A graveyard backdrop glowed under blue and green lights as actor in a dark robe practiced atop a raised platform.

In the right wing of the Campus Theatre, technicians coordinated cues for the evening’s dress rehearsal while down a narrow hallway, actors passed by racks of wigs and makeup stations as they transformed into members of a mysterious and spooky, altogether ooky, family.

A story of love and the macabre carries the El Camino College production of “The Addams Family Musical” in one of the few independent productions of the show since it left Broadway

“Audiences familiar with the Addams Family franchise may arrive with false expectations,” technical director Adam Vaughn said. “The show is spirited and comedic despite its macabre undertones, humor drives the production more than darkness.”

“The Addams Family” first began as a series of single‑panel cartoons by cartoonist Charles Addams for The New Yorker in the 30s before becoming a television sitcom in the 60s, a movie franchise in the 90s, and a spinoff Netflix series in the 2020s.

In 2010, the Addams Family made their Broadway debut in a musical directed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch.

El Camino College’s production follows the Broadway script and score, but its staging, choreography and set design are entirely original to the college’s theater department.

The show’s playful morbidity is best captured in a scene involving a torture device that appears far more sinister than it is. During rehearsal, actors climb into the contraption, as if preparing for a grim fate, only for the moment to turn into a comedic bit that breaks tension rather than heighten it.

Vaughn said he was impressed by the students’ willingness and professionalism to take on responsibility during long technical rehearsals, noting that many of them are working in a theater of this scale for the first time.

“El Camino’s training is as professional as the work; there are major differences in budget and instruction compared to community theater,” said Scott Crowell, 60, a deck crew member working props and stagehand. He returned to El Camino College as a theater major after COVID halted his background acting opportunities.

“Big pieces and constant movement require focus as microphones and set units shift rapidly during rehearsals,” audio assistant Joy Quinn Peng, 18, said. “I hope to keep track of every cue.”

Peng, who began her acting career at Windmill Grass Theatre in Hong Kong before joining El Camino’s technical crew, uses the rehearsal time to refine timing and ensure audio transitions stay smooth.

In the orchestra pit, musicians tune keyboards, brass and strings underneath dim lights prepared to support the show’s pacing and emotional beats. Their work blended in with the choreography onstage as dancers rehearsed lifts, spins and ensemble formations.

Spotlight operator Brenda Frederick, 19, described The Addams Family team as “heartwarming,” praising the cast and crew for their dedication. Frederick grew up watching the Addams Family and said seeing the characters reimagined onstage felt nostalgic.

“Everyone’s giving it everything,” she said. “We’re really trying to knock it out of the ballpark,” Pugsley actress Amalthi Carter, 20, said.

Carter, who had previously performed in “Beauty and the Beast” while also working at community theaters, said this is the first time she has been physically spun around onstage, a moment that required trust in both the choreography and the crew.

“I love this cast and crew,” Xavier Davis, 19, the actor of Lurch, had previously appeared in an ECC production of “Rent” in Spring 2025. He said audiences may expect darkness but will find a comedic, soft‑hearted story instead. “I appreciate everything they do.”

“The Addams Family” will be playing at the Campus Theater. Tickets available from the ticket office online, next to Marsee Auditorium or at the Campus Theater before the show begins.

• Editor’s note: Changes were made to the photo captions on Monday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m. to clarify actor names.

• Editor’s note: Changes were made on Tuesday, May 5, at 12:37 p.m. to correct spelling of name and title and to further clarify background information.