Wireless Mics and Projection for The Addams Family
Show guide · Full-length · 10 principals plus Ancestors · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026
Short answer: plan on 12 channels. One for each of the ten principals, from Gomez and Morticia to the Beinekes, plus two spares. Lurch speaks little but sings late in the show, so give him his own channel if you can.
Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic The Addams Family.
Who gets a mic
We count one body mic for each of the ten named principals, plus two spares, for 12 channels. Every family member and every Beineke carries dialogue over underscore or sings a featured line, and the dinner scene puts all ten at one table.
Lurch is the borderline call. He speaks very little, but he does sing late in the show, so we keep him on his own channel. If you are short, Lurch can share a mic with a featured Ancestor whose exits and entrances never overlap his, but plan that handoff in rehearsal.
With a bigger budget, add two to four channels for featured Ancestors who take solo lines in the opening and finale. That keeps the ensemble sound full without pushing the area mics too hard.
Mic plot
| Ch | Role | Mic | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | Gomez Addams | Hairline, black | Dark wig and mustache hide a hairline mic |
| Channel 2 | Morticia Addams | Hairline, black | Long black wig; route the cable down the back |
| Channel 3 | Uncle Fester | Earset, beige | Bald cap leaves nowhere to hide a hairline |
| Channel 4 | Grandma | Hairline, beige | Wild wig conceals the element easily |
| Channel 5 | Wednesday Addams | Hairline, black | Braided wig; tape at the center part |
| Channel 6 | Pugsley Addams | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Often cast young or small; lighter fit |
| Channel 7 | Lurch | Earset, beige | Heavy makeup or forehead prosthetic common |
| Channel 8 | Mal Beineke | Hairline, brown | Short hair; hairline sits clean at the temple |
| Channel 9 | Alice Beineke | Hairline, beige | Wig or styled hair hides the mic |
| Channel 10 | Lucas Beineke | Hairline, brown | Stays put through physical comedy |
| Channel 11 | Spare | Hairline, beige | Covers any failure on a wigged principal |
| Channel 12 | Spare | Earset, beige | Backup for Fester or Lurch |
Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.
The ensemble
Cover the Ancestors with three to five area or choir mics along the stage lip and, if you have them, a pair on the first electric. Give a featured Ancestor a body mic only when they sing a solo line or speak over music; veils and headpieces make hairline placement easy to hide.
Show notes from our team
- Opening with the Ancestors. The opening puts the family and the full Ancestor ensemble onstage together. Set a mixer scene with every principal live and area mics up, then pull faders back as the stage clears.
- The dinner-table scene. Nearly all ten principals sit at one table and trade lines quickly. Keep every principal's channel open, ride levels gently, and watch for feedback from mics pointed toward each other across the table.
- Gomez and Morticia's tango. The tango number is a big partnered dance with dips and lifts. Secure packs in belts, tape cables at the neck and hairline, and do a sweat check before the dress run.
- Fester and the moon. If you fly, lift or rig Fester for his moon number, route the earset cable away from any harness straps and test the pack in the rig during tech, not on opening night.
Projection
The mansion interiors, the graveyard and Fester's moon all suit projected scenery. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes can use less.
Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for The Addams Family. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.
Rent it for the run, or own it
| What you get | Next step | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent for the show | A 12-channel wireless rental, Monday to Monday around tech week. Tested before it ships, return labels in every case. | See rental systems |
| Own it | Creative Audio Show-Ready, 16 channels: receivers, bodypacks and antennas racked, programmed and tested. $ 11,190.38. | See the system |
| Mics for the packs you have | Bodymics for the whole cast: hairline from $79, earsets and headsets from $99. | Build your Bodymics |
Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.
Common questions
- How many wireless mics does The Addams Family need?
- Plan on 12 wireless channels: one for each of the ten principals, from Gomez and Morticia to the Beinekes, plus two spares. Lurch speaks little but sings late in the show, so give him his own channel if you can.
- Do the Addams Ancestors need wireless mics?
- Usually not. Cover the Ancestor ensemble with three to five area or choir mics along the stage edge. Add a body mic only for an Ancestor who sings a solo line or speaks over music.
- Which mic works for Uncle Fester's bald cap?
- Use an earset. A hairline mic needs hair or a wig to hide under, and tape on a bald cap can lift with sweat. An earset hooks over the ear and stays clear of the cap and makeup.
- Can we rent mics just for our show week?
- Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for tech, dress and every performance. Kits arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.
Doing The Addams Family this year?
Get mic tips for your show and a reminder before rental season books up.
Stage Gear is not a show licensor. The Addams Family is licensed through Theatrical Rights Worldwide; production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!
