We brought our kids to see live theater, not a movie. We have The Addams Family on Netflix at home, I thought.

Our only concern about bringing the kids was whether the Addams family’s signature innuendo would go over their heads. Now I had to worry about screen time, too?

But as the black-and-white film began, my skepticism quickly departed.

It opened with a pan over Central Park and a graveyard. It had a unique quality, like an old, silent horror film. Then I noticed it–the scene was made of miniatures.

Under the direction of Jennifer Hill-Barlow, the Ruth’s production of the musical comedy incorporated cinematography, elaborate sets and creative special effects into a live performance that felt both nostalgic and new.

“We believe very much here about the importance of the artist,” executive creative producer and scenic designer Kacey Udy said. “All of that was filmed in our theater, and it was all practical. Nothing was AI.”

The handmade quality was immediately charming, reminding me of childhood films like “James and the Giant Peach.”

Udy said the crew also expanded and raised sections of the stage, bringing the audience closer. The dialogue stayed the same, but the creative decisions added a new dimension to the storytelling.

Cinematographer Josh Beck drew inspiration from film noir. He created a mockup using stock footage and Lego figures to demonstrate sequences he would later film. Beck wanted the footage to feel like part of the production, and it did.

After the short clip, the screen rose with the curtain, revealing the cast as if the audience had just been invited inside the film.

Three film sequences helped tell the story, culminating in Fester’s flight to the moon.

Actor Joseph Paul Branca said filming the scenes took several days. Branca had kept Fester’s love song, “The Moon in Me,” in his audition repertoire, hoping to play the role one day.

Now, Branca’s face is hand-painted on the moon his character longs to reach.

Branca developed more than 100 possible ad-libs for Fester’s fourth-wall-breaking moments. He said the audience’s energy guides each performance.

“More often than not, it’s just bombastic and ridiculous and uproarious and fun,” Branca said.

That’s exactly how I’d describe Branca’s portrayal of Fester’s exuberant personality.

In contrast, Sylvia Henderson portrayed Wednesday Addams with a familiar deadpan demeanor, gradually revealing a softer side beneath her stoicism.

Now, my daughter plans to dress as Wednesday Addams for Halloween.

Henderson described interacting with fans in the audience dressed as Wednesday while maintaining her character’s intimidating stare.

Were there innuendos in the dialogue? Absolutely.

But ultimately, the message was love. Since the performance, whenever my kids see the moon, they quote Fester’s line, “Stay full, my love!”

The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater’s production of The Addams Family took us to their strange world, and its humor and heart made us feel like part of the family.

The Addams Family will be deceased Oct. 31.

https://www.theruth.org/program/the-addams-family-2026