Students, new director challenged each other to make production memorable

By Kyra Smith-Cullen ksmithcuUen@dailyitem.com

When Aubyn Johnson took on the role of musical director at Danville Area High School, he was joining a cast and crew where many of them had already worked together before.

“The transition into the position was rather seamless and 1 appreciate my students for that, they welcomed a complete stranger and worked hard to produce an incredible show,” Johnson said.

However, there were some adjustments that both he and the students had to figure out as they approached show time for their production of “The Addams Family.”

“I think the biggest adjustment for the students was getting used to my personality. I am a very laidback person and my answer to most questions is ‘we’ll figure that out later’ or ‘that sounds like a problem for future Aubyn,’” he said. “I think that frustrated students because they wanted an answer right away to their questions.”

Though “The Addams Family” was chosen to be the musical before he was hired, Johnson dove into the script to unpack the show and figure out what to do with it.

“One of the biggest challenges was just to find ways to make the Addams house seem larger than life. So as we started building, we continued to find new ways to introduce things that just shouldn’t happen,” he said, pointing out elements such as a hidden opening in the staircase for Thing to walk through, a painting that “comes to life like in the Scooby Doo cartoons” and a bookshelf that opens to reveal Cousin Itt hiding behind it.

“1 think that for a comedy like ‘The Addams Family,’ it is important to find those little moments to help enhance the comedy that is written in the script,” he continued.

His and the crew’s work on the house paid off, as The Daily Item’s reviewer Anna Weist said the set was “transformative, beautifully detailed and brought new life to every number.”

Johnson said he knew the show was going to be incredible early during rehearsals, but the key element

See ADDAMS, Page 5

Erst And Crew

Owen Crane (Gomez Addams), Allie Focht (Morticia Addams), Jera Strony (Wednesday Addams), Alyssa Sargent (Fester Addams), Heidi Peña Yanes (Pugsley Addams) Clare Charlton (Grandma), Jaden Crowley (Lurch), Collin Cummins (Lucas Belneke), Tab Crellln (Mai Belneke), Jill Nled (Alice Belneke), Kyla Brookhart (Cousin Itt); Addams ancestors: Nick Dunlap, Avery Haas, Layla Hilkert, Avery Loper, Reagan Prelsz, Teyana Randolph, Collin Santore, Alaina Soza, Joseph Soza, Elyse Spahr, Lillie Whiting; Crew: Luke Brokenshlre, Alex Cichoskie, Geo Fish, Erin Fitzpatrick, Elliot Heim, Nathan Hepner, Chlmaka Iregbu, Emily Kehoe, Jasper Martin, Ella Meadows, Janelle Stassel, Isabella Stem, Ambyr Whiting and Marcus Wisor