The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy at The Guyer: A Spooky, Intimate Triumph in Lewisville
By: Kevin Vickery
There is something really cool about watching a story centered on ancestral history unfold inside a venue that practically breathes it. This past Sunday, October 18, I found myself sitting in the historic Guyer Opera House in Lewisville, completely charmed by their production of “The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy”.
Stepping into this Henry County gem right on State Road 40 is always a nostalgic journey, but it feels especially poignant right now. The iconic theater turned 125 years old this 2026 season. Originally constructed by Dr. Oscar K. Guyer, this majestic landmark first opened its doors on June 3, 1901. In its earliest decades, the beautiful second-floor auditorium served as a vibrant stop for traveling vaudeville troupes and lively touring acts, acting as a major entertainment hub for East Central Indiana. Today, it stands proudly as a beautifully preserved piece of local heritage and a true testament to the enduring power of community storytelling.
What makes the magic here even more impressive is the sheer dedication behind the scenes. All participants at events at the Guyer are volunteers, donating their time, energy, and artistic talents to keep the theater alive. Furthermore, all money raised from ticket sales and events goes directly back into the theater to keep this magnificent historic building maintained and functioning for generations to come.
Over the decades, I’ve sat in these historic seats for a wide array of unforgettable productions—from the delightfully campy cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and the absolute tear-jerker “Steel Magnolias”, to side-splitting comedies like “Nunsense”, “Young Frankenstein” and “Noises Off”.
Beyond being an audience member, the venue holds a personal place in my heart. I’ve had the privilege of performing as a musical guest on that stage a handful of times. It always brings back fond memories of playing traditional bluegrass duets with my incredibly talented, dearly departed friend Katie Absher, as well as performing with my band, The Cousin Brothers, to provide song selections for Valerie Lamb’s “Music of the Movies” show.
Watching the Guyer’s actors portray these iconic, macabre figures set off a wave of personal nostalgia. It made me reflect deeply on how this kooky crew became so thoroughly embedded in our collective cultural DNA—a history I extensively tracked in my previous deep-dive article about The Addams Family, now archived here on my blog site, makesomenoise11.com.
Long before they ever danced across a theater stage, the Addams family’s legacy began nearly a century ago in 1938 when cartoonist Charles Addams published his very first darkly satirical, single panel print cartoon in “The New Yorker”. In those early days, the characters didn’t even have names. They were designed as standalone, nameless archetypes meant to parody the pristine, sterile expectations of 20th-century American lifestyle. Addams gave his readers a wealthy, aristocratic family who genuinely delighted in the gruesome, the gothic, and the bizarre, remaining completely and hilariously oblivious to how terrifying they appeared to their everyday neighbors.
The family truly transformed into household names in 1964, making a giant leap from the pages of print to the living rooms of America with ABC’s live-action television adaptation. It was for this sitcom that Charles Addams officially named his creations: the suave patriarch Gomez, the mesmerizing Morticia, the explosive Uncle Fester, the deadpan Wednesday, the mischievous Pugsley, the towering Lurch, and the helpful, disembodied hand, Thing. Backed by Vic Mizzy’s instantly recognizable, finger-snapping theme song, the 1960s show “The Addams Family” masterfully contrasted the family’s morbid lifestyle with their fierce, unwavering love for one another. They subverted the concept of the ideal American nuclear family by showing that absolute deviance could comfortably coexist with absolute devotion.
By the 1990s, director Barry Sonnenfeld resurrected the franchise for Hollywood, introducing the gang to a whole new generation. The blockbuster feature films starring the brilliant Raul Julia as a dashing, sword-wielding Gomez and Anjelica Huston as an elegant Morticia—brought high-budget, Gothic cinematic visual flair to the franchise. Crucially, Christina Ricci’s turn as Wednesday Addams in the films defined the character for a generation, sharpening her from a quiet child into a weapon of cold, calculating wit.
That dark wit would eventually pave the way for the family’s most recent contemporary renaissance on Netflix with the 2022 smash-hit series “Wednesday”, directed by Tim Burton and starring Jenna Ortega. By shifting the perspective to a teenage Wednesday investigating supernatural mysteries at Nevermore Academy, the franchise captured a massive global streaming audience, proving that the family’s delightfully dark charm is entirely timeless.
It is this expansive, multi-generational history that sets the stage for Andrew Lippa’s contemporary musical adaptation, and I was eager to see how director Emily Kipp Tabor and music director DJ Shumaker would scale down that big Broadway theatrical energy for this intimate space. Last year, I reviewed the full-scale production of “The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy” at Ball States’s Emens Auditorium. That version relied heavily on elaborate set pieces and benefited from the excellent acoustic design and large stage of the university venue.
By contrast, The Guyer’s tight-knit staging pulled the audience directly into the Addams family room. The show’s premise hinges on every parent’s worst nightmare: Wednesday Addams (Emilie Kitchell) has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man, Lucas Beineke, Cooper Vaughn) from a respectable, traditional Ohio family. When they host a dinner for the “normal” boyfriend along with his parents, the ensuing clash of cultures tests both families to their absolute limits.
In this intimate theater, the cast thrived on the proximity. Zach Tabor’s Gomez and Carrie Drake’s Morticia brought a sharp, palpable domestic chemistry that actually benefited from the close quarters, making their eccentric marital spats feel hilariously real. This was beautifully on display during their duet “Tango de Amor”, where their synchronized dancing and fiery vocals brought a passionate energy to the stage.
Emilie Kitchell also shined brightly, delivering phenomenal and powerful vocal performances of Wednesday’s signature songs. Kitchell perfectly balanced a soaring, crystal-clear vocal belt with delightful deadpan angst, housing the emotional core of the play.
The supporting cast added immense flavor, particularly James Bales as Uncle Fester, who brought an infectious, comedic brilliance to the narration of the story, Jeff Marlow as Pugsley, whose mischievous performance anchored the sibling dynamic wonderfully and Sadie Roberts whose vocal strength bright a strong dynamic to the frazzled Alice Beineke. Together with the hauntingly beautiful presence of the Addams Ancestors—a ghostly ensemble whose tight harmonies filled the historic room beautifully, they kept the audience thoroughly entertained.
Where a touring production relies on expansive theatrical staging and computerized effects, this local production triumphed with raw heart, crisp vocal arrangements, tight choreography and sharp comedic timing. It proved that even at 125 years old, this historic stage still knows exactly how to deliver a performance worthy of a standing ovation.
I was able to take my two daughters to the show and get their thoughts, which made the evening extra special since it was their very first time experiencing the historic space. Both Alice and Delia were won over by the theater’s timeless charm and the talent onstage.
“I thought the play was really good, and I liked the theater too.” Alice shared after looking around the auditorium, mentioning she’d like check out more productions there in the future. Delia was equally hooked by the energy of the performance, adding, “I really liked the Addams Family show, especially Fester because he was so funny”.
For a theater celebrating a century and a quarter of life, seeing young audience members immediately planning their own future there is the ultimate victory. The Addamses might sing about loving darkness and grief, but the future looks bright for local theatre at the historic Guyer Opera House.
I had a great time at this production and cannot recommend it enough; the cast and crew have put together something genuinely special that you won’t want to miss. If you haven’t had a chance to catch it yet, you’re in luck. “The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy” brought to you by Clean N Simple LLC will be taking the stage for one final weekend. You can catch their evening performance on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m., or bring the family out for the final matinee show on Sunday, October 25 at 2:30 p.m.
For more information about upcoming events and to secure your tickets before they sell out, visit the official Guyer Opera House website at guyeroperahouse.com.
