Tuesday, March 9, 2010

LOGOS: The Addams Family

Of course, I have not yet seen The Addams Family, but I am eagerly anticipating the day that I do.  (Please oh please let it make it through Memorial Day!!!)  Judging from the logo work and the publicity photos, though, it seems right on target for gathering an audience prior to opening when some production stills can be added to the mix.  (You'll notice that since the pre-Broadway try out and subsequent changes to the production staff, photos of that production are very limited in circulation and feature the family itself in what could be a generic "spooky" setting.  I assume the look of the thing will get some tweaking, if not a major overhaul.)  Here is that "pre-Broadway-still-in-circulation" photo by Carol Rosegg.


The logo itself is the perfect color - dark maroon - which suggests the macabre, without being simply black.  The lettering lets us know right off, too, that this musical will be based upon the classic comics as drawn by Charles Addams for the New Yorker Magazine.  Not that there could be any doubt after they added the cartoon characters themselves to the outside of the theatre and on the website and the ads that are featured on theatre sites as well.  The Playbill cover art is the blend of all of these elements.





But what also helps, and will really sell the show as a separate entity from the movies or TV show is the combination of the classic look of The Addams Family from cartoon to real life - the look gives a nod to the other filmed versions, thus inviting folks who have never picked up or even heard of The New Yorker.  The picture also sells the stars of the show, recognizable beneath their Addams drag - Bebe Neuwirth, Nathan Lane, Jackie Hoffman and Kevin Chamberlain should pull in the grown ups, while Krytsa Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor should draw the Spring Awakening/Rock of Ages crowd.  Then, too, there's the draw of Mamma Mia's Carolee Carmello and Terrance "Les Miz, Cats, Beauty and the Beast, Scarlet Pimpernel" Mann.  This is not a show without pedigree, at least on stage, and they are wise to exploit it.  Notice, too, that in keeping with the aging of all things Addams, the photos have been sepia-toned.

Here is the photo of the Family in Vanity Fair (photo by Mark Seliger):


And here is the Family and their guests (photo by Matt Hoyle):


Would I buy a ticket based on this?  I would and I have!  Overall, I think this is a successful start to what could (I hope) be a long undead life for The Addams Family: The Musical!


Comments?  Leave one here or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
Jeff

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