By Jacob Mathias

It was creepy and kooky.

The Central Wisconsin Area Community Theater is in rehearsals for their upcoming musical production of The Addams Family. The musical comedy by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, was originally produced on Broadway in 2010.

According to CWACT’s website, the musical takes play on “one fateful, hilarious night, when Wednesday invites her boyfriend’s sweet, kind family over for dinner, secrets are disclosed, relationships are tested, and the Addams family must face the one horrible thing they’ve managed to avoid for generations: change.”

“This show really represents the most important aspect of family,” said Director Joseph Nowinski. “You’re allowed to be whoever you want, whatever you want to be as long as you hold the values of family and love and togetherness in your heart. It doesn’t matter how dark that heart is.”

The Addams Family first appeared in The New Yorker in 1938 in a cartoon drawn by Charles Addams. It has since seen multiple iterations on television, film and stage.

“What a fantastic thing to bring to Central Wisconsin to invigorate the message that all you need is your family,” said Nowinski.

Nowinksi is a first-time director, as well as an alum of the UW-Stevens Point Department of Theater and Dance. He credits UWSP students with helping bring the show together.

“Those advocates for art and theater in our community came out from the university and we got a lot of buzz and we got a lot of people to come be part of the show,” said Nowinski.

Nick Nuber, the production’s Gomez Addams, who was played by Nathan Lane in the Broadway show, is also a UWSP alum, having studied music at the university.

“The music really stood out to me. It’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of heart to it,” said Nuber. “It’s funny but you’ve still got meaningful stuff behind it.”

While there are some adult themes in the show, Nowinski said it is appropriate for audience members 10 years old and up.

The show will be performed at the Sentry Theater. Performances will be held at 7:30 PM on Oct. 27 and 28 and Nov. 3 and 4. A 2 PM matinee is set for Oct. 29.

Tickets can be purchased at www.cwtickets.com and are $18 for adults and $12 or children 12 and younger. The Sentry Theater is located at 1800 North Point Dr. in Stevens Point.