Spelling Bee to Welcome Rocca and New Cast Members, 4/17

On April 17th, the Broadway hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will welcome new cast members into its tension-fraught middle school gymnasium.

With the exception of Mo Rocca, the new cast members are from the San Francisco and Boston runs of Spelling Bee.  Rocca, a theatre veteran who has co-adapted and starred in San Francisco productions of Of Thee I Sing and Let 'Em Eat Cake as well performed on tour in Grease, will star as Vice Principal Douglas Panch for a limited engagement.  The bespectacled Rocca is known to TV audiences for his work on "The Tonight Show" and "The Daily Show."

Spelling Bee will also welcome: Jennifer Simard (Dr. Sex, The Thing About Men, Forbidden Broadway) as Rona Lisa Piretti, Aaron J. Albano (Wicked national tour) as Chip Tolentino, Stanley Bahorek (Big River national tour,) as Leaf Coneybear, Jenni Barber (Henry and Mudge) as Olive Ostrovsky, Sara Inbar (Mamma Mia!, Lizzie Borden) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Greta Lee (No Boundaries at NYMF) as Marcy Park and James Monroe Iglehart (Show Boat national tour) as Mitch Mahoney.   They will join Jared Gertner (My Favorite Year), who will continue to play William Barfee.

"A hilariously hip musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee features six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learning that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser," according to press materials on the show.

Spelling Bee also currently stars Lisa Howard as Rona Lisa Piretti, Jessica-Snow Wilson as Olive, Barrett Foa as Leaf, Jose Llana as Chip, Deborah S. Craig as Marcy, Sarah Saltzberg as Logainne, Derrick Baskin as Mitch Mahoney, and Greg Stuhr as Douglas Panch.

Tickets for Spelling Bee are available through Telecharge, (212) 239-6200 or www.telecharge.com, or by visiting the Circle in the Square Theatre box office (1633 Broadway).  Tickets prices are $95.00 and $50.00.  Premium seating is available.

For more information, please visit www.spellingbeethemusical.com.