Chicago's 'Spelling Bee' to Play Final Show on March 25

Chicago's company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will host the final competition at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place on Sunday, March 25.  The widely acclaimed and Tony award-winning musical comedy will end its run after over 400 performances spanning a year in the Windy City.

"The Chicago production of Spelling Bee has been an unqualified success and we are thrilled with the response and support from audiences and critics alike over this past year," explains producer David Stone.  "The decision to close was a difficult one but we all wanted to end on a high note."  The Chicago company of Spelling Bee started performances on March 28, 2006.  Recouping initial investment costs in a matter of weeks, the sitdown production has experienced a longer engagement than any other production of Spelling Bee outside of New York.

According to press materials, "Spelling Bee audiences have swarmed from across North America to see the show in Chicago, representing an impressive list of facts and figures covering the run.  During the course of a year and over 400 performances, 21,400 words will have been offered to spellers at the microphone with word pronouncer Vice Principal Douglas Panch preparing sentences and definitions on over 8000 notecards.  1600 audience participants from places as far away as Alaska and Australia and neighboring districts as close as Lakeview and the Loop will have proved how well they spell as guest volunteers in the Bee."

"In the hilariously hip musical comedy, 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."

Spelling Bee continues through March 25 only at Chicago's Drury Lane Theatre, located at 175 East Chestnut Street.

Individual tickets range in price from $25 - $69.50 and are available at the Drury Lane Box Office (175 East Chestnut Street) as well as all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St. and 18 W. Monroe St.), through the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (312) 902-1400, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Photo - David Stone