Lighthouse Children’s Theatre stages The Addams Family in weekend musical production

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

Lighthouse Children’s Theatre brought “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy Young@Part Edition” to the stage this past weekend with a trio of performances that left audiences stunned and delighted. With one review on social media saying, “The kids did an AMAZING job” from an attendee.

Under the direction of Emily Bridges and Artistic Director Shayne Daniel, the audience was left in awe. Many expressed disbelief at the speed and finesse with which the show was put together, especially considering that the production is fully volunteer-led.

The final casting featured Abbanie Cooper as Morticia, Brooklyn Leonard as Pugsley, Everley Compton as Wednesday, Crayton Thorell as Uncle Fester, Jason Carl as Lucas, Coley Heuser as Alice, Joseph Gayman as Mal, Jorjia Rotert as the Ancestor Bride, Erica Rhodes as Grandma, Rain Cannon as Lurch, and Will Rotert as Gomez. The cast also included a dynamic ensemble of Ancestors played by students including Arianna Berning, Bailee Loyd, Bailey Budd, Bailey Cannon, Carsyn Compton, Cheyenne Russell, Copper Budd, Emery Shelby, Izzy Virnig, Kiya Virnig, Madison Dawson, Morely Gayman, Piper Dawson, Raelynn Moore, ShayLynn Greer, and Trynn McGuirk.

The show was directed by Emily Bridges, who lives in Lee’s Summit and serves as Manager of School Programs at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Bridges, an active director and performer, has been involved with Lighthouse Children’s Theatre since 2021 and now serves on the board. She was joined by Shayne Daniel, a longtime educator, and Missouri State Theatre Teacher of the Year, who also volunteers his time and talent to bring theatre opportunities to local youth.

In addition to the talent on stage, a strong group of community partners contributed to making the event possible.

The 2025 Community Partners included Sonic of El Dorado Springs, Tractor Supply Company, Woods Supermarket, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, The Home Store, El Dorado Springs Sun, and the El Dorado Springs R-2 School. Their contributions to services and resources played a key role in supporting the experience.

Sponsors for the 2025 season included a season-presenting gift from an anonymous donor. Single performance sponsors were Housh Family Dentistry, Toshua Barnes McCormick – State Farm Insurance, and the Dan and Jana Compton Family. The concession sponsor was Sheldon Goodrich Funeral Home.

Performances were held over the weekend, with showings on Friday evening and two additional opportunities on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. New additions this year included a concession stand stocked with donated goods such as popcorn from Jerri Lynn Shelby Kyle, cinnamon rolls from Grandma Doris, cookies from Jana Julian Compton, and cupcakes from All Starr Sweets. Flowers and candy packs were also made available for attendees to purchase as break-a-leg gifts for cast members.

Photography for the event was provided by Emily Shelby of Almosta Ranch, who volunteered to document the performance.

Lighthouse Children’s Theatre continues to grow as a staple in the local arts community, providing youth with a platform to shine while bringing families together through the power of live performance.

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy in the cast listing. We apologize for any misspelled names and appreciate your understanding.

Please send all corrections or typos to sunpub@centurylink.net, including the article information in the subject line.