Based on cartoon characters designed by Charles Addams, the musical follows Wednesday Addams — daughter of the ghoulish Addams family — who falls in love with seemingly ordinary Lucas. To accommodate the young couple, the Addamses host a dinner for Lucas and his family.

While watching the show unfold, director and assistant theatre professor April Beiswenger said audience members can see that characters are hiding parts of themselves to fit in, referencing when Wednesday changes into a yellow dress, as opposed to her usual black garb.

As the show continues, it highlights the joy of connecting with others, she said.

“The Addamses accept people,” she said, stating that other fictional characters are absorbed by the family’s nature as well.

Cast members Joel Godissart and Tessa Paluzzi are pictured as Gomez and Morticia Addams in SFU’s production of “The Addams Family.” Courtesy photo

“It (the musical) at the end tells us that you’re okay,” she said. “You can be part of this, and you just have to be who you are.”

“The Addams Family” is Beiswenger’s first musical production at Saint Francis University after arriving on campus in mid 2025 and is also the first musical the program has performed in the Resinski Black Box Theatre, located inside the Connors Family Fine Arts Center.

Because the theatre holds 75 seats placed on three sides of the theatre, she said it was a fun challenge to produce an engaging show from all sides of the black box.

“The show is pretty compact, it happens in one night,” she said. “We just want one normal night, but it’s the Addams family, so of course it’s not going to be a normal night.”

For ticket reservations, call Fine Arts coordinator Barb Plazek at 814-472-3051.

Cast

Joel Godissart as Gomez Addams, Tessa Paluzzi as Morticia Addams, Gavin Ross as Uncle Fester, Alexandra Martorella as Grandma, Sarah Beth Mish as Wednesday Addams, Sydney Korbanic as Pugsley Addams, Andrew Sill as Lurch, John Paul Caroff as Mal Beineke, Brenna Kern as Alice Beineke and Alexander Fry as Lucas Beineke

Ancestors

Brady Albright, Olivia Miller, Mary Bukowski, Cody Novitski, Erin Golding, Evey O’Leary, Simon Greene, Samara Rouse, Ada-Leigh Irwin, Sophie Saylor, Cullen Kim, Elizabeth Mae Schmidt, Ava Kozar, Camilla Short and Sophia Whitmer

Stage crew

Shelley A Yogus, Blaze Mazey and Madeline Vermire

Production staff

Director/scenic designs — April Beiswenger

Music director — Abigail Arhart

Choreographer — Emily Koch

Technical director/lighting designer — Christopher Kolwicz

Costume designer/wardrobe supervisor — Bonnie Resinski

Sound engineer/technical advisor — Brother Marius Storm

Stage management — Theresa Martz and Delaney Urban

Soundboard operator — Kylie Innes

Light board operator — Kelsey Crider

Star engineers — Abigail Meehan and Seraphina Callaghan