Lights Up! Theatre Company will stage the dark but heartwarming musical comedy “The Addams Family,” Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15 at the Marjorie Luke Theater in Santa Barbara.
The production is based on the book by Academy Award winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Andrew Lippa.
“Inspired by Charles Addams’ iconic characters, this smash-hit musical brings everyone’s favorite macabre family to life in a story that is both spooky and surprisingly tender,” Lights Up! Theatre Company said.
“In the Addams family’s upside-down world, sadness is happiness, pain is joy, and the unusual is celebrated. But even this delightfully eccentric clan must face a challenge that terrifies families everywhere: the children are growing up,” the company said.
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, is now 18, and she has fallen in love.
Her chosen sweetheart? Lucas Beineke, a sweet, intelligent, and completely “normal” young man from a respectable Ohio family.
When Wednesday invites Lucas and his parents to dinner at the Addams home, what unfolds is one fateful, funny evening where secrets are revealed, relationships are tested, and Gomez and Morticia must confront the one thing they’ve managed to avoid for generations — change.
“There has been tremendous excitement surrounding this production from the moment we announced it,” said Amy Love, artistic director. “That enthusiasm has carried through casting and into rehearsals, where the joy of being part of this show is palpable.
“While ‘The Addams Family’ celebrates embracing your individuality — no matter how unconventional — it resonates especially with teens navigating identity, first love, and family expectations. And although life in the Addams household is far from ‘normal,’ the emotional stakes are universal.
“When it comes time to let his beloved daughter marry, even Gomez — a man who delights in the macabre — cannot help but feel that universal, bittersweet pain.”
Tickets to the show are: general admission $36; student/teacher/senior $20; VIP $80 (includes priority seating, swag bag and video link of the show). Tickets on sale at lightsupsb.com/tickets.
