The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

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
Based upon C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm.
The Barrington Stage Company workshop of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE was originally co-directed by Michael Barakiva and Rebecca Feldman.

Anne Allan, Director/Choreographer
Mark Camilleri, Music Director
Photo credit: Raph Nogal

Run

December 3rd - December 7th, 2013

Synopsis

As if the trials and tribulations of high school were not bad enough, add in the sweaty palms, focused stares, and knocking knees of a high school spelling bee, and you have the recipe for disaster … or a very funny musical. The latter is the case with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,the sleeper hit musical of the 2005 Broadway season to be presented by the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts at the Annex Theatre, December 3-7, 2013.

Directing and choreographing Spelling Bee is Charlottetown Festival artistic director Anne Allan, who says, “The joy of this musical is the discoveries that each child makes on his or her own journey to winning. In so doing, the audience looks into their own hearts and realises how we tend to be judgemental of first impressions when often there is a deeper truth to be revealed in all of us.”

In The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee, six quirky adolescents – overseen by three oddball adults – search for glory in the pressure cooker world of a student spelling contest. At stake is a 1st place trophy, bragging rights, and a trip to the National Spelling Bee competition. In the process, the youngsters learn that winning isn't everything and that champions come in all shapes and sizes.

Hailed as "irresistible, riotously funny and remarkably ingenious" by The New York Times and "perfect in every possible way” by The Wall Street Journal, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beeis based on C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original improvisational play created by Rebecca Feldman and performed by The Farm, a New-York-based improv comedy troupe. It was further developed and workshopped at the Barrington Stage Company before moving Off-Broadway to Second Stage Theatre in 2005. The show then moved to Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre, opening on May 2, 2005. Spelling Bee went on to be nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book.