The drama department’s spring production, The Addams Family, jumped full throttle into presentations with shows this week, Feb. 21-23, for selected class periods.

“It’s been going great,” senior Layla Cox, one of the directors, said. “The audience reaction has been good.”

“So far we’ve had a packed house for every single performance” of the weekday shows, according to senior Jadyn Zawieruszynski, another director. 

The cast and crew have been working since auditions in November, with “rehearsals increasing to daily before show week,” Cox said. “It’s been fun, but we’re tired.”

Zawieruswzynski said the National Art Honor Socitey students made all the scenic backdrops, “which turned out amazing.”

Senior Nathyn Alvaro enjoyed the performance.

“Lulu [Gonzalez, who plays Morticia] fit the role and executed it extremely well,” he said. “She has a natural talent and she was in her element.”

Paid shows are this weekend, Feb. 25-26. Saturday’s evening performance will feature a first-ever diner-and-theatre experience, courtesy of the culinary department. Lars Mitsuda’s Culinary II class and Justine Perkins Baking and Pastry classes are offering a pasta meal for $10 at 6:00 p.m., 90 minutes before the 7:30 p.m. show. 

“[Drama teacher] Mark Ikenaga asked us if we wanted to do a collaboration, and we said ‘sure,’” Mitsuda said. 

The student chefs will be making a vegetarian cream pasta or pork penne pasta with roasted vegetables. Dessert will be lemon pudding cake and chocolate lava cake.

“Mr. Mitsuda asked us if we wanted to volunteer to cook, and it sounded like fun,” senior Kai Wang said. “I think we are going to make maybe a hundred meals.”

Tickets are available for the weekend performances at the Performing Arts Center on Ticketspiket.com. The Saturday show is at 2:00 p.m and 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday show is at 2:00 p.m.  All shows are $5. It’s an extra $10 for the Saturday dinner at 6:00 p.m.