THE ADDAMS FAMILY at the Cadillac Palace Theatre

They're creepy and they're kooky...well sort of. In today’s world of odd families such as the Kardashians and the Osbournes one can't help but look at the Addams as almost any typical normal family out today and in the national tour that returns to Chicago after debuting here in 2010 it brings a feeling of closeness that was missing in the original production.

In the current version of the show Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness played with comedic gloom by Cortney Wolfson is all grown up now and in love with a sweet, smart young man from a sadly respectable family played by Brian Justin Crum.

And if that wasn't bad enough Wednesday is feeling the growing pains that every child does and is losing the closeness she feels towards her mother Morticia played by Sara Gettelfinger who does everything she can trapped in a role that was created for Bebe Neuwirth. Now Gomez Adams must do something he's never done before – keep a secret from his his beloved wife. Everything happens to change though for the whole family on the fateful night that they host a dinner party for Wednesdy's “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

In the original production Nathane Lane who played Gomez made the role more about Nathane Lane playing Gomez and in the toru you get the impression that Douglas Sills has greated an original take on Gomez and supplied him with an exciting almost operatic voice that makes songs like “Trapped” and “Not Today” come alive and sound exciting. As mentioned above one feels for Ms. Gettlefinger a gorgeous statuesque actress who's saddled with a role that has a limited singing range and limited dancing due to the originator but makes the most of what she has in every way. Martin Vidnovic and Crista Moore as the boyfriens parents finally free of the squid storyline that plagued the original production are good though less steller then Terrence Mann and Caroleee Carmello who originated the roles. Blake Hammond as Uncle Fester gets the crowd pleasing and delightful “The Moon and Me” and is able to make it work by his voice and sweet disposition. As Grandma Pippa Pearthtree lacks any of the comedic force that original Jackie Hoffman had and it is notably absent.

It's interesting that after seeing the national touring production of La Cage aux Folles the week before the similarities within the script between shows an how each of them tackle the sitcom stylings of family disapproving of child's love and how everything’s overcome by a song and dance.

The show still feels like it needs a better storyline then they have given it and if the songs could be a little more original and distinct then they are it's surprising how well the actual show holds up with audiences. In today's age where we are presented with so many crazy television families that seems like they love the audiences more they love each other it's nice to spend some time with a healthy typical American family like The Addams.

THE ADAMS FAMILY is playing at the Cadillac Theatre through January 1^st and for more information on tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChciago.com

La Cage Aux Folles at the Bank of America Theater

At one point late in the second act of Jerry Herman's and Harvey Fierstein's “La Cage aux Folles” one of the characters shouts out Homosexuals to the two leading characters the effect is supposed to be shocking. I'm sure when the show first opened on Broadway 1983 it was but in the recent tour that opened up Wednesday at the Bank of America Theater and playing a 2 week engagement the effect has become more muted and less shocking then it was when the show originally opened. It could do with the source material which has been covered everywhere from an Oscar winning foreign film, to several sequels, to a big box office smash remake “The Birdcage.” It could be that the subject matter has transitioned from being a gay “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner” to something that would fit in a half hour sitcom. I think the problem lies more in a by the numbers production that seems to borrow from other recent revivals for ideas.

However with all that said at the center of the show is a heart and soul about love, family bonds, and acceptance that is timeless and very hard to ignore even trapped in a production that could have been pulled together, walked though its paces and then thrown on stage for all to see.

La Cage Aux Folles tells the story of Georges, the owner of a glitzy nightclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his life partner Albin, who moonlights as the glamorous headliner Zaza. When Georges' son brings his financee's conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair and let's just say that madcap hilarity ensures!

The one thing this national tour has going for it is a sensational full out top of the line Diva performance by Broadway veteran Christopher Sieber as Albin/Zaza. Mr. Sieber channels everything into his performance playing the laughs at full hilt, the drama with complete conviction, and the

Albin's rejection with a pain that is both real and unbearable all the while belting out his showstoppers “Put a Little More Mascara On” and the showstopping anthem “I Am What I Am”. It's the type of performance that will bring fans all over the country to him.

Sadly the same can not be said by headliner George Hamilton who plays his role with a breezy attitude that almost comes across as sleep walking.

He does though posses natural chemitrsy with Mr. Sieber that makes one understand their relationship though when it comes to his music it became almost painful every time you realized he was going to slowly pace though one of Mr. Hermans's stunning ballad. World class songs like “Song on the Sand” and Look Over There” were given 15^th rate edition performances that belonged at an airport cabaret lounge.

The rest of the cast ranged from excellent Bernard Burak Sheredy and Cathy Newman as the in-laws the Dindon's to the adequate Billy Harrigan Tighe who is saddled with the role of the son Jean Michael but posses a serviceable singing voice to the way over the top Jeigh Madjus who seems

to have just been eliminated from RuPaul's Drag race right before going on stage.

The production directed by Terry Johnson who won a Tony Award for the revival really should be sending a bouquet of flowers to Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall for borrowing heavily on their concept for the smash revival of “Cabaret”. There were also traces if not full replications of Sweet Charity, and Kiss of the Spiderwoman in both design and choreography. Matthew Wright's costumes though we used to great effect and teetered the line from flashy to downright trashy which seemed right at home in this production.

At this point when you have a story as timeless as La Cage aux Folles is it might be better served with a show that isn't as dated as this particular production is and if its going to be that way then spruce and sparkle it up with an exciting cast and production around it.

La Cage Aux Folles is playing at The Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe from December 23rd, though January 1^st tickets can be purchased though the

website at www.broadwayinchicago.com