Addams Runs in the Family for Jessica

When Shire Music Theatre in Sydney’s south presents The Addams Family in October 2014, AIM Student Jessica Farrell will play Wednesday Addams. Recently she chatted to Stage Whispers about the show.

What attracted you to the role of Wednesday?

I have always wanted to play Wednesday since I saw the professional production in Sydney a few years ago.  I loved how she is so blunt with her relationships and how she challenges the ideas of ‘normality’. She has a dark attitude but in a good way - she truly cares about others. She cares deeply about her family, takes risks and challenges other people’s perceptions of her. Though Wednesday can be quite dark, she also has a great comedic streak which points to a great sense of humour. I find that utterly irresistible.

What do you like about the production?

Foremost, I love the people involved. I am so inspired by the other performers. The creative team, Chae Rogan, Sam Larielle and Peter Sampson, is simply wonderful; they bring out the best in all of us. One of the really lovely things is that the entire cast and production team get along so well. Rehearsals aren’t a chore, but a joy to attend each week. I really believe that this will come across to audiences.

What are you looking forward to the most?

Opening night! It’s the moment that we have all been working so hard towards. It is fruition of weeks of hard work and dedication and it is the moment when we get immediate feedback and the mutual joy of the performance.

Do you have anything you want the audience to take from seeing the show?

What I would really love the audience to take from seeing The Addams Family is the opportunity to escape from their lives and troubles for a couple of hours and immerse themselves in a different reality, and laugh, cry and most of all to understand that no matter what our differences are, we are all family. That “normal” is a relative term.

Your mum has a strange connection to the show thanks to her maiden name. Tell us about that.

First of all, my mother’s maiden name is Adams with one D but all the kids at school firmly believed that she was a part of the television series, hence she was teased, stirred, so she completely embraced it. And she enjoyed being “They're creepy and they're kooky, Mysterious and spooky, They're altogether ooky.” While mum used to say their house was a museum, I’m afraid my mum’s the only relic.

How did you feel when you got the call offering the role?

Frankly I burst into tears because I felt too overwhelmed and humbled with the opportunity that was given to me. To realise here was my chance to perform as Wednesday, a role I’ve always admired, was amazing.

What is your background as a performer?

I started singing, dancing and acting when I was five in local productions. Since then I have been fortunate enough to have been given fantastic roles both lead and minor in many productions local and the greater Sydney metropolitan region. I’ve worked with such talented people both on stage and behind the stage that have taught me so much. However, I would not being doing what I am today without the incredible knowledge, talent and experiences of my wonderful tutors, to whom I am forever grateful.

What are you studying at the moment and where?

I am currently enrolled at the Australian Institute of Music studying a bachelor of Music (Music Theatre). I am so lucky that not only are my lecturers generous in sharing their knowledge and are helping me and my fellow students to achieve our goals every week, but classes are a pleasure to attend and learning is a delight. 

The Addams Family: A New Musical plays at the Sutherland Memorial School of Arts from October 17^{th, 2014}.

Tickets at www.shiremusictheatre.org.au

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