Remember all the “types” of people you know back in junior high? There were those scary kids who smoked in the bathroom and glared at you when you came in to… well, to use the bathroom. There were the jocks, standing in groups and laughing loudly - presumably at you. And then there was the nerdy over-achiever, who always made everyone else look bad. He practiced his clarinet every day. His homework was neat and always on time. He actually wanted to clean the erasers for Teacher… and boy, could he spell!

Whether you were one of those geeky nerds, wanted to be one, or found yourself laughing at their inexplicable desire to be the best at something so boring as academics, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee promises to entertain. Being described in rave reviews as “irresistible” “charming”, “endearing”, and a completely “ingratiating, thoroughly disarming little musical”, Tony Award-winning Spelling Bee tells the story of six quirky elementary and middle school students, on the edge of puberty, who have spelled their way to becoming the finalists in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. These social outsiders use competition to define who they are, and as a way to separate themselves from their crazy families. Their struggles to escape childhood are overseen by hilariously entertaining grown-ups who never completely succeeded in escaping childhood themselves, including the spelling bee mistress who shares random factoids about each participant that grow in hilarity as the show moves on, and her school principal assistant – who offers the most outrageous examples of context when asked “Can you use that in a sentence, please?”

Unique to Spelling Bee is the presence of four audience members , selected to join the bee. (Don’t worry, it’s all done on a volunteer basis). Of course, these recruits receive the most difficult words (prospicience anyone?) in order to eliminate them from the competition and move on with the show.

With music by William Finn (Falsettos), Putnam County Spelling Bee promises an entertaining performance that pokes a little fun at the social ineptitude, angst and awkwardness of pre-pubescence, to which we can all relate.

2005 Tony Award
Best Book of a Musical
Best Featured Actor in a Musical

2005 Theatre World Award
Dan Fogler
Celia Keenan-Bolger

2005 Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Outstanding Ensemble Performance

If You Must Know…

The word bee, as used in spelling bee, is a fairly old and common word used for community gatherings at which friends and neighbors join in an activity like quilting or barn raising.

While spelling bees are primarily educational projects involving kids, there are some adult spelling bees. These are generally corporate or senior citizen spelling bees organized to raise money for charity.

Some Spelling Bees have been faced with elimination by those who consider them elitist and counter to No Child Left Behind (hmmm -- will sports competitions come under scrutiny next?).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the first musical ever about a group of spelling bee contestants (the nonmusical documentary, Spellbound was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002).

(musical, PG-13, mostly family-friendly but contains a smattering of strong language and a production number about an unwanted erection, reviewed here)

Tickets for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are available at The Capitol Theatre box office: 509-853-ARTS or 800-325-SEAT.