VALDOSTA – Yes, they’re creepy. Yes, they’re kooky. Yes, they’re mysterious, spooky, all together ooky and they’re musical, too.

The Addams Family are all of these things at Valdosta State University.

VSU Theatre & Dance presents “The Addams Family – A New Musical” for seven performances, running Thursday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Watching the cast perform the opening song, “When You’re an Addams,” one thing becomes immediately obvious – The Addams Family appeal crosses many generations.

And even played by young adults in the VSU Theatre production, the characters – Gomez, Morticia, Fester, Lurch, Wednesday, Pugsley and Grandmama – are immediately recognizable to audiences of all ages.

“Every age group has its own version of the Addams Family. Mine was the movies,” said Sarah Wildes Arnett, show choreographer, referring to the 1990s films starring Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston and Christopher Lloyd as Gomez, Morticia and Fester Addams.

“I watched the reruns after school,” said Hank Rion, referring to the black-and-white 1960s television series starring John Astin, Carolyn Jones and Jackie Coogan as Gomez, Morticia and Fester.

But there have also been other iterations through the years, such as Tim Curry and Darryl Hannah as Gomez and Morticia, as well as a more recent series of animated films, other TV cartoons through the decades and, what started it all – the original black-and-white, pen-and-ink cartoons by Charles Addams in the mid-20th century.

In 2010, the Addams Family became a Broadway show starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia.

The musical is “very funny, nostalgic with some really good surprises in it that audiences should enjoy,” Rion said.

He said the VSU production earned a lot of laughs at the crew view, a showing for the tech crew. “Which is a good sign,” Rion said, noting the tech crew is typically a tough audience.

Filled with numerous songs – including the well-known, finger-snapping theme – and dances – yes, including a tango – the show strikes familiar Addams Family themes.

VSU Theatre show synopsis: “‘The Addams Family,’ a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story and it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met. and if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.”

The show has a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on the characters created by Charles Addams.

Arnett said audiences are invited to wear costumes for the Halloween performance, Oct. 31. Children can wear their costumes after trick or treating and older audience members can wear their costumes before going to later Halloween parties, Rion said.

So, audiences going to VSU Sawyer Theatre would do well to remember: “Their house is a museum, when people come too see ‘em, they really are a screa-um, the Addams Family.”

THE CAST: Quint Paxton, Annabelle Rose, Tyler Kent, Torie Kanes, Donavon Martin, Mia Washington, Emory Davis, Trey Harrell, Susanna Lloyd, Braeden Baldwin, Molly Armstrong, David Bass, Elinor Fenimore, Carly Fults, Suzannah Gaston, Deja Holden, Alyssa Leo, Lillabeth Mason, Ulysses Martinez, Erin McMahon, Maren Nixon, Nemo Rico, Gabe Rodriguez, Stephen Sykes, Noah Velodota, Demetria Wright.

Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance presents “The Addams Family – A New Musical,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 26-28; 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, Sawyer Theatre, VSU Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood. Reservations, more information: Call (229) 333-5973 or visit http://www.valdosta.edu/comarts.