Family First, Family Last: The Enduring Wisdom of ‘The Addams Family’

This is a family we think we know from our shared love of them through pop culture. Who doesn’t know that famous double snap? Yet, as the national tour of “The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy” arrives at the Ordway in St. Paul this week—Sept. 30 through Oct. 5—we are discovering that even the most iconic characters, like Morticia, have new layers of vulnerability and strength to reveal.

I sat down with Renee Kathleen Koher, who plays Morticia Addams, to discuss everything from the intense training required of a Broadway performer to the profound lessons she takes from the stage. Renee emphasizes the essential nature of the show right now: two and a half hours to laugh and reconnect with an important, family-centered story. She reminds us that “we have to take care of each other, especially now. It’s important that we look after our families, our tribes, and we do what we can to help our community.” It’s about family first and family last, a sentiment that grounds the entire darkly humorous spectacle.

Here, Renee shares her journey, how Morticia’s strength is shown through her humanity, and why the show connects with every single generation.

Photo by Sarah Smith, NWCC

Q: What is that one moment in the show every night that you just can’t wait for the audience to see?

RENEE KATHLEEN KOHER (MORTICIA ADDAMS): Honestly, I think it’s the song “Happy/Sad.” It’s one of the most heartfelt and beautiful moments in the show, and totally unexpected. You come expecting laughter, and suddenly, we drop this incredible sentimentality right in the middle of it. I listen to it every night backstage because our Gomez (Rodrigo Aragon) sings it so beautifully. I think any parent, especially fathers who have growing daughters, will connect with that feeling—being happy she’s finding her way, yet sad his little girl is growing up. It’s a beautiful, surprising piece of heart.

Q: You’ve played Morticia before in another production. Have you discovered anything new about her this time?

RKK: Absolutely, and that’s the joy of reprising a role. You always discover new things, especially because of the people you’re doing it with. The rest of the cast is completely different, which forces continuous new reactions. Plus, our current script has some exciting changes, more jokes that land, a different ending, which keeps it fresh. While I already know who Morticia is, it’s fun to incorporate new influences. Now that the “Wednesday” series is out, I even look for small ways to pay homage to Catherine Zeta-Jones, alongside the classic interpretations by Carolyn Jones and Anjelica Huston. It’s a constantly evolving creation.

Q: Morticia is the calm at the center of chaos. How do you find the comedy in a character who is so contained?

RKK: It was a huge challenge for me, especially since I usually lean into physical comedy. I constantly had to remind myself, “No, Renee, you are not the clown.” Morticia has to be incredibly contained; her comedic punchlines have to be perfectly dry to land. You lose the timing if you add anything extra. Gomez (Rodrigo Aragon) is the physical clown, but I have to be the straight woman, sometimes delivering the line that just leads to a look, and that look is the punchline. It’s a totally different, yet ultimately rewarding, way to approach comedy.

Q: You’ll love the Minnesota audiences. How does the city and that audience influence your performance, especially since we need “The Addams Family” right now?

RKK: I completely agree; we desperately need those two and a half hours to forget our troubles, laugh, and reconnect with an important, family-centered story. Being able to travel to all these incredible cities—and the energy of the audience—is a symbiotic relationship. We feed off of that energy, their laughter boosts us, and the excitement of performing in a beautiful space like the Ordway adds to the performance.

The enduring power of “The Addams Family” is that it connects with every generation. You have those who remember the original TV series, those who loved the movies, and now the new generation coming in because of the “Wednesday” series. This show truly has something nostalgic for everyone, and that is absolutely incredible. You don’t have that with many other shows of being able to connect with so many generations with one show.

Photo by Meredith Mashburn Photography

Q: With the “Wednesday” phenomenon, what do you think about that mother-daughter relationship in the stage show?

RKK:  I love that this musical shows Morticia in a completely different realm. The “Wednesday” series really starts that butting of heads between mother and daughter, and in the musical, that is a massive plot point—Wednesday is older now and pushing back.

Because of this, we get to see Morticia truly fall apart. We don’t see her this vulnerable in any other version of “The Addams Family.” Her journey shows her confidence being hit, making her question everything she knows, and then finding her path forward. It’s an incredibly interesting twist to see her so human and vulnerable.

Q: What do you want people to take away from your portrayal of Morticia?

RKK: I truly hope audiences take away the idea that a woman’s strength is not diminished by vulnerability. Morticia is the undeniable head of the household; she’s strong, she’s in charge, and she handles her leadership with grace. But in this show, we get to see that she’s human, too. She has moments where she genuinely struggles, where her emotions surface, and that’s okay. It’s a powerful message that you can be the strong person, the successful person, the strong mother, and still have vulnerable feelings and make mistakes. We’re all connected by that human experience. Ultimately, the biggest takeaway from the show is what Morticia embodies: “Family, family first and family last and family by and by.” We have to take care of those we love, and family means so much more than just blood, it’s our tribe, our people.

Q: As a theater educator, what advice do you have for people starting out and the people that are sitting in the audience at the Ordway wanting to know how to be where you are?

RKK: My biggest advice is training—build your basket of skills! You must be everything: a strong singer, actor, and dancer, and you have to do it well. Say yes to every opportunity you can, whether it’s the ensemble or backstage work. Immerse yourself in the world, because the people you meet will become your professional network.

The other big thing is kindness. Be the best that you can be, do the training for yourself so you go into that room being your best, most confident self. Then, be kind to everybody around you because you all love it, and that’s the community we want to be a part of. Put away the jealousy; remember you are all there for the same reason.