Newfield High School to showcase Addams Family musical

Newfield High School is set to hold a musical based on a classic story, providing a steady balance of comedy and drama.

The high school drama club will showcase “The Addams Family: School Edition” on March 20-22 at 7 p.m. and March 23 at 1 p.m. Each show will take place in the high school auditorium on the Newfield Central School District campus.

“The difference between the school edition and the original Broadway play is that it’s a little more appropriate for high schoolers,” said Reagan Pieniazek, the high school drama director.

The show tells the story of Wednesday Addams as she meets a boy named Lucas Beineke. The first act includes direct involvement from Wednesday’s parents, Motricia and Gomez Addams, with other characters playing crucial roles in the story.

The second act, Pieniazek said, will be left as a mystery for those who attend the show.

Pieniazek noted that there are 16 high school students and four community members in the cast, with the stage crew of almost the same size.

Other community members will assist with the concession stand and with selling T-shirts for each night of the show.

“We are getting close to opening night,” Pieniazek said. “The kids are doing really well. They’ve made so much progress over the last two months. We have some very strong singers in our leads. It just worked out perfectly for them. I don’t think I could have a better cast for the show.”

Pieniazek, who’s in her first school year as the drama director, was an assistant drama director at the school where she previously worked. Pieniazek also teaches general music for seventh and eighth graders, and band lessons for seventh through 12th graders at Newfield Middle/High School.

“At the school [where] I used to teach, I was the assistant director for four of the shows that spread across three years,” she said. “It’s something really fun to work on. When I saw the director role [at Newfield] was open, I decided to put my name in and see what happens. It’s been such a fun experience working on this show.”

It took some time for the club to choose a story for the show before they eventually went with the Addams Family, Pieniazek said.

“I was looking at the cast size and who we had that was interested in auditioning for the show,” she said. “I took those numbers and figured out what’s a show that maybe I could have for my first show as director and a show that I know. It made things a little easier on myself. I also wanted to pick a show that would suit the students we have, so I ended up going with the Addams Family.”

Pieniazek said that while the show tends to lean into more of a serious tone, there’s plenty of comic relief.

“I think these kids are really funny,” Pieniazek said. “For only 16 kids, they’re a really strong group.”

Pieniazek praised the cast for being an “awesome, good group of kids.”

“I’m so proud of how far they’ve come since the first week of rehearsal,” Pieniazek said. “Sometimes, I forget they’re high schoolers until they get off the stage. Then they’ll say something that makes me remember they’re a high schooler.”

Tickets for the show cost $5 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for adults.

“I hope people can come see it because we’ve put a ton of time into it. I hope everybody who comes to see this show leaves realizing that it’s an awesome show,” Pieniazek said.

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Newfield CSD seeks board of education candidates

The Newfield Central School District is looking for candidates to run in this year’s board of education election on May 20.

Three seats are up for election. Incumbents Diana Griffin and Christina Ward will run for re-election. Current board member Michael Jordan will not be running.

Petitions are available at the district office and must be submitted by 5 p.m. April 21. 

For more information or questions, contact district clerk Perry Gorgen at pgorgen@newfieldschools.org or call 607-564-9955 ext. 4121.

‘Mind Over Body’ program on March 19

The Newfield Public Library will host its “Mind Over Body” program on Wednesday, March 19.

Led by instructor Mitch Raymond, the program will take place on the second floor of the library at 6 p.m. The presentation from Raymond breaks down how to “improve the strength, flexibility, stability, balance and skill” of participants’ bodies through practices that “enhance neuromuscular connection and physiologic well being,” according to a description.

The library recommends bringing a yoga mat to the program, and participants will work with the library’s chairs and table to assist with stability. The program will have a suggested donation of $10.

This year’s Old Home Days moved to September

The annual Old Home Days celebration in the town of Newfield, which typically takes place in the summer, has been temporarily moved to the fall this year.

According to Old Home Days committee chair Vicki Dody, the weekend event will be held Sept. 26-27. 

An Old Home Days representative said the event was moved due to summertime construction taking place on the Newfield Central School District campus.