He stood to the side of the room as everyone got into their makeshift costumes. He himself was getting his makeup done, he thoroughly enjoyed his eyeliner and how he kept getting stabbed in the eye whenever they tried to do it.
He had been told to sit down and read some lines with the other actors.
Today they were mostly testing the ladies as they really wanted the chemistry to be on a grand scale.
Out of everyone there, John couldn't imagine even kissing them let alone pretending to be in love with them.
As they went through the day they had yet to find a candidate for the wife, who had been named Morticia.
However, by the end of the day, John did know almost everyone else who would be acting alongside him.
The oldest and quietest:
Blossom Rock. Who would be playing Grandmama Addams. She was quiet, unlike the rest of the extroverted, workaholic cast.
Next Jackie Coogan, the well-known child star, now old, was to play Uncle Fester. Coogan was able to fall asleep ANYWHERE. He tended to be upbeat but got in trouble with the director.
Then Ted Cassidy. A gentle giant, about a head taller than the rest. He was quiet but could crack a joke.
Finally, Ken Weatherwax and Lisa Loring, who were the epitome of kids say the darndest things. They were like real siblings, arguing and playing around. Their favorite thing to do was hold onto the noose bell and swing on it.
Overall they were perfect despite not having the wife, Morticia.
Over the next few weeks, they met once or twice a week trying to figure out who they should test for Morticia.
It was a rainy morning, John standing at the end of the table listening to his castmates chat whilst they were all being measured up for their costumes.
Someone gasped and exclaimed.
"Let's try Carolyn Jones!"
‐-
She was packing her boxes, having decided to move out of her husband- no ex-husband's house, amidst their divorce. Glancing down at what she had packed she realised that she didn't actually have that much in the way of personal items. Sure she had her journal, yoga mat, her books, her clothes but considering that they had been married for God knows how long, she had expected to have more things.
She took off her wedding ring throwing it into the burning fireplace. Watching it burn felt good like she had been vindicated. All of the hurt and pain released her soul. All the memories of Aaron, her now ex, coming home late, coming home to find him in bed with two other women. All those memories burned with the ring, unable to hurt her anymore.
She was pulled out of her trance-like state by the shrill scream of the phone ringing. She unhooked the phone to answer glancing back at the fire.
A series of uh huhs and mmhms came from the corner only being broken by the click of the phone being hung up.
"SO. She is in the middle of moving and getting divorced at the moment," everyone collectively sighed, she would've been perfect, "BUT she said she is moving to her new place tonight so she'll be coming in in the morning."
Collective relief filled the room.
The next day she came in. The audition and screen test went quickly, which everyone was thankful for as they didn't have the patience for another whole audition process. In the end, it went well.
Carolyn Jones.
She was intelligent and eclectic, a rather odd woman, however, she fit in with the group perfectly. A talented woman, John noticed how gorgeous she was. Short black hair contrasting beautifully with her vivid blue eyes, her cheekbones, he oddly noticed, framed her face perfectly.
It would be easy to act like he was in love with her, although it might not be acting.