The Addams family is first introduced in a graveyard, where they summon their ancestors from the dead. The family seems to bond over their dark, violent lifestyle that they have obviously led for generations, as shown in the musical number “When You’re an Addams.” It is evident that the parents, Morticia (senior Bianca Pizorno) and Gomez Addams (senior Seth Freymuth) wish to protect their children, Wednesday (senior Ella Coste) and Pugsley (seventh grader Grady Newsum), from the “normal” world. The Addams feel as if they are successful in keeping their family morals stable, but they don’t know that Wednesday has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke (junior Burke Wood), a young man living in New York City when his parents, Alice (junior Rebecca Hamby) and Mal Beineke (freshman Benjamin Raimondo), come to visit. Lucas blames Wednesday’s abnormality upon her New Yorker heritage, and comedic moments arise from teasing those who live in New York, such as the Addams, and those who live in Ohio, such as the Beinekes. Only Uncle Fester (freshman Matthew Mouffe) finds the young love between Wednesday and Lucas to be adorable, but the rest of the Addams are firmly against it.

Wednesday announces to her family that the Beinekes will be coming over for dinner, which deeply disturbs her parents. They don’t want to associate with the general population, and Wednesday herself has concerns. To her, growing up introduces rebellion from what her parents are forcing upon her and desire to create a life for herself. Wednesday most likely sees Lucas as this escape from childhood, and she doesn’t want her out-of-the-norm family to mess up her one chance at freedom. So, she informs her father of the relationship she has with Lucas, even showing him her engagement ring in hopes that he will understand why this dinner is so important.

Gomez is now introduced to his own worries: should he stay true to his daughter or uphold the oath with Morticia to never keep a secret or tell a lie? His personal conflict stretches out over three back-to-back songs. The first, “Two Things,” occurs before an awkward conversation with Morticia. “Wednesday’s Growing Up” expresses Gomez’s longing for the past and concerns for the future. Gomez’s final expression of conflict through song is shown in “Trapped,” in which he compares how torn between his wife and his daughter he is to other situations where something may be “trapped.”

Throughout the show, the Addams continued to mention something in which they called the “game.” Once the Beinekes are as settled as humanly possible (considering the Addams’ odd appearances and lifestyle), this “game” begins. “Full Disclosure” is a game in which each member of the family and their guests passes around a chalice, admits a secret, and takes a sip. By this point, Morticia has caught on to the fact that Wednesday has a secret, but she isn’t completely sure what. Wednesday avoids her turn, while Pugsley plots to change Wednesday back to her regular self, where she isn’t interested in Lucas. To do this, he must pour acrimonium into the chalice before Wednesday’s turn. He does so, but he never expected Alice Beineke to take the next sip. She does and her mood turns sour. She rants about how her marriage with Mal is falling apart, shocking both the Beinekes and the Addams. Wednesday speaks to Gomez, and Morticia becomes overwhelmed by the fact that Wednesday is hiding something. Wednesday breaks, admitting to her mother that her and Lucas were engaged. Morticia is horrified and upset with her husband and daughter’s conspiring, and the act ends with another round of “Full Disclosure” singing.

With turmoil within both the Addams and the Beinekes, everyone must make up. Morticia and Gomez must come to a consensus, Alice and Mal must reform their marriage, and Wednesday and Lucas must decide on where their life together is coming. Each of the parents make up, while their children face their own dilemma. Lucas didn’t want to run away with Wednesday, but Wednesday couldn’t live without him. They argue, and Lucas decides he must prove his love to her. He places an apple on his head, while Wednesday is blindfolded and prepared to shoot her crossbow at it. The arrow lands, and Lucas survives. The song “Crazier Than You” concludes with the young couple and the Beineke parents tying their relationships back together. Morticia and Gomez dance in “Tango de Amor,” Morticia fully accepting of Gomez’s apology.

“The Addams Family” concludes with Lurch (Abe Newsum), the previously silent butler, leading the song “Move Toward the Darkness,” marking the end of another successful spring showcase at Horizon Honors.

Below are the interviews of some actors who portrayed lead roles.

The Horizon Sun: How did you feel about getting lead role of Pugsley and only being a seventh grader?

Grady Newsum:  I feel pretty amazing and I think that it was a huge honor.

The Sun: How many shows have you done?

GN:  I have done three shows and one was a studio show.

Seth Freymuth: Ten, if you include the studio show this past fall, nine if you don’t. I started in 2014 in “Sound of Music” when I was in eighth grade.

Bianca Pizorno: I have been in 16 shows at Horizon!

The Sun: Do you plan to continue doing shows?

GN: 1000 times, yes.

The Sun: What was your favorite memory from “The Addams Family”?

GN: My favorite memory was when the Addams started to sing all together; we have such a powerful voice altogether and it is really cool.

SF: This is difficult for me because there were so many. Probably my favorite memory is just performing in front of an audience for the first time. The reigns were for the first time truly handed over to us as the cast and crew took over the show. It was liberating, and it felt like all the work that the directors and us had put in over the past few months had finally amounted to an incredible show, and it all paid off.

BP: My favorite memory in the show was definitely getting to be vocal captain and working with the entire cast, to help them sing as best they can, and be confident with their unique voices!

The Sun: Do you plan on doing more shows in the future?

SF: Yes, I’m not sure professionally or casually, but theater will certainly be a part of my life.

BP: Hopefully. If my university has a good theater program, then I will continue participating in shows in addition to my major.

The Sun: How did you feel as you were getting closer to the last show?

SF: It was a weird feeling. For a while, I was so focused on my lines and my character and making sure that the show would happen that I wasn’t worrying about what would happen after. But, during the last show, it did hit me when we started saying our goodbyes. I had grown up with these people my whole high school career, and it just felt weird saying goodbye. It was sad, sure, but it also felt nice knowing that us seniors were leaving the drama productions in very capable hands.

BP: When I was getting closer to the last show, I got really excited because I knew that the finale performances of a show are the best and those of the ones that we put all of our energy into! But I also got really sad because I knew that it would be my last one at the school, and since I’ve been involved in these productions since fifth grade, it’s going to be strange not being in them next year.

The Sun: Will you come back here and help with the shows or watch them?

SF: I will certainly watch the shows, and see what comes of the program and see my friends perform on stage. I am not sure if I will help, because I feel like my time with the theatre program has come to a close, and it’s time to truly let go and hand it off to those who will be in the program next year.

BP: Since I’m going to college in another state, it would be hard for me to come back and help with the shows in the near future, but I am definitely going to come back and watch these next generations of performers on the Horizon stage!

The “Addams Family” was an amazing production that Horizon Honors students, teachers, and parents put on. Hopefully, there will be incredible shows to come to keep the success flowing at Horizon Honors.