The curtains have closed at Oakville High School on this year’s school musical, “The Addams Family,” but the memories and lessons learned by the cast and crew will stick with them for a long time. Judah Brandt (9) and Keaton Rick-Tappella (11), two key members of the production, shared their experiences and reflections, showing all the hard work and effort that went into making the show happen.
“I practiced reading my lines at home and listened to all the songs in the soundtrack to memorize the words,” Brandt said.
The dedication was shown in his performance as Wednesday’s love interest, which required him to remember extensive dialogue. Memorizing lines proved to be a significant challenge for Brandt as well.
“Memorizing all my lines for scenes where I’m having conversations with Wednesday was tough,” Brandt said.
Despite these challenges, the production was filled with memorable moments that brought the cast closer together. All of the moments with laughter showed how close the cast was, making all the hard work more enjoyable.
“The first time I said, ‘hey, it’s the pugster,’ everyone busted out laughing because of how stupid I sounded and looked,” Brandt said.
For Rick-Tappella, he felt his portrayal of his character in “The Addams Family” was both humorous and engaging. One of his standout moments left a lasting impression on many of the audience members.
“On the second show night, the scene where I’m arguing with my stage wife, she tells me to go sleep in the shed, and I just remember everyone applauding after that,” Rick-Tappella said. “I was in shock.”
Brandt and Rick-Tappella emphasized how encouraging the cast and crew were, which they felt was crucial during the demanding rehearsal and performance schedule.
“We were very supportive when people were having mental issues or having trouble memorizing their lines,” Brandt said.
Rick-Tappella believed the cast supported each other through the ups and downs, whether it was helping someone memorize their lines or providing encouragement during tough moments.
“We were there for each other like a family when someone needed help,” Rick-Tappella said. “We even had a group chat for things if anyone needed anything.”
As they wrapped up their final performance on Nov. 23, the feedback the cast heard from the audience was overwhelmingly positive.
“Everyone loved all of my solos in the songs,” Brandt said. “People loved it — it was very enjoyable.”