There is something to be said for a catchy theme song or slogan—just ask William Mattar.  All right, maybe annoying is a better word than catchy for Mattar’s jingles. The pleasant sounds of a trademark theme song give the audience something by which to identify that group.  The Addams Family, a story that has been presented in print, television and film, can attest to the longevity that comes with a catchy theme (my apologies for three hours from now when you’re still humming “They’re creepy and their cooky…”). 

Queen City residents might find themselves singing along with the classic tune when the touring musical stops in Buffalo this week. “The Addams Family” opens at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Shea’s Performing Arts Center (646 Main St.) and runs through Sunday. 

Directed by Stuart Oken, this version of The Addams Family will try to resurrect a story that suffered a blow to its reputation after a harsh critical response on Broadway.  That said, Buffalo citizens should not dismiss the touring version of the production—Oken has made every effort to improve this production from the Broadway disaster.

According to this Buffalo News article, changes include a new central conflict, edited choreography, re-worked orchestration and three new songs. 

The famous characters of Morticia and Gomez (the heads of the Addams family) will be played by Sara Gettelfinger and Douglas Sills, respectively.  The pair will be joined by the rest of the Addams family, including the famous characters of Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing.

Tickets for any of the week’s shows run from $32.50 to $85 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

Photo credit: Flickr / henrivzq