THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Opens at Playhouse on Park Tonight

Put on your thinking caps and get ready for an entertaining competition! Playhouse on Park is finishing its 2013-2014 season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. In this hilarious hit musical, six quirky adolescents have their eyes on the spelling championship. Along the way they learn that winning isn't all you expect.and neither is losing. In "an utterly charming look at one of the screwier manifestations of the American Dream" (TIME), audiences will cheer on a whole group of underdogs.

Directing and choreographing this production is Susan Haefner. Ms. Haefner has directed and choreographed at Weston Playhouse and the Geva Theatre at SUNY Brockport. She is also a Broadway actor with credits such as Thoroughly Modern Millie and Billy Elliot. The cast includes Joel Newsome (Broadway: 42nd Street, The Producers), Emily Kron (Atlantic Theater:The Europeans; Primary Stages: Red Light Winter), Steven Mooney (National tours: The Addams Family, Fiddler on the Roof), Norman Payne (Weston Playhouse: Rent; Liberty Theatre: Violet), Natalie Sannes (Ozark Actors Theatre: Peter Pan, Into The Woods), Maya Naff (Playhouse on the Square: Miss Saigon; Skylight Music Theatre: Avenue Q), Kevin Barlowski (Playhouse on Park: Cabaret, Company), Hillary Ekwall (National tours: Curious George Live!, Ramona Quimby), and Scott Scaffidi (Geva Theatre: A Chorus Line; Ivoryton Playhouse: Breaking Up is Hard to Do).

There will be an open mic following the June 21st and July 12th performances. This is free and open to the public. An accompanist will be provided for anyone who brings his or her own sheet music. These will be BYOB evenings.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs from today, June 11th to July 20th. This show is appropriate for ages 13 and up. Ticket prices range from $32.50-$42.50. For information and tickets, call the box office at 860-523-5900 x10 (open Tuesday-Friday, 10 am-6 pm and Saturday 10 am-2 pm) or visit www.playhouseonpark.org.