The Dodgers will showcase their talent for the production of “The Addams Family.”

Over 40 students will get on stage and over 40 more will be a part of the crew and orchestra that will showcase the spooky comedy.

“What I love about this particular cast is how professional they are,” director Lindey Krug said. “They really take their performances seriously while still maintaining a sense of enjoyment and fun.”

There will be three performances this week — Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Thursday and Friday shows will be at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s final show will be at 2 p.m. in the Fort Dodge Middle School.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Owen Hamlow of Fort Dodge rehearse as Gomez Addams in the Adams Family on Friday at the Fort Dodge Middle School

Reserved tickets can be bought through gobound.

“We selected “The Addams Family” for a lot of different reasons,” said FDSH music director Matt Drees. “One is that it has lots of really great roles and ways to showcase our incredible student performers. Another is that it is a departure from our recent history of drama/tragedy with our stage musicals. Coming from ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Anastasia,’ we felt like a comedy was probably a good fit for us this year.

“‘The Adams Family’ is obviously a title familiar to most audience members, but in addition to its recognition, it has a contemporary and really fun score,” he added. “There are many instances of full company song and dance and lots of really memorable songs.”

Seniors Owen Hamlow and Manuela Rodriguez will play the patriarch and matriarch of the family, Gomez Addams and Morticia Addams.

“This being my last performance at FDSH is a very strange feeling,” Hamlow said. “I’ve been doing musicals for around eight years now and I will miss it very much.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Manuela Rodriguez of Fort Dodge rehearse as Morticia Addams in the Adams Family on Friday at the Fort Dodge Middle School

“This year has been especially fun because the whole cast of ‘The Addams Family’ is full of all of my best friends. The choreography and the singing in our production are very demanding, but it makes performing it extremely exciting and I’m very excited to hear what people think of it.”

For Rodriguez, who plans on going into theater in college, this will be an emotional production.

“It’s definitely bittersweet for this to be my last musical at FDSH,” Rodriguez said. “I plan to go into musical theater and acting in college, so it won’t be my last musical ever, but realizing that this will be the last time I will ever perform with some of my best friends is pretty sad and makes it all the more important that I make the most of it.

“‘The Addams Family’ is such a funny and ironically joyful show, so it’s no surprise that it has been so much fun to prepare for show week. The cast and crew are amazing and I can’t wait for people to see it.”

Wednesday Addams is played by senior Mina DeJong and Pugsley Adams will be performed by junior Greyson Chance.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Amelia Stephan of Fort Dodge rehearse as Alice Benieke in the Adams Family on Friday at the Fort Dodge Middle School

“As my first high school musical, I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come of the work we have put in,” Chance said. “So far, practices have been challenging, but very fun.

“Being a part of this musical has been such a blessing and has made me feel complete this spring. From the people, to the acting, it’s been a whole new experience, and definitely I will be participating in my senior year.”

Senior Leif Hamilton is Uncle Fester and Grandma will be played by junior Lauren Patterson.

“Performing in the musical for the last time is definitely going to be a bittersweet experience,” DeJong said. “I have done the musical for four years and the cast and crew have become like a family to me over the years. It will be difficult to say goodbye to performing with my best friends on stage every day.”

The performers have had the chance to act in some serious musicals recently. Now a comedy gives them a chance to share some laughs.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Lauren Patterson of Fort Dodge rehearse her lines as grandma in the Adams Family on Friday at the Fort Dodge Middle School

“‘The Addams Family’ is one of the most fun productions I’ve ever been in,” DeJong said. “There are so many dance numbers, the script is hilarious, and it has strong emotional themes of the connection within a family.

“Being a senior, this show has had a huge impact on me because it has reminded me of the importance of staying connected to the people you love even when things are changing.”

The infamous butler, Lurch, will be played by senior Simeon Roberts.

Senior Jaxton Jones will play Mal Beineke, while junior Amelia Stephan is Alice Beineke and sophomore Corban McHone is Lucas Beineke.

“This cast contains some incredibly remarkable performers,” Drees said. “A few of the students performing in these roles are legitimately interested in pursuing music, theater, and performance as a major in college.

“This cast has had a lot of things thrown at them in terms of choreography, ensemble music, and individual character work. These students have worked incredibly hard to prepare this show and it really shows.”

There is a lot that goes into putting a musical together and it starts way before practices even begin.

“We have auditions in late January and the students start their music rehearsals in the month of February,” Krug said. “Then we add in acting and choreography (with choreographer Reese Pederson) throughout March and April while layering in the costuming, hair, makeup, props, sound, and lights.

“We easily put in 20 to 30 hours a week after school and on weekends putting this production together between the students rehearsing, parents volunteering, and directors dealing with innumerable details that no one knows about.”

Attending the production, patrons will definitely get a few laughs.

“It is a truly memorable show with some incredibly talented student performers, a fantastic set, and some really neat effects with lighting and scenic projections,” Drees said. “It is definitely a comedy, with some really fun and familiar characters. It is sure to be a performance that you won’t want to miss.”

THE ADDAMS FAMILY CAST

Gomez Addams: Owen Hamlow (12)

Morticia Addams: Manuela Rodriguez (12)

Uncle Fester: Leif Hamilton (12)

Grandma: Lauren Patterson (11)

Wednesday Addams: Mina DeJong (12)

Pugsley Addams: Greyson Chance (11)

Lurch: Simeon Roberts (12)

Mal Beineke: Jaxton Jones (12)

Alice Beineke: Amelia Stephan (11)

Lucas Beineke: Corban McHone (10)

Ancestor Ensemble

Conquistador (Understudy Gomez): Aidan Recker (12)

Saloon Girl (Understudy Alice): Sadie Shields (10)

Nurse (Understudy Morticia): Kateryna Lakymenko (12)

Caveman (Understudy Uncle Fester): Kyle Pederson (11)

Crazy Scientist (Understudy Lucas): Sam Salvatore (12)

Baseball player (Understudy Mal): Eli Johnson (11)

Flapper (Understudy Wednesday): Leah Myer (9)

Flight Attendant: Makinley Nore (12)

Cowboy (Lurch Understudy): Jenson Litwiller (11)

Cousin Itt: Jamie Pipal (9)

Thing: Lee Stagers (10)

Bride: Parker Gale (11)

Ancestors

Rhett Strandberg (9)

Piper Sheda (9)

Brenna Hickey (9)

Jonathan Casciato (9)

Teagan Loots (11)

Kyrie Schwering (10)

Carlos Cervantes (12)

Olivia Clausen (9)

Harper Sandahl (10)

Myles Summers (10)

Iris McAtee (9)

Kaylee King (10)

Drew Essman (12)

Joely Gilbert (11)

Avalee Eyer (10)

Parker Hansen (12)

Miah Heath (11)

Izzam Mejia (12)

Ella Johnson (11)

Mateo Ron (12)

Elijah Lawrence (11)

Director: Lindey Krug

Music Director: Matt Drees

Choreographer: Reese Pederson