Photo by Dreyfoos Alumna Brittney Anderson

Theatre juniors (L-R) Aleah Beche, Monti Cerabino, Zoey Burger, and Shai Cohen perform a scene from Serenading Louie at last year’s spring semester showcase. Burger will be making her Dreyfoos main stage debut in the musical “The Addams family” as Wednesday Addams. The show will open Oct. 28 and will run until Nov. 13.

On Friday, Aug. 26, theatre majors rushed to the back of Building 7 to see if their practice had finally paid off. Two weeks of auditions and callbacks had finally come to an end with the mark of another cast list posting. Theater junior Zoey Burger was just another person in the crowd hoping to see her name next to Wednesday Addams for this year’s musical “The Addams Family” that opens Oct. 28.            

“I am so thrilled to be making my Dreyfoos main stage debut as Wednesday,” Burger said. “In the past, I have performed in numerous Dreyfoos Black Box Showcases and have proudly represented troupe 4990 at the ITS District Festival, but this is my first main stage production at Dreyfoos.”

At the end of the 2015-2016 school-year, the theatre department announced the musical for this school year, “The Addams Family,” as their first show of the year. This gave students the summer to do any research and practice necessary to prepare for their auditions that started the second week of school.  

“I spent all summer working very hard to prepare my audition material with the hope of being able to play Wednesday,” Burger said. “There are so many talented artists in the Dreyfoos Theatre Department and it is an honor to be a part of this production.”  

This year the theatre department is changing how their shows are produced. Typically, the musical would be the second main stage production of the year, but the new theatre teacher, Gerry Engstrom, wanted to change this. Considering students had to audition for a teacher who did not know them, the situation was even more stressful than normal.            

“One of the most nerve wracking parts of the audition process is performing in front of your peers,” Burger said. “However, I was excited to showcase my hard work and went into my audition confidently.”              

The audition process is not easy by any means. With each audition, the groups get smaller until only a few students are left. There were only three students left in the final call back for Wednesday.   

“With each callback experience, my passion for the role grew,” Burger said. “As the callback days progressed, the pressure did too.”

“I was beyond excited to see I had gotten the part. I grew up watching and loving the Dreyfoos main stage productions. The thought of taking to the stage and impacting audiences the way Dreyfoos theatre has continuously done is exhilarating.”

Wednesday Addams’ character is typically portrayed as a very dark 18-year-old with sociopathic traits. These become less evident when she falls in love with Lucas Beineke, a ‘normal’ guy who brings out her good side. However, each artist who has the opportunity to take on her traits as their own has the freedom to play the part as they see fit. Burger is excited to be able to let audiences see what she thinks Wednesday symbolizes, that being unique is perfectly fine.     

“I want to remind people that it’s okay to grow up and be different. Every individual is unique and special in their own way,” Burger said. “I want to encourage people to embrace their inner ‘Addams’ whatever that quirk may be.”  

The Cast for Addams Family is as follows:

Addams Family:

Gomez Addams – Michael Materdomini

Morticia Addams – Bridget Perrotta

Uncle Fester – Daniel Rabinowitz

Grandma – Bethany Hoffman

Wednesday Addams – Zoey Burger

Pugsley Addams – Quinn Doyle

Lurch, The Butler – Logan Russell

Beineke Family:

Mal Beineke – Joey Morfogan

Alice Beineke – Lexi Mccain

Lucas Beineke – Sasha Prissert

Female Ancestors:

Francesca Alfano

Darah Abrams (U/s Grandma)

Nia Bourne

Thea Celey

Alexandra Chicco

Kim Cohen (U/s Wednesday)

Kim Gilbert (Dance Captain)

Abbie Levasseur

Alexia Pores (U/s Morticia)

Skylar Sajewski

Becca Suskauer (U/s Alice)

Male Ancestors:

Devin Butera (U/s Lucas)

Eli Jacobson (U/s Lurch)

Jacquez Linder-Long

Jaden Martinez

Donnie O’Connor (U/s Mal)

Matt Siperstein (U/s Festor)

Mason Taylor (U/s Pugsley)

Quinn Weis (U/s Gomez)