Johnston High School’s auditorium has been busyy these days as J-DAPA – Johnston Dance and Performing Arts – prepares its recently-selected cast for the upcoming production of “The Addams Family.”
Show dates are April 10-11 and April 17-18, and what promises to be a fun-filled, action-packed performance will be held inside Johnston High’s auditorium. Advance tickets are $12 and may be purchased by calling 401-944-4866. Tickets at the door will be $15.
“The Addams Family was featured in an original story that was once a popular television series,” said Donna Tellier, J-DAPA’s founder/director. “And it’s every father’s nightmare that Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met.”
Tellier, who has developed J-DAPA into a statewide non-profit that promotes a love and appreciation for the arts, went on: “And if that weren’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will then change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.”
Kylie Chartier, who will make her J-DAPA debut in “The Addams Family,” will play the role of Wednesday Addams. According to Tellier, “she’s from Woonsocket and has been very active in theatre roles such as Sandy in ‘Grease,’ Little Beck Two Shoes in ‘Urinetown’ and Carmen in ‘Curtains.’”
Matt Boudreau has been selected to portray the role of Gomez Addams. While it marks his first-ever performance with J-DAPA, he has had other roles such as Lank Hawkins in “Crazy for You,” Two-Bit in “The Outsiders” and Ghost Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol 2.”
When asked who will pay the role of Morticia, Tellier smiled and quickly announced, “Alexis Guglielmo, an alumna of Johnston High School.”
Guglielmo, in fact, has been a J-DAPA mainstay and has performed in all of the non-profit’s productions. She is also a tap dance instructor for the organization.
The four-date production also includes such characters as Pugsley Addams, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Lurch, Lucas, Alice and Mal.
Pugsley Addams will be played by the ever-smiling Zachary Zambarano, an eighth-grader at Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School, who is no stranger to the stage. He’s been in “The Wizard of Oz,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Aladdin Jr.” and “The Sound of Music.”
Rob Giambo, who doubles as J-DAPA’s talented music director, will play Uncle Fester. It will also mark his first stage appearance with the group.
Amy Erickson will play the role of Grandma, and if her enthusiasm offers any measuring stick, her J-DAPA debut should be quite exciting. She has vast theater experiences from “Oliver,” “Footloose,” “Dare to Dance,” “Yes Virginia” and “All on a Christmas Day.”
Johnston High senior Brian Campanelli has won the unique role of Lurch. He has performed in many of J-DAPA’s previous productions, including the recent and successful “Annie” as Rooster Hannigan. He has also been in “The Producers,” “Hairspray” and many others performances.
Kory Marandola, yet another Johnston High grad, will play the role of Lucas in “The Addams Family.”
“Lucas falls in love with Wednesday Addams,” Tellier explained, and noted that Marandola has also been with J-DAPA for many years and is the group’s hip-hop instructor.
Alice, the mother of Lucas, will be portrayed by Renee Roy in the four-night April production of “The Addams Family.” She was in J-DAPA’s most recent cabaret, “You Are Not Alone,” in which she played the counselor.
Finally, Michael Mardo will play the role of Mal. He, too, has J-DAPA on-stage appearances, having been in “Annie” and “You Are Not Alone.” Mardo, who is a student at Johnston High, also participates in an acting training program with Trinity Rep.
“Everyone is excited about this production,” Tellier said. “We’ve got a great cast that is working real, real hard. Our rehearsals have been fun … and the group is moving forward and very much looking forward to opening night.”
Tellier, who has tapped her daughter and long-time J-DAPA performer Brieanna Tellier as choreographer for “The Addams Family,” added: “We’re also hoping we get large crowds because that will enable our non-profit to continue our long-range goal.”
And that is, as Tellier concluded, “to raise funds in effort to renovate the Johnston Senior High School auditorium. Our goal is to also better the lives of the individual [J-DAPA] members as well as our audiences through fostering an appreciation and education of the arts.”
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