The Addams Family, a new musical starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, opens tomorrow on Broadway at the Lunt Fontaine theatre.

I caught the pre-Broadway tryout at the Oriental Theatre in December. I liked the show mostly (read my review here), but had significant reservations with the opening number.

In any musical, the opening tune sets the tone for the entire evening, and the somber, lumbering number, entitled “Clandango,” just didn’t work. You can hear a clip of it in this press reel from the Chicago engagement:

Some major changes have taken place following Chicago, notably streamlining the unwieldy plot and bringing that unique, quirky essence of the Addams clan that we know and love back into the fold. As part of these changes, a new opening number has been created — which the cast performed on Letterman last night:

Better! Not great. But better. It’s livelier, that’s for sure. And it gets in a few laughs, where the original number was leaden.

I also appreciate that they’ve made the Addams ancestors more kooky and distinct. In Chicago, they were just a glob of vampire-looking folks in tattered victorian gowns. Here we have a flapper, a Native American, a Marlene Dietrich-inspired creation, a bride — and more.

Can’t wait for the reviews!