Nones lends design talents to FCT

FREMONT — Eric Nones always wanted to be a set designer, but he wasn't prepared for the heavy academic coursework associated with the profession when he graduated from high school.

Decades later, after he gravitated toward a successful career as a children's book writer/illustrator and textile designer, Nones is finally realizing his earlier dream this month at the Fremont Community Theatre.

The FCT enlisted Nones to decorate and design the set for the upcoming production "The Addams Family: A New Musical." On the FCT stage Monday, Nones showed off some of the spooky portraits of cast members he created, including a self-portrait with his hair sticking up, and posted on the set walls.

With a lot of brown paper and some inventive charcoal drawings, Nones has unleashed his creative talents and transformed the Addams Family set into a playfully morbid atmosphere.

"I just always loved it. I just wanted to do set design," Nones said Monday prior to dress rehearsal at the FCT auditorium stage.

The author and illustrator of four children's books, Nones lived in New York City for several years before moving to Chicago and working as a high-end textile designer.

He said he moved to Fremont a couple of months ago to be closer to family here and attended a couple of FCT productions.

Nones said he was amazed at the long hours work put in by FCT volunteers and had spent more than two weeks designing and decorating the Addams Family set.

"I think this is a really fun one that has universal appeal," Nones said of the musical.

Randy Brown, director of the musical, said the story centers around Wednesday Addams falling in love with a "normal" boy and how a dinner visit between her family and the boy's parents turns into a complete fiasco.

"Everything falls apart from there," Brown said.

Brown said he was working with a wonderful cast, with Nones' creative touches to the set adding to the production. He said he thought the audience would also really enjoy the production's music.

"The Addams Family: A New Musical" runs from Oct. 9 to 11 and Oct. 16 to 18 at the FCT.

dacarson@gannett.com

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