Pier One Theatre’s musical “The Addams Family” over the weekend presented four performances to sold out audiences at the theater on the Homer Spit.

Musical director and conductor Eric Simondsen provided a review of the first week and some details about the unusual circumstance and some of the benefits of holding the orchestra on the stage rather than in an orchestra pit where they would be located in a larger theater.

There are 15 members of the orchestra for this production housed on both upstage sides of the stage with Simondsen conducting from a large apple tree stand that’s almost center stage. The stand set was created by Jenna Gerrety, who also plays Mal Beineke. Simondsen’s first note about the orchestra was the age range of the members. The youngest, Ames Kincaid, on drums and percussion is 14 years old. Other members are in their mid-70s.

Simondsen also noted that several members of the orchestra are members commuting from Kenai and Soldotna. For some of them, this is their first performance with theater in Homer. He pointed out the commitment it takes for people to put the effort in to travel daily between the two communities. By Sunday, the cast had been in the theater for rehearsals and performances for eight evenings in a row, which creates a total of approximately 1,600 miles for each musician.

“It’s really great to have people be so involved. I think it truly speaks to the town that likes to do musical things. There’s a big appetite for this on the peninsula,” Simondsen said.

Simondsen said his orchestra is also reporting supportive and involved audiences from the upper peninsula.

Simondsen said there are also some cast members who are new to him. He noted specifically Kacia Peel, who plays Wednesday Addams. “She’s a wonderfully prepared actress. She sings delightfully,” he said.

The stage always offers opportunity to meet new people and get them involved, he said.

Simondsen has been the band instructor at Homer High School for two years and was teaching in Ninilchik for nine years previously. This the second show he’s conducted for Pier One. The first was “Beauty and the Beast” that was held at the Mariner Theater two years ago.

He mentioned the difference in conducting from the stage compared to the orchestra pit. It offers audiences the opportunity to see the orchestra in action. Scott Bartlett on percussion, for example, plays a total of 32 instruments in this show. The woodwind players, Meghan Hahn and Jane Parrish, are also playing at least two or three instruments each.

Another difference of conducting from mid-stage is that Simondsen doesn’t have the opportunity to see the cast in action because his back is always facing the back wall of the theater rather than the stage.

“Being behind the cast provides its own difficulties,” he said. “It’s a challenge not to be able to communicate with the cast but they are really well prepared, and those challenges have been met. They’re doing a great job.”

Simondsen discussed some components of the musical style of the show, describing it as “a pretty exciting book” with a variety of different jazz styles, swing music and some tango.

Both Simondsen and director Jennifer Norton also acknowledged the amount of volunteer support the theater sees from the community of Homer.

“We have a very talented group of dedicated people who volunteer so much time to make this happen. I’ve been in theaters in a lot bigger towns and not had the opportunities or support we see hear. To have so many people dedicated make this happen again and again is really great,” Simondsen said.

Norton also noted the dedication of the cast and crew and the amount of time and effort they put out to make the show happen.

The first weekend ticket sales show that a musical like this is popular for the community audience and though the show runs for three weekends, “we could probably run a few more for the audience’s sake but the small theater and cast doesn’t really have the capacity to hold up for that long,” she said.

“I think that’s a really key thing to remember is that professionals who do this, that’s the only thing they do in their day they come and they perform but community theater performers have to do a lot more than that. They go to their day jobs and then they also come and perform. I just think community theater performers put in a lot extra for just as good a quality performance,” Norton said.

Norton and Simondsen stressed getting tickets early if you are interested. The general seating capacity of the theater is approximately 100 seats. They are available at the Pier One website with a link available for tickets and reservations: pieronetheatre.org. Tickets can also be purchased at the Pier One office at 332 E. Pioneer Ave. Suite #3 in Homer above the Homer Bookstore or by calling 907-226-2287. Waitlist seating is also available through the Pier One office. The musical will run for the final two weekends in July.