THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Produced by:
Cristina Stasia and Joan Roszmann
Directed By:
Mary Littlejohn
Written By:
Rebecca Feldman, Rachel Sheinkin, William Finn
By Permission of:
Musical Theater International
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Performance dates:
February 21, 2027
to
March 13, 2027
An eclectic group of mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of increasingly discommodious words, hoping to never hear the soul-crushing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling error. Only one can leave a champion — at least the losers get a juice box.
A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a delightful den of comedic genius that perfectly encapsulates the rigors of growing up.
Show program >
< When available.
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.
Music and Lyrics by William Finn Book by Rachel Sheinkin Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by Jay Reiss Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine
Originally produced on Broadway by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre.
Directors Message:
My first experience with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was in 2006 when I saw the original cast on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theater. The show had evolved from a show created by The Farm, a New York based improvisational troupe. Many of the characters bear resemblances to the actors that created them (at least the child-versions of them). As an audience member, I had never laughed so hard, nor had I felt so seen by a show. The spellers are larger-than-life but somehow intensely relatable, for whom amongst us has never been an awkward pre-teen? Our experiences during that time in our lives are dramatically heightened, and everything feels incredibly high stakes. We feel for the characters and get swept up in the competition ourselves (and for some audience members, you are LITERALLY part of the competition). Speaking of competition, Spelling Bee was nominated for six Tony Awards (winning two) and is one of the most frequently produced musicals in regional and school theatres in North America.
I ended up playing the role of Olive for the first time in 2010 and made lifelong friends at the Bee. I was lucky enough to revisit the show in 2017, once again as Olive, which cemented it as one of my favourite musicals of all time. William Finn's score is catchy and fun, except when it's heartbreaking, and the audience-participation aspect keeps it dynamic for the performers onstage.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee promises you laughter, showstopping musical numbers, and, hey, you might even learn some new words!
