Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Regional 7 students bring ‘The Addams Family’ to the stage

Regional 7 students bring ‘The Addams Family’ to the stage

The cast of “The Addams Family” from Northwest Regional School District No. 7 with Principal Kelly Carroll from Ann Antolini Elementary School in New Hartford.

Monique Jaramillo

Nearly 50 students from across the region are helping bring the delightfully macabre world of “The Addams Family” to life in Northwestern Regional School District No. 7’s upcoming production. The student cast and crew, representing the towns of Barkhamsted, Colebrook, New Hartford and Norfolk, will stage the musical March 27 and 28 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on March 29 in the school’s auditorium in Winsted.

Based on the iconic characters created by Charles Addams, the musical follows Wednesday Addams, who shocks her famously eccentric family by falling in love with a perfectly “normal” young man. When his parents come to dinner at the Addams’ mansion, two very different families collide, leading to an evening of secrets, surprises and unexpected revelations about love and belonging.

For director Ann DeCerbo, the show’s mix of humor, spectacle and heart made it an ideal choice for a high school production.

“It’s funny and a little spooky, but underneath that it’s really about family, acceptance and learning to embrace what makes us unique,” she said.

The large cast and crew also made the musical a good fit for the school’s thriving theater program.

“What’s impressed me most is the level of commitment,” DeCerbo said. “These students are balancing school, sports, work, family, lessons, driver’s ed. The list goes on and on. But they show up ready to work and to support each other.”

Senior Gustavo Zurita stars as Gomez Addams opposite Ivy Wallace as Morticia. The cast also includes Kaileigh Grant as Wednesday and Domonic Salz as her love interest Lucas Beineke, along with Maribelle Roach as Uncle Fester, Violet Swanson as Alice Beineke, Levi Swanson as Mal Beineke, Krystal Janak as Grandma Addams, Lorelai DeCerbo as Pugsley Addams and Juan Pablo Urbina Labarrere as Lurch.

Behind the scenes, students are also responsible for set construction, lighting, sound, costumes and stage management, essential elements in creating the Addams family’s famously eerie home.

“We started by really embracing the color palette for the show,” said DeCerbo. “Black and white with very purposeful pops of color. This is the biggest set we’ve had on the NWR7 stage in as long as I can remember.”

While the story is packed with humor and gothic charm, DeCerbo said its message resonates strongly with teenagers.

“High school can be a time when people feel pressure to fit in and meet external expectations,” she said. “This show does a great job of showcasing how much we all have in common while also celebrating individuality.”

That spirit, she added, is part of what makes theater such an important space for students.

“One of the things I appreciate most about theater is that it offers a really welcoming environment where students feel comfortable being exactly who they are,” she said.

Ultimately, DeCerbo hopes audiences come ready to laugh and leave with a reminder that every family has its quirks.

“First and foremost, I hope they have fun,” she said. “But beyond that, I hope audiences leave with a reminder that families and communities don’t have to look the same to work. There’s a lot of joy in celebrating what makes people unique.”

Latest News

Celebrating the spirit and founders of Norfolk’s Aton Forest
Dr. Frank Egler, ecologist and founder of Aton Forest, smiles next to his wife, Happy Kitchel Egler. The couple will be honored this month.
Provided

NORFOLK – This month, Norfolk will celebrate the legacy of two Connecticut conservation pioneers. Ecologist Dr. Frank Egler and his wife, photographer Happy Kitchel Egler, founded Aton Forest, the 2,496-acre natural area land trust and ecosystem research field station, which is marking its centennial year.

The milestone will be celebrated throughout July with an exhibition, lectures, and other events marking 100 years of Aton Forest. The recent acquisition of the965-acre Spaulding Pond preserve in South Norfolk from the Connecticut River Conservancy will also be recognized. The preserve was originally created by Happy Kitchel (1912-1978).

Keep ReadingShow less
Sharon residents overwhelmingly approve BOE budget in reversal of May vote
Sharon Center School
File photo

SHARON – Sharon residents voted resoundingly in favor of the proposed 2026-27 town spending plan on Monday, June 29, reversing their rejection of the budget several weeks ago and bringing to an end the dispute over funding of the Sharon Center School.

The proposal passed Monday by a vote of 90 in favor versus 12 against, a turnaround from essentially the same one that was rejected 114-99 at a May 8 town meeting. That meeting brought the highest turnout in recent memory to a budget vote.

Keep ReadingShow less
Salisbury prepares to host second NASCAR event with parade, pit-stop party

The White Hart is gearing up for Lime Rock’s second NASCAR event, and will host a “pit stop party” as CRAFTSMAN Truck Series haulers tower down Main Street.

Courtesy of lime rock park

SALISBURY – For a second consecutive year, NASCAR returns to the Northwest Corner and will kick off the weekend with a parade down Main Street and Pit Stop Party at the White Hart Inn Thursday, July 9.

The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series haulers – tractor-trailers designed to carry racing vehicles, serving as the race team’s mobile garage and storage facility – will tower over Main Street, giving residents and race fans a preview of the upcoming LIUNA 150 race weekend at Lime Rock Park.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Life-sized Declaration of Independence hangs outside of Sharon Town Hall
Sharon resident and activist Deborah Moore stands proudly in front of the Declaration of Independence that hangs from Town Hall.
Provided
“It reminds us that freedom is never just about individual rights; it is also about mutual responsibility.”
Deborah Moore

SHARON – Resident and activist Deborah Moore is the driving force behind a new 7-by-9-foot reproduction of the Declaration of Independence that hangs between the main columns at Town Hall. The banner will serve as a patriotic backdrop during Saturday’s festivities, which will include a complete reading of the founding document at the Hotchkiss Library.

The Fourth of July is often a time for fireworks and celebrations, Moore said, but this year has placed a welcome focus on history. With a background in public art, she thought the installation would be a positive way to celebrate the country’s founding principles.

Keep ReadingShow less
North Canaan median home price reaches $350K

26 Granite Ave., which recently sold for $595,000, consists of two renovated residences on .91 acres - a Victorian main house built in 1882 with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and a 576-square-foot studio with 1 bedroom and 1.5 bath.

Christine Bates

NORTH CANAAN – The median price for a single-family home in North Canaan was $350,000 for the 12-month period ending May 31, 2026, according to Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, reflecting strong sales.

The latest median marks a 23% increase from the $284,500 median recorded for the 12 months ending May 2025 and a 26% increase from the $277,950 median recorded for the comparable period ending May 2024. The all-time high of $357,750 was recorded during the 12-month period ending April 2026.

Keep ReadingShow less

Police Blotter: Troop B

Sign at Troop B Police Headquarters in North Canaan
Police Blotter: Troop B
John Coston

The following information was provided by the Connecticut State Police at Troop B. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Railroad Street rear-end

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.