review - THE ADDAMS FAMILY - Hale Centre Theatre

Mychal Leverage and Amanda Valenzuela
photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw

highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

Click here for more information on this production that runs through October 2

There are four planned productions of (The Addams Family) in Phoenix this season alone, but I don't know if any can top the excellent production at Hale Centre Theatre which has sublime creative aspects, perfect direction, and a top-notch cast who get big laughs from their kooky characters while also ensuring the love the characters display and the warm emotions in the story ring true...Director Cambrian James has delivered a superb production. His choreography is inventive, upbeat and winning, and his direction makes sure that every joke gets big laughs and that the warmth of the story comes across realistically. Lincoln Wright's music direction achieves rich sounds from the entire cast ...The inventiveness in Hale's excellent creative elements is apparent as soon as you enter the theatre, with Brian Daily's rich set design already visible: several of the surrounding walls of the in-the-round theatre are dressed to resemble walls of the Addams' house...Mychal Leverage and Amanda Valenzuela are excellent as Gomez and Morticia. The chemistry they have together is natural and they both have perfect comic timing. Leverage does a wonderful job portraying Gomez as the devoted husband and caring father. His performance of "Happy/Sad" is heartbreaking, warm, and quite moving. His playful sense of humor gets big laughs from the audience and his singing voice is clear and rich. Valenzuela is equally good as Morticia, with a perfect combination of assuredness and mystery but also doubt once Morticia starts to think her husband is hiding something from her..."   -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)