Instructions
This worksheet is designed to connect your experience with "The Addams Family" to various school subjects. Answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Think critically and creatively!
Art
Set & Mood: The Addams Family mansion is a character in itself. The set design typically uses a monochromatic color scheme (blacks, whites, grays) with occasional pops of a single, dramatic color like red. How does this limited color palette contribute to the overall mood and tone of the play? Now, imagine you have to add one new, significant set piece to the living room. What would it be, and what single accent color would you use for it to draw the audience's attention? Justify your choice.
English
Character Analysis through Song: In the song "Pulled," Wednesday sings about being pulled in a new direction. This is a classic example of a song revealing internal conflict. Identify two opposing forces or feelings she describes in the song. Then, explain the meaning of the following lyric: "I'm a puppet and the puppet master's me."
History
Gothic Origins: The Addams Family is a modern example of the Gothic genre, which has roots in 18th-century literature. A key element of Gothic literature is the setting, often an old, decaying, and mysterious castle or mansion. Name one classic Gothic novel from the 18th or 19th century and explain how the setting of the Addams Family home honors this historical literary tradition.
Music
The Opening Number: The song "When You're an Addams" serves as the musical's opening number. What are the primary functions of an opening number in a musical? Based on this song, list at least two things the audience learns about the Addams family's values and personality before the main plot even begins.
Physical Education
Stage Movement & Characterization: Lurch is known for his slow, deliberate, and lumbering movements. From a physical education perspective, this requires significant core strength and body control to perform convincingly without injury, especially for long periods. Describe a simple core-strengthening exercise (like a plank or dead bug) and explain how practicing it could help an actor maintain the demanding physicality of a character like Lurch.
Science
The Science of Stagecraft: Uncle Fester has a unique talent: he can power a lightbulb by putting it in his mouth. In reality, this stage trick is often accomplished using a hidden battery and a pressure-sensitive switch. However, let's explore the real science. For a standard incandescent lightbulb to glow, an electric current must pass through a thin piece of wire called a filament, causing it to heat up and emit light. What metal, known for its extremely high melting point, is commonly used to make the filament in an incandescent bulb?
Social Studies
Family Structures & Social Norms: The play explores the clash between the Addamses and the seemingly "normal" Beineke family. Sociologists study different family structures and cultural norms. The Addams family, while unconventional, displays intense loyalty and open communication. The Beineke family, while appearing traditional, harbors secrets and frustrations. What message does the play convey about the definition of a "normal" or "good" family? Use the concepts of subculture (the Addamses) versus mainstream culture (the Beinekes) in your answer.
Answer Key
Art
The monochromatic color scheme creates a gloomy, mysterious, and gothic mood. It makes the world feel old, timeless, and separate from the outside world. The lack of color also makes the characters' personalities seem more vibrant by contrast. For the new set piece, a good answer would be something that fits the family's aesthetic (e.g., a dusty pipe organ, a towering taxidermy bear, a guillotine). A good accent color choice might be a deep crimson or a sickly green, justified by explaining how it adds a sense of danger, passion, or decay that enhances the scene's mood.
English
The two opposing forces Wednesday describes are: 1) Her "darkness" and family identity (liking torture, graveyards, etc.) and 2) Her new, "bright" feelings of love and happiness for Lucas (liking puppies, ballads, etc.). The lyric "I'm a puppet and the puppet master's me" means she feels like she is not in control of her actions, as if she's being manipulated. However, she recognizes that these new feelings and desires are coming from within herself—she is both the puppet and the one pulling the strings.
History
Acceptable classic Gothic novels include: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, or The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. The Addams Family home honors this tradition by being a large, imposing, and decaying mansion full of secrets, hidden passages, and a sense of being haunted or isolated from the normal world, just like the castles and estates in classic Gothic literature.
Music
The primary functions of an opening number are to: 1) Introduce the main characters and the world of the play, 2) Set the tone and style of the musical, and 3) Grab the audience's attention. From "When You're an Addams," the audience learns that the family: 1) Embraces darkness, death, and pain ("Have a cocktail with some cyanide"), and 2) Places a high value on family loyalty and their unique identity ("You have to see the world in shades of gray," "Always go to home and hearth").
Physical Education
An acceptable exercise is the plank. To perform it, one holds a push-up position, resting on the forearms, keeping the body in a straight line from head to heels. This exercise builds isometric core strength, which is crucial for an actor playing Lurch. It would help them maintain a rigid, controlled posture for extended periods, preventing their back from slumping and reducing the risk of strain or injury while executing the slow, deliberate movements required for the character.
Science
The metal used for the filament in an incandescent lightbulb is Tungsten. Its very high melting point (3,422 °C or 6,192 °F) allows it to get hot enough to glow brightly (incandescence) without melting.
Social Studies
The play's message is that the definition of a "normal" or "good" family is not about outward appearances but about internal love, acceptance, and honesty. The Addamses, who represent a subculture with values directly opposing the mainstream, are shown to be a very functional, loving, and supportive family unit. The Beinekes, who represent mainstream culture and the pressure to appear perfect, are revealed to be dysfunctional and unhappy. The play suggests that accepting differences and being true to oneself leads to a healthier family dynamic than conforming to societal expectations.