Happy Black Friday!

Cheryl Mikuly of Hammond is one of a number of readers who have contacted me about "The Addams Family" new Broadway musical that opened in Chicago this month before it's taken to New York next year.

In fact, Mikuly has tickets for a preview performance this weekend.

I haven't seen this new stage production starring Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia.

The official press opening at the Ford Center for Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre isn't until Dec. 9.

But I do know a few "insider things" about this pre-Broadway world premiere of the new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, who died in 1988. 

What was once a popular late 1950s cartoon strip by Addams in The New Yorker magazine is what this show is based on, as opposed to the 1964 television series starring John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, Blossom Rock and Ted Cassidy.

Readers probably already read my columnist colleague Molly Woulfe's cover story earlier this month with some of the show's details.

Last month, I also did a round of face-to-face interviews chatting with some of the cast members in the musical.

My favorite is the outspoken and always fun Jackie Hoffman, who is playing Grandmama, who was one of the final names to be cast. She joined the production in June.

It was plenty of fun to chat with Hoffman, as she sat side by side child actor Adam Riegler as Pugsley.

Both are very excited about this musical.

Although, along with my interviews with Zachary James, who plays Lurch and Carolee Carmello as "normal neighbor" Alice Beineke, this cast also seemed a little scared and confused by the many changes to the script and storyline during the on-going development of the production.

I know changes and tweaks are always a part of any pre-Broadway production.

I was told Pugsley's pet Iguanodon (a large lizard-dinosaur creature) was written out of the show because the puppet creation was to cost $50,000. And it seems his pet tarantula landed on the cutting room floor as well. (I'm not even going to get entangled in the fact that he also had a pet octopus.)

However, Cleopatra, the Venus Fly-Trap-like man-eating plant, is still a part of the show.

But what really shocked me was, as of just a few weeks ago, there wasn't any Cousin Itt (that scurrying heap of hair wearing a derby and sunglasses) in the script, although I was told the producers were trying to write a part to add him in somewhere.

Also, the trademark finger-snapping theme song from "The Addams Family" TV series was still being debated about whether or not to be included.

The show heads to the Big Apple next year to begin previews on Broadway March 4 at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre, with the "black carpet" opening premiere April 8.  

As for the plot of this original story, the famously macabre Addams Family is put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandmama and zombie butler Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever.

Individual tickets range in price from $28 to $105 and are available at (800) 775-2000 or visit TheAddamsFamilyMusical.com or BroadwayInChicago.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

Actress Barbara Anderson ("Ironside") is 63. Actor James Avery ("Sparks," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air") is 61. TV personality Bill Nye ("Bill Nye the Science Guy") and actress Patricia McPherson ("Knight Rider") are 54. Actor William Fichtner ("Invasion") is 53. Reality personality Rick Rockwell ("Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire") and Caroline Kennedy are 52. Guitarist Charlie Burchill of Simple Minds is 50. Drummers Charlie Benante of Anthrax and Mike Bordin (Faith No More) are 47. Actor Fisher Stevens ("Early Edition") is 46. Actress Robin Givens is 45. Actor Michael Vartan ("Alias") is 41. Rapper Skoob of DAS EFX is 39. Rapper Twista is 37. Actor Jaleel White ("Family Matters") is 33.