Page 9 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2025 - Online Magazine

The Addams Family Q&A

A Visit with Renee Kathleen Koher (Morticia Addams)

June 13-15, 2025 at the Buddy Holly Hall, Lubbock

Please tell us a bit about your Neuwirth on Broadway. I watched beautiful and exciting music
history as a performer. them all! I also read every interview written by Andrew Lippa, plus a
I could with these women to learn clever and hilarious script—not to
I have been performing since the about their preparation for playing mention the sets and lighting that
age of five. Growing up in La Morticia. Then, in creating my own bring the Addams Family’s creepy,
Grange, Illinois, I had a lot of access Morticia, I picked and chose little kooky mansion to life. The show
to community theater around the bits from each of them that I loved also surprises you and has so much
Chicagoland area, so I used to and that I found important to her heart and relatability. At the root of
participate in a lot of shows at a character and made it my own. So, it, the show is about a family who
young age. I then went to the Hartt for example, I loved Carolyn Jones’s loves each other deeply, and who
School of Music in Connecticut walk in the 1960s television series, only want the best for each other.
to get my BFA in musical theater, but I wanted to refine her a little They are put into a position where
and, from then on, I just continued bit and give her more fluidity and trust is challenged, but through
to perform all over the world. I sensuality, almost like she’s floating. love and acceptance, they are able
performed in Regional Theatre I think it’s important when you’re to overcome. I don’t think a lot of
(The Hartford Stage Company, portraying such iconic roles to give people expect that from The Addams
The Phoenix Theatre Company, the audience the characteristics that Family musical!
Connecticut Repertory Theater, they know, love, and expect but, as
The Palace Theatre, to name a few) an actor, also combining that and What should audiences expect to
as well as on cruise ships. I also making it your own. take away from the production?
worked in Japan for many years
for Disney. I’ve been very lucky What is your favorite song to I think the audience should expect
and have been able to perform perform and why? to leave the theater satisfied—
continuously for over 25 years. feeling like they spent an evening
I love performing “Death Is Just with their favorite family, watching
How did you prepare to bring Around the Corner.” It’s Morticia’s them navigate a scenario that is
such an iconic character to life on song that opens Act Two. It’s just brand new to their storyline, all
stage? so fun and funny, and we get to while laughing with us, crying with
see a more lighthearted part of her us, and taking away a new sense
Bringing Morticia Addams to life character. There’s also a surprise of acceptance and understanding
has been so much fun! This is the cameo in it, which I think is for people who might be different
second time that I’ve played her, hysterical! and view life in different ways.
so I was able to revisit a lot of the The Addams Family musical does
research I did the first time around. What do you think makes this truly have something for everyone,
It is a dream to have had so many show special? and it’s special in a way that every
incredible women play her before. generation will find something they
From Carolyn Jones in the 1960s I think the show is special because can relate to.
television series, to Anjelica Huston it has everything you want out
in all of the 1990s movies, Catherine of a musical! You have hysterical
Zeta-Jones in the current Wednesday comedy, characters that so many
series on Netflix, and of course, Bebe generations know and love,

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