A note from the Director,
First and Foremost, welcome to the brand new HHS Performing Arts Center. I cannot imagine a more perfect musical than The Addams Family to share with you as our first production in our new space. This production has been a long time coming and is a prime example of the collaboration, hard work, and determination that you can expect from HHS Fine Arts.
The Addams Family is perhaps best known for the 1960’s short-lived but iconic tv show and the two films from the 90’s but it started as a black and white comic in the 1938 New Yorker. As a kid, I loved watching the re-runs of the tv show. As creepy and kooky as the characters were, I was intrigued by how they were so accepting, supporting, and loving. The themes of family, love, honesty, growing up and embracing your own individuality really resonated with me. The Addams lived in their own kooky world and I wanted to be a part of it. They lived in a world where being an outsider or different was okay. Maybe that is one of the reasons The Addams Family has become a cultural touchstone. While so much of what they do is abnormal, it all comes from a place of love. Black is white, up is down but love is love. Teenagers can certainly relate to this and they need to know that they can live in and create a world where they can be their beautiful unique selves.
This musical is intensely special to me, not only because it is a bucket list show for me to direct but because of all the people that came together to help make this a reality.
As a company of artists, teachers, directors, and students, we pulled together to do something that we have never done before - the biggest production at HHS in the last 20 years. With such a big project comes great gratitude. I am beyond grateful to Dr. Al Moore and the Education Foundation for funding this project and supporting the Fine Arts. Thank you HHS Administration for all your support as we navigate doing a musical in the midst of construction. Thank you to Mosher for being such a great Theatre partner. Thank you to Mr. Blouin for leading us with the music and Ms. Collins for your awesome choreography. Thank you both for finding time in your busy competition schedules to collaborate with us. Thank you Mr. Wilcox and Coach Kimes for literally building a house onstage. Thank you to Mr. Bernarbo for designing and painting our murals. Thank you to Mrs. Stokes, Dr. Marks, Ms. Hand, Mrs. Turner and all the other teachers that worked on this musical. Thank you to all the HHS teachers that have supported us with donations, helping our students with their work, and coming to see our shows. Thank you to the parents for sharing your students with us, for the snacks, for the rides home, and for all your help and support. Thank you to the company of The Addams Family. You have worked tirelessly, tried scary things, and embraced the process of producing musical theatre. You guys never cease to amaze me - you face challenge after challenge and never give up. Lastly, thank you to my husband Heath Rood, my friends and family who continually support all of my creative endeavours and push me to chase my dreams.
Welcome to the family everybody and thank you for being here.
-Brandy B. Rood
