get when that last round of applause sounds.

Lucas: I’m actually really excited to perform for the five shows. It’s exciting for me because I’ve always had a love for drama and it’s just a way that I can produce that and put it into something.

Alice: I’m excited but nervous about performing five shows in five days, I’ve heard from actors in past productions that the week of the performances is so exhausting, but it will be so amazing as all of the actors are so passionate about being in the show.

Fester: I know that by the end of all the shows I will be absolutely shattered, but I know that the whole show will be worth all the energy put in!

Grandma: I'm quite excited to perform, I think it will be really fun.

Wednesday: I’m pretty nervous but I bet it’s gonna be fun, and exciting. I am probably going to be very tired afterward, but that’s all part of the experience.

Pugsley: Obviously it’ll be a draining five days, but I really enjoy performing so doing five shows in five days will be a lot of fun.

Lurch: I'm feeling pretty nervous about performing each show so close to each other, though I'm sure we'll all be fine. I also think that if you WEREN'T nervous, then you'd be MAD! Or an Addams.

Gomez: Honestly, the more shows, the better! Spending a long time on a show means we should get to perform it longer. What I'm most nervous about is that I'll forget a line in a song and have to quickly improvise, like I did back in the last school production of Guys & Dolls. But I'm thrilled we are doing an extra night than usual this year.

How the cast feel about performing to their friends, family, peers, and contributing primary schools:

Morticia: I remember how exciting it was in primary to come to the high school and watch the productions because everyone looked so grown up and to some degree, I couldn't imagine being that grown-up but here I am, I’m one of the few Year 12 students in this year's production, which is so crazy. It felt like so many years ago now but it was only a short few years ago I was coming to see “Oliver” as a Year 6. I thought all the actors and actresses that had main roles were so awesome. On a more personal note, I know my mum is looking forward to seeing me in my element again and she loves watching me perform, so I hope I make her proud!!

Lucas: Again I am so excited to perform for everyone! The adrenaline the show is giving me as of right now I can’t imagine what I’m going to feel on the days of the shows. I am generally so excited and can’t wait to be Lucas.

Alice: I  am so excited to finally be able to perform the shows and have everyone's hard work during the rehearsals pay off, the nights will be amazing and I can’t wait to get up on stage with everyone and perform as Alice.

Fester: I’m really looking forward to people being able to see it! I really hope that everyone likes the show as much as I do!

Grandma: I think it will be really cool and I hope that everyone will enjoy it.

Wednesday: I’m really excited to perform in front of my family and friends. I want them to enjoy it and laugh. I am nervous about performing in front of people, but I bet it will be an experience to remember.

Lurch: I'm not really sure what I feel when I think about that, because, honestly, I try not to think about performing in front of other people.

Pugsley: It’s always really fun to see how people react to a performance when you put a lot of effort into making it look cool. Hearing the applause and laughter from an actual audience for the first time in a show is always awesome.

Gomez: I've missed my favourite primary school teacher, so knowing she'll be coming to watch this, is exciting. I want to show my Mum how hard I have worked on this show and just make her proud. I'm just anxious about my friends coming, they're scarier than us!