Snap, snap!
The creepy, kooky, and all-together ookie musical The Addams Family debuted over the weekend at The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre as part of the theatre’s 18th season. The irreverent sing-along show features a talented cast of local performers from across the metro.
Heading up the ensemble is Shane St. James who helms the coveted role of patriarch Gomez Addams. The comedic singer/actor has been a frequent performer in community theatre around town for the last few years. (“The Full Monty,” “Clue,” and “Sweeney Todd” just to name a few.) The booming baritone is also a former United States Marine.
We caught up with St. James during rehearsals to ask him our random assortment of asinine questions. We gave his answers our best five-star salute.
The Pitch: What’s your mostest favoritest old school word?
St. James: I take pride in being adaptable to what’s popular when it comes to vernacular, but I suppose I’d have to classify my favorite as the use of the word “dope” as an adjective.
There’s rarely a day when I don’t see something that I think is remarkable, cool, or excellent and my immediate response is usually a circa 1980s: “That’s dope.” (Don’t worry Kansas City, I was a D.A.R.E. graduate. I only use the phrase innocently.)
A lead actor falls sick at the 12th hour. What play/musical could you step in at the last minute and save the day?
Personally, it would be the role of Jelly Roll Morton in “Jelly’s Last Jam.” That show—written and directed by my uncle George C. Wolfe—is what opened my heart to the theatre world.
Courtesy Shane St. James
As a child, I spent countless hours with my eyes closed listening to the soundtrack, visualizing myself on the stage (and even thumb-tacking my sneakers for the tap numbers).
What’s the weirdest wrong number text message or voicemail you’ve ever received?
Around 2013-ish, I would tell my female friends that when they went out and were accosted for their number, they were free to give out mine instead to whomever they were trying to ‘curve.’
I would either pick up the phone as an outraged boyfriend character or would respond to a text message with the meanest face I could muster. I felt I was doing my part as a good friend—defending them from aggressively unsolicited advances.
Then, in 2021, I received a random text from a below-average joe, to find out he was given my number from a long-time friend he had met that weekend at a festival. One “awkward” GIF later, I, indeed, served my long-forgotten duty.
You’re randomly upgraded to first class. What celeb do you hope is sitting next to you?
Easy. Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s always been one of my most favorite actors and people. And I would love to go over the plausibility of his fitting on that door. (I’m side-eying Kate Winslet as I say this.)
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