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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Announces a Long-Run Engagement in Chicago

By: Oct. 10, 2005
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David Stone, along with Broadway In Chicago, have announced a long-run engagement of the new Tony Award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, which will play Chicago beginning March 2006 at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. This will be SPELLING BEE's first production since becoming a Broadway success, and will be directed by James Lapine, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner who also directed the Broadway production. The musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner William Finn (Falsettos, Elegies) and a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin.

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This will be Chicago's second open-ended musical production from David Stone, who is also one of the lead producers of Wicked, currently playing at the Ford Center for Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre. Stone said, "Chicago is a great theatre town, with theatergoers that are both discerning but adventurous. I know that SPELLING BEE will be right at home here, and I'm thrilled that the Drury Lane Theatre is available to us. It has just the right feeling of intimacy for this show."

Bill Utter of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau said, "This new long-run production will attract even more visitors to our world-class city and is the perfect compliment to the blockbuster hit, Wicked."

In THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. "Can you spell i-r-r-e-s-i-s-t-i-b-l-e? SPELLING BEE is riotously funny and remarkably ingenious. Gold stars all around," says the New York Times. In the Wall Street Journal, SPELLING BEE was called, "perfect in every possible way – that rarity of rarities, a super-smart musical that is also a bona fide crowd-pleaser. An ingenious blend of simplicity and sophistication, it's not merely funny, it's wise." The critic went on to say, "I predict it will run forever."

Tickets for this Tony Award-winning musical are currently on sale for groups of 20 or more by calling (312) 977-1710. THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is part of the Neumann Homes Broadway In Chicago 2006 Season Series. Season Series tickets will go on sale for current Season ticket holders in late October. Sales for new Season ticket holders will begin in mid-November







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