Ponoka Community Theatre is gearing up to present The Addams Family, a New Musical Comedy opening Oct. 27 at the Ponoka United Church.
Additional shows run Oct. 28-29, and Nov. 3-5.
Curtain is at 7 p.m. except for the Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 shows, which are matinee performances starting at 2 p.m.
“It’s funny, it’s entertaining. It’s a little bit dark but in a light and entertaining way,” said Robin King, chair of KFA/PCT and minister of Ponoka United Church.
Ponoka Community Theatre falls under the Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society - a non-profit community theatre company dedicated to teaching music and acting to the community, and showcasing local talent.
Meanwhile, over the years, there have been all kinds of interpretations of The Addams Family, as they have indeed something of an enduring quality.
“It’s been around for awhile - the plot is essentially that Wednesday has grown up enough to have a boyfriend and she’s bringing him home to meet the family.
“He’s a squeaky clean, ordinary kind of guy. Wednesday doesn’t want her mother to know, so she just tells her Dad, who then has to keep it a secret from his wife, Morticia. So it’s pretty funny! There’s also great music in it.”
Meanwhile, the show is being directed by Holly Sheppard with consulting director Tiffany Toma.
This play marks her first stint as director, although Sheppard has been involved with theatre for many years, primarily as an actor.
“It’s been interesting! A bit more stress because all of a sudden you have all of these moving parts that fall on you, but it’s been cool seeing things coming together,” she said.
“I also ask for the actors’ feedback, and we all work together — I’m not just telling them exactly what to do, because each person brings their own piece of themselves to the character. “And lately, as they’ve gotten more comfortable with each other, that is really starting to pop so I’m getting very excited for the show,” she said.
“I encourage them to have fun with their roles.”
She’s also thrilled with her talented cast. “We’ve got some first-timers and some who are more seasoned people, so it’s very interesting.”
In terms of theatre’s appeal, Sheppard said it’s so fun to be able to step into someone else’s shoes and have fun in a way that you wouldn’t normally do in everyday life.
“You get to pretend, and have this whole new experience each time, because each show brings different people to it.”
As to the Society, King said the goal is to provide a wide range of theatrical and artistic experiences throughout the year.
These run the gamut from kids’ shows and camps to musical performances to mainstage productions such as The Addams Family.
“The thing that I love most about community theatre is how it creates community,” he said.
“It creates community in a way that empowers people and encourages them.” King’s wife works in Bashaw as a theatre director, and she also works in the school there.
”It’s incredibly inspiring to see how young people who might be shy and not have a lot of confidence, become involved in theatre. They are encouraged and supported, and it just brings them right out of their shell.
“It also gives them experience at being able to create in front of people, and in speaking in front of a room of people, and how to work with others in creating things,” he explained.
“Community theatre can be very much like a really good sports team — you have to work together, you are relying on the people that you are working with. It’s just really inspiring to see how this all creates community.”
For tickets, head to https://kfatheatre.com/tickets/