Jerry Zaks Hired as Creative Consultant on Broadway-Bound Addams Family

Four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks has been hired as creative consultant on The Addams Family, a new musical based on the bizarre family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams. The show is now at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts’ Oriental Theater in Chicago through January 10, and will play Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews now beginning March 8, in anticipation of an April 8 opening.

Zaks will work with Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, the show’s directors and designers, but according to a report in The New York Times, Zaks will be in charge of the production. The paper is also reporting that Zaks will no longer direct All About Me, which stars Dame Edna and Michael Feinstein, and which begins previews at Broadway’s Henry Miller’s Theatre on February 19.

The musical, which opened to mixed reviews, has a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, choreography by Sergio Trujillo, lighting by Natasha Katz, and musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.

It stars Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia Adams. It also features Terrence Mann and Carolee Carmello as Mal and Alice Beineke, a couple who come to dinner at the family’s residence, Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester), Jackie Hoffman (Grandmama), Zachary James (Lurch), Adam Riegler (Pugsley), Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday), and Wesley Taylor (Lucas Beineke).

The ensemble also includes Merwin Foard, Jim Borstelmann, Erick Buckley, Colin Cunliffe, Rachel de Benedet, Valerie Fagan, Matthew Gumley, Fred Inkley, Morgan James, Clark Johnsen, Barrett Martin, Jessica Lea Patty, Liz Ramos, Samantha Sturm, Charlie Sutton, and Alena Watters.

The creative team includes two-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (lighting), Acme Sound Partners (sound), Obie Award-winner Basil Twist (puppetry), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (music direction), Larry Hochman (orchestrations), Greg Meeh (special effects), and Rick Sordelet (fight direction).

For more information, visit www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com.