Cast, crew, and orchestra wow crowds at each presentation and bring the house down consistently
By Jim Beers
CHESTER — Chester High School’s 2025 production of “The Addams Family” was a huge success and pleased audiences at each show. The musical featured a cast of 10 main actors along with an additional 12 ancestors in what is traditionally called the chorus. In only his second year as Theatre Director at CHS, Steve Colonel led the charge in organizing and directing not only the on-stage production, but organized and directed the 11-musician orchestra.
Cast members included Jason Sibley as Gomez Addams; Grace Kirkpatrick as Morticia Addams; Will Welge as Uncle Fester; Ary Shipley as Wednesday Addams; Annah Helvey as Grandma; Nico De Guzman as Pugsley Addams; Brenden Malley as Lurch; Bently Valleroy as Mal Beineke; Megan Zimmer as Alice Beineke; and Jaden Lopez as Lucas Beineke.
Addams Family Ancestors included Jaden Bert, Abby Carter, Kylie Eggemeyer, Addy Gottschammer, Natalie Guethle, Kendall Nanney, Katherine Pierce, Alyssa Stehl, Hannah Stueve, Whitney Sulser, Macy Van Zandt, and Alex Williamson.
Every successful stage production also has a group of very important individuals that are known as “The Crew” that works especially hard throughout the entire process to make sure the production can be successfully performed. This year’s crew consisted of 17 Chester High School students.
The 2025 Crew included Monica Anaya, Hayden Cartwright, Natalie Guetersloh, Liam Holland, Hannah Hoskin, Jack Kennedy, Mirra Krieg, Southern LaChance, Tia Martinez, Chelse Mathis, Anna Menefee, Lincon Schroeder, Isabel Smith, Lydia Smith, Ashlyn Via, and Lizzy Wilson.
The mere nature of a musical production dictates that the show must have music accompaniment. That accompaniment can be either music that is produced by a CD, record, tape, or some other form of recorded music, or produced by live music. Most musicals have live music produced by musicians via an orchestra.
Chester High School theatre productions have utilized both types of accompaniment music over the years. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but most patrons at both high school and professional theatrical productions prefer live orchestras.
The CHS production of “The Pajama Game” last year in 2024 and this year’s production of “The Addams Family” utilized live orchestral music. Numerous patrons who attended both productions voiced that they were extremely happy that Steve Colonel, CHS Theatre and Music Director, brought back live orchestra to CHS Musicals.
Mr. Colonel spared no time and effort putting together this year’s 11-member orchestra which included two university-trained music teachers, another six college-trained musicians, one current university student who is in his third year of studying to be a band-choral teacher, and two current Chester High School music students.
The orchestra included one Primary Piano Accompanist, two Keyboard Players, one who played primarily bass lines and another who played synthesized keyboard, one Drummer-Percussionist, another Percussionist-Drummer, one Trumpet Player, two Trombonists, one Flutist, one Clarinet-Saxophone Player, and one Bass Clarinet Player.
The musicians making up the orchestra included David August, bass keyboard; Dr. Jim Beers, drummer-percussionist; Mrs. Vicky Beers, Primary Piano Accompanist; Mrs. Sue Colonel, Clarinet-Saxophone; Lexi Davis, Trombonist; Ms. Melanie Johnson, Percussionist-Drummer; Mrs. Lisa Nazar, Flute-Piccolo; Mrs. Jeanne Pence, Trumpet; Mrs. Brooklyn Stehl, Bass Clarinet; Mr. Justin Stehl, Trombonist; and Mr. Brock Stinson, Keyboardist.
Special Thanks were also extended to another very important group of 17 individuals who helped make the production such a huge success.
Included in this group were District # 139 Administrators Jeremy Blechle, CHS Principal; Robin Barton, CHS Assistant Principal; Shirley Stegmann, Curricular Director, and Kimberly Briggs, Superintendent of Schools.
A key overall master of all types of creative services was Tim Paulus. Paulus is a master of wood-working, metal-work, painting, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical issues was very helpful throughout the months and weeks leading up the opening night.
CHS Agriculture Teacher Gregory Weigand and his CHS Construction Class assisted with set-building, etc. Carolyn Schwent was a monetary donor and Mary Ann Heberlie was slated to manage concessions. She has also been a long-time fund-raiser and overall supporter of CHS musicals. Mrs. Lisa Lazar, Sue Colonel’s sister from Chicago, created all of the costumes and made adjustments to costumes throughout the event.
Three CHS faculty and staff were responsible for handling ticket sales including Mrs. Evelyn Hankins, Mrs. Allison Heuer, and Mrs. Crystal Tindall. The Production Programs were created by CHS teacher Rana Hodge. CHS junior music student, Davis August designed and created the artwork for the program booklets. Lighting and Sound Supervisor was CHS Graduate, Miss Rylie McDonough.
Finally, Set and Backstage Managers included Mrs. Paula Ray, Mrs. Shirley Stegmann, and Miss Alex Westbrook.
The musical ran four days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday March 20-23. Show times were 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Crowds were good at each showing for approximately a total attendance of 1,000 for the four-day event.
The show was great from the start on Thursday, but got even better each performance as butterflies dissipated and confidence increased. The show was primarily a comedy, but had spurts of romance, drama, heartbreak and disappointment. Overall, the laughs flowed from the opening scene right up until the final notes and lines of the show.
Jason Sibley and Grace Kirkpatrick were phenomenal as the parents (Gomez Addams and Morticia Addams) of Wednesday Addams (played by Ary Shipley) and Pugsley Addams (played by Nico De Guzman). Will Welge was a crowd favorite as Uncle Fester. Anna Helvey Ahring shined as Grandma and got more than her share of laughs throughout the evening.
Bently Valleroy and Megan Zimmer were brilliant as the parents (Mal Beineke and Alice Beineke) of Lucas Beineke, played by Jaden Lopez. The “normal” threesome were quite comical as they attempted to meet the prospective abnormal in-laws and family members in the Addams Family home for dinner and a night of get-acquainted activities.
In his first ever appearance on stage, senior Brenden Malley, who played the role of the very abnormal butler, Lurch, had a fun time “grunting” his lines throughout the show. The entire show, including a 15-minute intermission, took about an hour and 30-minutes. The scenes moved quickly and kept the attention of the audience quite well!
The orchestra was challenged this year as the music was plentiful (29 songs) and difficult at times. Even with a very experienced group of musicians, Director Steve Colonel had to keep them on their toes to accomplish the task of accompanying all of the 29 tunes. The music was fantastic, however, and the lead vocalists did a wonderful job of bringing the show to life!
Backing up the main 10 cast members were a wonderful group of 12 Ancestors (otherwise known as the chorus). From the opening entrance to the final curtain call, the Ancestors were busy and did an amazing job of supporting the cast. Several had lines, but all sang and danced to broaden the production.
Director, Steve Colonel said, “I want to thank everyone who came out to see “The Addams Family Musical” at Chester High School’s Juergens Gym March 20-23. As exhausting as directing a musical can be, it gave me great joy to see the excitement on the kids’ faces as they took the stage for each performance.”
“Our audiences were wonderful for each performance all four shows! I hope everyone enjoyed the production as much as we enjoyed performing it! Remember, ‘When you’re an Addams, you do what Addams always do!”
The Cast, Crew, Orchestra, and Staff pose for a photo immediately after the closing of the Chester High School Musical, “The Addams Family”. Melody Colonel Photo
The Beineke Family including (left to right) includes Alice (Megan Zimmer), Mal (Bently Valleroy), and Lucas (Jaden Lopez). The “Normal” family had just entered the home of the Addams Family in the CHS production of “The Addams Family”. Jim Beers Photo
The Addams Family comes to life on Juergens Gym Stage Thursday through Sunday March 20-23 at Chester High School. Pictured (left to right) are Addams Family members Lurch (Brenden Malley), Uncle Fester (Will Welge), Wednesday (Ary Shipley), Gomez (Jason Shipley, Morticia (Grace Kilpatrick), Pugsley (Nico De Guzman), and Grandma (Anna Helvey Ahring) Melody Colonel Photo.
Jason Sibley as “Gomez”
Grace Kirkpatrick as “Morticia”
Will Welge as “Uncle Fester
Nico De Guzman as “Pugsley”
Ary Shipley as “Pugsley
Jaden Lopez as “Lucas”
Annah Helvy Ahring as “Grandma”