The crew behind this year’s PlayPro show, The Addams Family, is already hard at work to create the best experience for families. The play, adapted from the Broadway show, follows Wednesday Addams as falls in love with a boy belonging to a well-respected family.
The play builds up to a climax where the two families have dinner together. The story aims to utilize an old fiction trope with spooky and comedic twists that The Addams Family fans will adore.
Though the play debuts in April, passionate students and teachers are giving their all, practicing dances and songs during school and afterwards.
The main teachers behind this production are Mr. Koch, as the music director, and Ms. Zenou, as the choreographer. Both share the goal to create a fun experience for families and for the students alike.
Ms. Zenou has worked with PlayPro for four years, contributing to shows such as Beauty and The Beast, Chicago, Footloose and now The Addams Family.
There’s a process to reach perfection with the choreography: First, Ms. Zenou listens to the original soundtrack for the Broadway show. Then, she reviews performances to understand the story. Finally, she uses these performance videos to create dances that will help convey the messages and themes in the story while being musically appropriate.
Ms. Zenou has previous exposure to the brand, having watched the 1991 live-action film as well as the more recent animated versions.
In order to prepare, her students practice everyday during their PlayPro class, refining their dances to create a visually stunning experience.
She says students first practice their dances while being recorded. Then, they watch the footage and refine and fix details to create the best possible performance.
Even though it’s a lot of work, it is a lot of fun.
Mr. Koch is an avid fan of The Addams Family. He has watched all content, including the films and series over the summer. His approach is to immerse himself and make informed decisions that are consistent with the brand’s themes and previous motifs.
He is also an experienced music director, having worked a few shows with Francis Lewis High School in the past. FHHS students and staff may remember the shows he’s worked on in our building, including Hairspray, Shrek, and In The Heights.
Mr. Koch and his students are working everyday during their PlayPro class to ensure the music is faithfully adapted. When it gets closer to opening night, he aspires to start music practice after school, in order to further familiarize the students with the music.
Though the undertaking of putting on a school music is rigorous work, Koch also said that it is a lot of fun, later saying, “This is one of the best jobs a music teacher can have.”
