Jayce Fortin, Mathias Oliver, Henry McNulty and Jake Schaefer joined E.J. Iannelli in the KPBX studio to talk about the Spokane Civic Theatre’s upcoming season and its opening show, The Addams Family. The Broadway musical about the famously macabre family opens a monthlong run this weekend.

Schaefer is directing this production, and McNulty is its music director. Oliver, who recently appeared in the Civic’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, stars as the family patriarch, Gomez. Fortin, who most recently helmed Spokane Children’s Theatre’s production of The Music Man, is in the iconic role of matriarch Morticia.

After previewing the first few months of the Civic’s 2023-24 season, Schaefer outlined the action in this black comedy. Fortin and Oliver discussed their characters’ oddities as well as the qualities with which audiences can relate. And McNulty explained how the songs themselves are closely aligned to the characters’ personalities.

Fortin and McNulty opened their appearance with a live performance of one of those songs, “Just Around the Corner,” in the Spokane Public Radio performance space. To close the interview, McNulty returned to the performance space with Oliver to perform “Not Today,” a song that was absent from the original Broadway production of the musical.

The Addams Family musical opens its run on Friday (Sept. 15) and runs there until October 15. Tickets can be can purchased at CivicTickets.com.

For more information on the musical or the theater’s 2023-24 season, visit the Spokane Civic Theatre’s website or call the box office on (509) 325-2507.

Photo: Savanna Rothe