The Addams Family welcomes five new cast members

Broadway's musical comedy The Addams Family welcomes five new principal cast members on 8 Mar 2011 at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre when Heidi Blickenstaff, assumes the role of 'Alice Beineke,' Adam Grupper as 'Mal Beineke,' Brad Oscar as 'Fester,' Rachel Potter as 'Wednesday Addams' and Jesse Swenson as 'Lucas Beineke.'

Original cast members Nathan Lane, Kevin Chamberlin, Terrence Mann, Carolee Carmello, Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor give their final performances on 6 Mar 2011.

As previously announced, Tony Award winner Roger Rees steps into the role of 'Gomez Addams,' on 22 Mar 2011, assuming the role from original cast member Nathan Lane who played his final performance on 6 Mar 2011. During the short inteerregnum the role of 'Gomez' will be played by understudy Merwin Foard.

Rees will join his longtime friend and colleague, Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth, who continues in the role of 'Morticia Addams.'

Also continuing in the roles they originated are Zachary James as 'Lurch,' Adam Riegler as 'Pugsley Addams' and Jackie Hoffman as 'Grandma.'

The Addams Family now stars Merwin Foard (Gomez), Bebe Neuwirth (Morticia), Adam Grupper (Mal Beineke), Heidi Blickenstaff (Alice Beineke), Brad Oscar (Uncle Fester), Jackie Hoffman (Grandmama), Zachary James (Lurch), Adam Riegler (Pugsley), esse Swenson (Lucas Beineke) and Rachel Potter (Wednesday).

The Addams Family opened at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 8 Apr 2010, following previews from 8 Apr 2010 and is currently booking through to 6 Aug 2011.

The musical opened to mostly poor reviews: Ghastly (NY Times); Half-baked (NY Daily News); Watered down (NY Post); "More of a comfortable than a brilliant Broadway experience." (Newsroom Jersey).

Based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, The Addams Family features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The production is directed and designed (sets and costumes) by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, with creative consultation by Jerry Zaks and choreography by Sergio Trujillo. Lighting design is by Natasha Katz, sound design is by Acme Sound Partners and puppetry is by Basil Twist.

Storm clouds are gathering over The Addams Family manse. Daughter Wednesday, now 18, is experiencing a sensation that surprises and disgusts her - caring about another person. Young Pugsley, jealous of his sister's attention, begs her to keep torturing him, severely, while mother Morticia, conflicted over her daughter's lurch into womanhood, fears being upstaged and discarded.... like yesterday's road kill. All the while, father Gomez - master of the revels, mischievous and oblivious as ever - would prefer everything and everyone remain as it is. But when outsiders come to dinner, the events of one night will change forever this famously macabre family - a family so very different from your own...or maybe not.

The show is produced on Broadway by Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt, Five Cent Prods., Stephen Schuler, Decca Theatricals, Scott M. Delman, Stuart Ditsky, Terry Allen Kramer, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, Eva Price, Jam Theatricals/Mary Lu Roffe, Pittsburgh CLO/Gutterman-Swinsky, Vivek Tiwary/Gary Kaplan, The Weinstein Co./Clarence, LLC and Adam Zotovich/Tribe Theatricals, by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical.