Theater

The John W. Engeman Theater in Northport continues its Main Stage season with a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific from May 15 to June 29.

The beloved musical takes place on a South Pacific island during World War II where two love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. With songs such as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “Younger Than Spring-time,” and “There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame,” the show’s lush score contains some of the best songs ever written by Rodgers & Hammerstein.

Directed by Tony-nominated director, actor, and writer Hunter Foster, with musical direction by Kyle Dixon, the cast features Taylor Aronson as Nellie Forbush, Mike McGowan as Emile De Becque, Carol Angeli as Bloody Mary, Philip Bryan as Luther Billis, Malia Munley as Liat,  and Alec Nevin as Lt. Joseph Cable.

The cast also includes Ellie Baker, Madeline Benoit, Michael Bingham, JR Bruno, Peyton Cassity, Ylvie Cuisine, Maxime Detoledo, Joah Ditto, Travis Flynt, Tyler Gallaher, Mike Keller, Landon Koh, Leo London, Danny Maguire, Carmella Manapat, Vivica Powell, Kristin Tagg, Matthew Wautier-Rodriguez and Elizabeth Zhang.  

South Pacific‘s schedule includes Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m, Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets start at $82 and may be purchased by calling 631-261-2900, going online at engemantheater.com, or visiting the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport.

 

 

Emma Samghabadi at the New York Marine Rescue Center. Photo courtesy Jennifer Samghabadi

By Daniel Dunaief

The odds haven’t always been in favor of Emma Samghabadi.

The Comsewogue High School senior and Port Jefferson station resident was born under two pounds and spent over a month in the neonatal intensive care unit at Stony Brook Hospital.

After maneuvering through a period her parents Jennifer and Pedram Samghabadi described as “touch and go” for a while, she flourished and is poised to graduate from high school in June and enter college this fall.

Emma Samghabadi after singing with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra in 2022. Photo courtesy Brian Kacharaba

A gifted singer and performer, Samghabadi, who recently played Velma Kelly in a teen edition of “Chicago,” applied for the Live Más scholarship through Taco Bell, where she has been working since last summer.

Samghabadi spent close to three months putting together a two minute video describing her passions, which include performing, singing, and serving as a conservationist.

On April 25th, Samghabadi, 18, was working at the drive through window at Taco Bell and learned that she had won a $10,000 scholarship, which she will use at the University of Rhode Island.

“It was a complete surprise to me,” said Samghabadi, who was thrilled when her managers and coworkers celebrated her scholarship with balloons and congratulatory posters in the dining room of the restaurant. “All my managers were there and my regional managers were there as well.”

Indeed, Samghabadi called her mother, who works as a registered nurse and her father, who is a social worker, to celebrate.

Jennifer Samghabadi was “overjoyed, proud, grateful and also humbled” with the scholarship.

“The odds [of winning] are very, very low,” her father said. “This was her exhibiting her unique mix” of passions.

Out of 500 scholarship applications from New York, Taco Bell awarded 13 at this level, which is just over two a half percent of the state’s entries.

The Taco Bell Foundation has been awarding these scholarships for 10 years, with some notable past winners including Mato Standing Soldier, a film and TV composer who was named to Forbes 30 under 30 List for 2023 and Brooke Taylor, who is dancing on Broadway in Moulin Rouge.

Samghabadi gave her scholarship entry considerable thought. The scholarship is based on a student’s passions, social impact, personal presentation and educational goals and does not include any reference to a grade point average or standardized test scores.

“As soon as I started finding pictures, I was already thinking about what I wanted to talk about,” Samghabadi said.

Editing the presentation to under two minutes was a “struggle,” she added.

The work paid off, as a Taco Bell Foundation spokeswoman suggested that Samghabadi’s video embodied the key traits they seek in an applicant: strong passion, a focus on social impact, clear educational goals and compelling storytelling.

Samghabadi, who has a weighted grade point average above 100, has impressed her high school teachers.

Rosa Antelo, who teaches Samghabadi’s Advanced Placement Class and was also her instructor for Advanced Spanish in 10th grade, described her student’s potential as “unmeasurable.”

Antelo suggested that Samghabadi is “not just a great student, but she’s truly an amazing person.”

Antelo, who wrote a college recommendation for Samghabadi, recalled a time when her student helped her manage through the strain of a stressful situation.

“She’s so positive and is looking for the best of everything,” said Antelo, who has been teaching for 26 years and believes Samghabadi stands out among her many students.

An early curiosity

When she was five, Samghabadi found a large green caterpillar in a hibiscus bush, which she brought home.

She and her parents looked up how to care for it. The caterpillar formed a cocoon and emerged as a moth.

After that, Samghabadi was hooked, establishing a monarch butterfly way station where she has released over a hundred of the orange and black insects that, while not endangered are threatened by a loss of habitat, pesticide use and climate change.

Dedicated to conservation and marine biology, Samghabadi has worked as a volunteer at the New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead.

She tells visitors about the only effort in the state to rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles and seals. She has also helped with beach clean ups and, in 2023, became scuba certified.

Samghabadi’s favorite animal is the manta ray, which she hopes to study in college.

From ‘The Lion King’ to community theater

Around the same time that she found the green caterpillar, Samghabi, saw her first broadway show.

Watching “The Lion King” sparked an interest in performance and theater.

Samghabadi has been an extra in short films and commercials as well as in the movie “Uncut Gems.”

As a 10-year old, she spent a day on set as an extra, sitting behind Adam Sandler in a movie theater.

She has performed in several shows and goes through cycles of singing different Broadway songs in the house.

These days, she’s using her soprano voice to belt out “Sweeney Todd” in the house. 

Samghabadi is open to combining her interests in conservation and music. At some point, she would like to conduct research on bioacoustics. She could also envision using music as a part of public outreach for conservation.

Despite all her commitments, including working with second graders to help teach them Spanish, Samghabadi is able to enjoy leisure activities with her friends by organizing herself.

“I have a set plan for what I need to do each day,” she said.

Multiple scholarships

Samghabadi’s talents and dedication have earned her other competitive scholarships.

She will receive $84,000 over four years as a part of the inaugural Schilling Scholars Program at the University of Rhode Island. She will also receive $68,000 from the presidential scholarship at the university.

The New York Elks Association recently awarded her a $1,000 scholarship.

Samghabadi is the second generation in her family to work at Taco Bell, where her favorite meal is the Cantina Chicken Bowl.

When he was earning money for college, Samghabadi’s father Pedram worked at the restaurant chain.

Samghabadi’s parents are grateful for the life their daughter has lived and the energy and passion she brings to her interests.

“You can’t be thankful enough,” said Pedram Samghabadi. “We still cannot believe what we went through” in the first year of her remarkable life.

Their daughter. whose singing they will miss when she attends college, gave them a preview of what was to come early in life.

ABC Photo Archives

Local PBS stations THIRTEEN, WLIW and NJ PBS; arts and culture hub ALL ARTS; and NPR station WLIW-FM present special programming on-air and online throughout Spring

The WNET Group, home to New York PBS stations THIRTEEN and WLIW; New Jersey’s statewide public television network NJ PBS; arts and culture media provider ALL ARTS; and Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM presents Broadway and Beyond (thirteen.org/Broadway), a collection of must-see theater and arts programming, for a second year.

This special programming collection includes Great Performances’ eighth annual “Broadway’s Best” line-up, premiering on THIRTEEN Fridays at 9 p.m. and on pbs.org/gperf. This year’s offerings include the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal (May 9 at 9 p.m.); Tony Award-nominated Broadway comedy Yellow Face (May 16 at 9 p.m.) from Roundabout Theatre Company featuring Daniel Dae Kim; Tony Award-winning musical Girl from the North Country (May 23 at 9 p.m.); and Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate (May 30 at 9 p.m.) with the Tony Award winner Stephanie J. Block in her West End debut. Great Performances will be receiving a 2025 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre at the 78th Annual Tony Awards.

With a stage offering nearly every day, ALL ARTS offers a star-studded, insider’s look at an iconic Broadway theater in Playing the Palace (Tuesday, May 13 at 9 p.m. AllArts.org, app and broadcast); NJ PBS will release all episodes of American Songbook at NJPAC available to stream at any time on njpbs.org/Broadway; and Broadway to Main Street, simulcast on WLIW-FM and wliw.org/radio, features the greatest songs of the American Musical Theater every Sunday at 3 p.m.

Broadway and Beyond programs are available across all of The WNET Group’s public media channels and platforms: THIRTEEN, WLIW/WLIW-FM, ALL ARTS, and NJ PBS. Below is a selection of broadcast and streaming options. Broadcast schedules are available to livestream at thirteen.org/live, wliw.org/live and MyNJPBS.org/live.

For an additional selection of broadcast and streaming options, visit thirteen.org/Broadway.

Photo from John W. Engeman Theater

The John W. Engeman Theater in Nothport has announced its 2025–2026 Main Stage season. The exciting line-up brings together a Tony Award-winning hit musical, a heartwarming holiday tradition, iconic musical legends, epic love stories, and a blast of ’80s fun. Season tickets are available now. Single show tickets go on sale on May 20.

“We are so proud to present such a powerful and entertaining lineup,” said Richard Dolce, Executive Producer of The John W. Engeman Theater. “This season celebrates unforgettable storytelling and iconic music, and I can’t think of a better way to mark our 100th Main Stage production. Audiences are in for a season full of joy, heart, and spectacular performances!”

COME FROM AWAY
September 11 – October 26, 2025
Our milestone 100th Main Stage production opens the season with the critically acclaimed, award-winning musical COME FROM AWAY. On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. Set in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, this moving true story follows the 7,000 stranded passengers who were welcomed with open arms in the wake of tragedy. Full of hope, humanity, and soaring music, COME FROM AWAY is a testament to the power of community and compassion.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL
November 13 – December 28, 2025
Celebrate the holiday season with this lively musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless tale. A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL follows Ebenezer Scrooge on a magical journey guided by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Featuring a delightful score by Alan Menken (Beauty & The Beast, The Little Mermaid) and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (Seussical, Once On This Island), this festive production is the perfect holiday treat for the whole family.

RING OF FIRE
January 15 – March 1, 2026
Feel the rhythm of the legendary Johnny Cash in this musical tribute that tells the story of his life through his iconic songs. RING OF FIRE features a toe-tapping collection of country, rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, and heartfelt ballads, brought to life by a cast of extraordinary actor-musicians. From “I Walk the Line” to “Folsom Prison Blues,” this show celebrates the man in black like never before.

THE BODYGUARD
March 12 – April 26, 2026
The smash-hit film comes to life on stage in this breathtaking musical adaptation. When a former Secret Service agent is hired to protect a superstar singer, they find more than danger—they find love. Featuring the chart-topping Whitney Houston soundtrack, THE BODYGUARD includes show-stopping hits such as “I Will Always Love You,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “So Emotional,” and more.

CAMELOT
May 14 – June 28, 2026
Rediscover the legendary tale of King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, and Sir Lancelot in the sweeping and romantic musical CAMELOT. With its soaring score and timeless story of honor, love, and betrayal, this classic from Lerner & Loewe features beloved songs including, “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “The Lusty Month of May,” and the title song “Camelot.”

THE WEDDING SINGER
July 9 – August 23, 2026
Close out the season with a high-energy celebration of the ’80s! Based on the hit Adam Sandler film, THE WEDDING SINGER brings big hair, big dreams, and big laughs to the stage. Follow Robbie, a charming wedding singer with a broken heart, as he finds new love in this hilarious and feel-good musical packed with catchy tunes, retro vibes, and romance.

Tickets & Information:
Tickets can be purchased by calling (631) 261-2900, visiting www.engemantheater.com, or in person at the Box Office located at 250 Main Street, Northport.

For a complete show schedule and more, visit www.engemantheater.com or call (631) 261-2900.

Image courtesy of LIM

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents Shirley Chisholm, Unbossed & Unbowed on Friday, May 9 in the LIM’s Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room at 7 p.m.

Don’t miss this award-winning solo show created and performed by Ingrid Griffith, telling the largely unheard story of Shirley St. Hill Chisholm, a Brooklyn-born politician of immigrant parents, who, in the 20th century, was the first African-American woman to win a seat in Congress and run for President.

The story follows 10-year-old Shirley as she returns to the U.S. after being separated from her parents during the Great Depression. Her years with her grandmother in Barbados deeply shaped her Caribbean heritage, influencing her bearing, speech, and self-expectations. Shirley Chisholm’s childhood reveals how race and gender were meant to limit her, yet she chose to fight for the disenfranchised, overcoming immense barriers to rise in politics.

Unbossed and Unbowed dramatizes the Civil Rights era, the unrest of the 1960s, and the patriarchal system she challenged—struggles that still resonate today. Through visuals and music, the play captures the economic, political, and social upheavals from the 1930s to the early 1970s. While all characters bring strong voices, it is Shirley Chisholm’s narrative that delivers the story’s powerful message.

Tickets are $30, $25 members. To register, visit www.longislandmuseum.org or click here. For more information, call 631-751-0066.

This program is part of “A New Agora for New York.”

 

On April 27, Theatre Three, in collaboration with the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council, held a screening of Gotta Dance, the documentary which is the basis of their upcoming production Half Time The Musical, in its New York premiere. The evening opened with the cast of Half Time  presenting “A Number,” the opening of the show. Following the documentary, Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel led a talkback with the documentary’s producer/director Dori Berinstein.

From the creators of The Wedding Singer, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom and Legally Blonde, Half Time is based on the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at halftime for a major basketball team. They have three things in common: they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60 years old! Only after making the cut, do they learn they won’t be dancing tap, salsa or swing – instead they will bring down the house with hip-hop!

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Half Time on the Mainstage from May 24 to June 22. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students, $25 Wednesday matinees and children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

By Julianne Mosher

SomeBUNNY should go see the most perfect springtime show now playing at Port Jefferson’s Theatre Three right away. The Adventures of Peter Rabbit might be geared for kids, but audiences of all ages will smile from ear to ear by the end of the hour-long show. 

Written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Brent Erlanson, the musical opened last week during Spring Break and will run through May 10. With original music by Kevin F. Story, the musical is based loosely on the beloved characters from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.

The show starts off in the cute and cozy cottage home of Mrs. Rabbit (Elizabeth Ladd) and her three adorable bunnies — Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail (Cassidy Rose O’Brien, Julia Rose Albino and Katy Snair). There is, however, a fourth bunny, Peter (Ryan Worrell), who is a bit of a troublemaker, especially if he gets together with his cousin Benjamin Bunny (Ryan Van Nostrand). 

The two boys can’t stay away from the next door farm of Mr. and Mrs. McGregor’s garden (Louisa Bikowski and Liam Marsigliano), which is full of all of their favorite veggies to eat (or steal). Soon enough, Mr. McGregor, who’s “a meanie with a temper like a bear,” spies Peter and Benjamin sneaking tastes of lettuce, cucumbers and carrots and begins to plot his revenge. 

Interactive and exciting for the little ones in the crowd, there is always something to look at. For example, you may see Peter, his three sisters and their cousin run through the aisles, take a seat in the audience and even chat with you throughout the show. 

Colleen Britt directs a small cast of eight, but with a large level of talent. Worrell and Van Nostrand shine in the comedic roles of Peter and Benjamin. O’Brien, Albino and Snair are great additions with their timely, goody-two-shoes one liners and, of course, Mrs. Rabbit is equally as lovable. And even though they’re the antagonists as the farmers, you’ll still have a soft spot for Bikowski and Marsigliano, too. 

Plus, all of the songs and dances, with special mention to “Run Peter Run” and “Peter’s Socks,” are charming with Douglas J. Quattrock and Jeffrey Hoffman on the keyboards. The final number incorporates all of the songs in a super mega-mix extravaganza.

Costumes by Jason Allyn, from the bunnies’ spring dresses in pink, purple, green and red to their bunny ears and tails, are the carrots on the cake. And wait until you see the lighting and special effects!

Souvenir bunnies in various colors will be sold before the show and during intermission and the entire cast will be in the lobby after the show for a meet-and-greet and photos.

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Theatre Three, 412 Main St. Port Jefferson presents The Adventures of Peter Rabbit at 11 a.m. on April 26, April 27 (sensory-friendly performance), May 3 and May 10. Children’s theater continues with Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs from May 13 to June 21. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

The cast of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' Photo by Julianne Mosher

Reviewed by Julianne Mosher

The Shea Theatre at Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Campus in Selden becomes the Australian desert for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, but features a colorful rainbow of a story.

Directed by Mary Seymour, the jukebox musical written by Australian film director Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott  uses well-known pop songs as its score. Based on Elliott’s 1994 cult-followed film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the show tells the story of two drag queens and a transgender woman who travel across the Australian desert in a camper they coined Priscilla to perform at a resort in Alice Springs. 

Priscilla the camper. Photo by Julianne Mosher

The play starts out at the Cockatoo Club where the three divas (Michaela Fitzsimmons, Alani Etheridge and Angie Barrientos) start off by belting “It’s Raining Men.” We meet Miss Understanding, (Eleb Jr. Henrius), the MC of the club who plays his rendition of “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and we meet Tick, (Will Begley), a down-on-her-luck drag queen. 

Tick receives a phone call from his wife, Marion (Jadah Dixon), who after not seeing each other for several years as he makes a life for himself in the big city of Sydney, offers him a spot to perform his drag number at her casino in Alice Springs. Not only is she offering him a job, but she’s allowing him to finally meet his young son.

Excited for the opportunity for a fresh start, and to meet his child, Tick calls his old friend, Bernadette, (Thomas McGuire) a transgender woman and retired performer, and a young, semi-cocky drag queen named Felicia (Joseph Salerno). Felicia and Bernadette don’t get along, but reluctantly agree to board a beaten-up old camper they christen “Priscilla.”

The trio head west across the Australia on a weeks-long trip to reach their destination. Aboard the bus, they experience it all, from visiting hole-in-the-wall bars (performing disco anthems like “I Love the Nightlife” to unenthused country folk) to eventually breaking down in the middle of the desert. A lot of laughs, and even some tears, the trip for the three is quite the doozy as they meet an array of strange characters along the way.

When they finally make it to Alice Springs, the three perform together as a group in an epic lip sync that has the audience dancing in their seats. 

While watching the show, one might not even realize they are being entertained by students who are surely on their way to stardom. While the talent of the three divas and the three queens is exceptional, the show becomes even more excellent with the addition of the ensemble cast who float between roles and different scenes effortlessly (Nicholas Maggipinto, Thomas Everson, Izzy Mangiaracina, Sarah Lange, Mia Lombardi, Krystian Karwowski, Max Venezia, Katelyn Carlo, Alberto Negron, Isabella Romero, Jennifer Sandusky, Kian Ventura).

During the two-hour show, the stage design changes rapidly. From dive bars to opulent gay clubs, one fun spectacle of the show is Priscilla, herself, which has its own set in itself and is a major focal point of the show. The costumes, too, are as colorful as you’d imagine considering the show surrounds three fabulous drag queens.

So, don’t miss this show. With other fun tunes like, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” “Material Girl,” “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” “True Colors,” “Hot Stuff,” and “Boogie Wonderland,” you’ll be singing and dancing along as if you were at the club, too.

The Theatres at Suffolk County Community College present Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in the Shea Theatre, Islip Arts Building, SCCC Ammerman campus, 533 College Road, Selden on April 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. and April 27 at 2 p.m. General admission is $15, veterans and students 16 years of age or younger $10. SCCC students receive two free tickets. To order, call 631-451-4163.

Reviewed by Rita J. Egan

Theatre Three’s Wait Until Dark cast has theatergoers sitting at the edge of their seats — sometimes even jumping out of them.

Directed by Christine Boehm, the suspense thriller, which was written by Frederick Knott and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, takes place in the Greenwich Village basement apartment of Susan Hendrix and her husband Sam in 1944. 

The show, which opened on April 18, follows Susan, who recently lost her vision and three con artists searching for a mysterious doll. Audience members soon discover how resourceful she is and learn why sometimes it’s best to wait until dark. 

The play, which originally debuted on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1966, was released as a movie in 1967 starring Audrey Hepburn of Breakfast at Tiffany’s fame.

Set designer Randall Parsons has skillfully recreated a small apartment on Theatre Three’s mainstage. The smartly designed set, which includes pieces integral to the plot line, and the theater’s size are perfect for a play such as this, as audience members are easily drawn into the scenes, feeling like they are right there in the room as the story unfolds.

Jessica Mae Murphy, as Susan, is quite convincing as the blind homemaker. She evokes sympathy as she reveals her frustrations and strategically bumps into furniture in earlier scenes. Later in the production, as the character’s senses become keener and she realizes her blindness may be an asset in her current circumstances, Murphy seamlessly conveys the confidence growing in Susan.

Scott Butler plays up the swarminess of the conniving conman Harry Roat Jr. to the point that one can’t help but feel uncomfortable whenever he is on stage. Unsurprisingly, the character turns out to be the most dangerous of the three con artists.

Richard O’Sullivan delivers just how uncomfortable his character Sgt. Carlino is with the situation he has been dragged into. David DiMarzo, as Mike Talman, is so convincing as a sweet and friendly former Marine and friend of Susan’s husband that audience members may feel sorry for him when they discover his ultimate fate despite a story twist that reveals his true identity.

Adriana Mia Como is perfect as the bratty girl Gloria, who lives in the same apartment building as Susan and her husband and, at the same time, she gets across that the character truly cares for Susan. While Eric J. Hughes’ time on stage as Sam was short, he portrayed the character with sweetness and charm.

Theatre Three has proven once again that regional theater is an asset to the community and offering productions such as Wait Until Dark is vital. Plays such as this one and last year’s The Gin Game are a treat since most modern theater lovers have most likely never had the opportunity to see them live on stage.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Wait Until Dark until May 11. Runtime is approximately two hours with a 15-minute intermission. Please note the production contains some adult situations. The season continues with Half Time from May 24 to June 22. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students, $25 children ages 5 to 12 and Wednesday matinees. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit theatrethree.com.

Theatre Three announced the line-up for its 55th season on April 19:

Annie from Sept. 13 to Oct. 19, 2025; A Christmas Carol from Nov. 8 to Dec. 27, 2025; Brighton Beach Memoirs from Jan. 17 to Feb. 8, 2026; Godspell from Feb. 21 to March 22, 2026; The 39 Steps from April 11 to May 3, 2026 and Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein from May 16 to June 21, 2026. Tickets are on sale now.

 

Lloyd Harbor Elementary School’s recent production of “The Addams Family Musical” in the Cold Spring Harbor School District proved to be a resounding success, captivating audiences with its charm, wit and theatrical flair. Featuring a cast and crew of fifth and sixth grade students, the show brought the iconic Addams family to life in a spirited performance that showcased the incredible talent, creativity and dedication of the young performers.

With a perfect blend of spooky charm and heartwarming humor, the fifth and sixth grade cast and crew welcomed brave souls and curious mortals to a world where the creepy is endearing, the kooky is captivating and being different is something to celebrate. From the opening number to the final bow, the talented young performers delivered an incredible show filled with impressive singing, polished choreography and impeccable comedic timing.

The fan-favorite number, “Full Disclosure,” captured the spirit of the musical’s message – that even the strangest families can bond over dinner. And while the characters may have emerged from the cobwebs of Broadway, it was hard to believe these stars-in-the-making were only in elementary school.

Under the inspired direction of Jennifer Cové, the production shined with professional- level quality. The costumes, makeup and set design were extraordinary, while the backstage crew executed seamless scene changes with quiet precision and tireless dedication.

Bravo to the entire cast, crew and production team for embracing the eccentric, celebrating the macabre and reminding us all that there’s magic in the mysterious.