Principal casting of the darkly comic characters was announced Aug. 21. The Addams Family — by composer-lyricist Andrew Lippa and book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice — will begin March 23, 2013, at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney. Tickets go on sale Aug. 27 through Ticketmaster.

The Addams Family, an original musical based on macabre characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, will be produced in Australia by Rodney Rigby together with Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt, and Five Cent Productions by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical and with the support of Destination New South Wales on behalf of the NSW Government.

The production is directed in Australia by Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (who joined the production team in between its Chicago tryout and its Broadway bow, overseeing work started by directors Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch), with choreography by Sergio Trujillo. The production also features original direction and is designed (sets and costumes) by McDermott and Crouch.

Australia will see the post-Broadway revision of The Addams Family, which was seen in the U.S. national tour. New songs, scenes and plot twists were added.

The Addams Family Down Under will have lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Acme Sound Partners and puppetry by Basil Twist. The production also features music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by Larry Hochman, dance arrangements by August Eriksmoen, hair design by Tom Watson, make-up design by Angelina Avallone and special effects design by Gregory Meeh. George Souris, NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, said in a statement, "Securing the Australian premiere of The Addams Family demonstrates how determined the NSW Government is to ensure that Sydney reclaims its status as the number one city for first run musicals in Australia. With Sydney the preferred location to open this world-class musical in Australia, this is a clear vote of confidence by the producers in Sydney as a major events destination."

Here's how producers bill the show: "The Addams Family features an original story and it's every father's nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before — keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's 'normal' boyfriend and his parents."

For more information, visit addamsfamilythemusical.com.au.