“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, Music & Lyrics by William Finn, Book By Rachel Sheinkin, Conceived by Rebecca Feldman, opens on March 20th!
(Additional materials by Jay Reiss. Originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine.)
This fun musical comedy tells the heartfelt tale of six awkward spelling champions who learn that winning (and losing) isn’t everything. Audiences will be cheering as these lovable characters compete in the title championship, spelling their way through outrageously complex vocabulary while coming to terms with the stress of competition and their own personal challenges. In the end, even the most desperate kids are comforted by the possibility of finding a friend who shares in both the pressure and love of competitive spelling.
The show is presented by the Charter Arts Production Arts Department in collaboration with the theatre, vocal, and instrumental music departments.
This production features an exceptional ensemble student cast & crew and is directed by Diane Wagner with music direction by Erica Dickson, technical direction by Ellen Schmoyer and choreography by Anelise Rodriguez.
The pit orchestra is conducted by Thomas Maher. The production is produced by Brett Mathews with sound design by Carlo Acerra and costume design by Amy Handkammer. The assistant music director is Malāna Wilson.
Wagner shares: “From my perspective, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a perfect musical. The book offers a brilliant blend of humor and heart, and the music follows suit with lively, hilarious numbers like Magic Foot juxtaposed with the deep yearning of I Love You. It’s been a true joy working on this show with our students. We look forward to sharing it so that others can experience that same feeling.”
Evening performances on March 20-22 at 7 PM. Matinee performance on March 23 at 2 PM. Tickets are $12-$17 and are available for purchase online at CharterArts.org.
** The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.