25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Comes to The Legacy Theatre

On April 15th The Legacy Theatre will welcome to its stage six young people competing for the same dream: the dream to become a spelling bee champion! An instant hit when it landed on Broadway in 2005 and an eventual Tony Award winner, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be like nothing you've ever seen before on the Legacy stage. The show boats a witty and hilarious score by veteran composer and lyricist William Finn as well as a unique and inventive script by Rachel Sheinkin that uses audience participation and improvisation. Think Who's Line Is It Anyway with music!

The cast includes several fresh faces from across the region as well as a few actors Legacy patrons have come to know and love. "This cast makes me feel like the coach of a an NCAA championship basketball team", says director Mark Smith. "The talent runs deep. We really have assembled an incredible cast with this one." The Bee's "pre-pubescent brainiacs" are multi-lingual national finalist Marcy Park (Leslie Bellair), Putnam Basin district and second runner up Leaf Coneybear (Justin Thompson), Magna Magnet for the gifted and unusual representative Logainne Schwarzandgrubenniere (Amanda Hardie), last year's finalist who was eliminated for health reasons William Barfee (Alejandro Gutierrez), newcomer Olive Ostrovsky (Courtney Godwin), and last year's champion Chip Tolentino (Jeremiah Hobbs). Also on hand at the Bee are comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Michael Stiggers), longtime local Bee hostess and former champ Rona Lisa Peretti (Jenna Tamisiea) and Lake Hemingway-Dos Passas Junior High Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Charlie Bradshaw).

The Legacy's version will also have a unique spin on Spelling Bee's staging. Usually set in a gym, Smith has envisioned this Bee as if the imagined Putnam County School Board had rented the Legacy in the middle of their season to present their Bee. "It really opened up the possibilities for the show as the script constantly blurs the line between what's real and what's fantasy in the minds of these kids. What better place than a theater to explore those fascinating elements?" Smith is also excited to bring back to the Legacy three exceptional designers to collaborate on the show: Ryan McGettigan from Boston (set designer for John & Jen and The Marvelous Wonderettes), Scott Glascock from St. Louis (lighting designer for Baby and Wonderettes) and Jane Kroessig (costume designer for Annie and Driving Miss Daisy). Smith warns that the show is rated PG-13 for some adult content. Leave the kids at home for this one, and make plans to attend the Bee. Look out, though, you might find yourself competing for the championship trophy yourself!

Spelling Bee runs April 15th-May 1st. Fridays at 8PM; Saturdays at 3PM and 8PM; Sundays at 3PM. There will be no matinee show on Easter Sunday, April 24th. A 7PM show has been added to May 1st. Reserve your tickets by calling 404-895-1473 or go online at www.thelegacytheatre.org..

To post a comment, you must register and login.