'I always have a blast putting the show together'

Mallory Wagner’s favorite part of a drama production may shock people.

It’s rehearsing.

“It doesn’t matter what scene we’re doing or how long we’ve been working, I always have a blast putting the show together with my drama family and to see our directors happy with all the work we’ve put in,” Wagner said. “The pride I get when we have a good run through really makes it all worth it.”

Wagner is portraying Fester in the Addams Family, today at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Tickets are $9 for adults, $8 for students and $7 for seniors and kids under 12 at the door.

“My character, Fester, is a free and easy, fun-loving, goofball that loves all things love,” Wagner said.

Wagner said the most challenging part of the production was learning the music. Wagner found learning the lines and developing the character easy. However, the only experience Wagner had with music was in band class.

“Jumping into a singing male lead was difficult to get the hang of at first,” Wagner said.

Wagner wasn’t as familiar with the Addams family as some of the other cast members.

“I knew it was a show that my parents watched as kids,” Wagner said. “That and there were recent cartoon movies about it, but that was it.”
Despite being unfamiliar with the show before rehearsals started, Wagner is now a fan. She described it as a “fun, exciting, love story staring the Addams family you know and love.”

“It is definitely a very funny show and we had a blast putting it together,” she said.