Putnam County Spelling Bee Plays MCCC's Kelsey Theatre 11/5-14

Brush off your dictionary and let the spelling begin! Join Playful Theatre Productions at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre for the irreverently endearing musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," Fridays, Nov. 5 and 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Nov. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays, Nov. 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is conveniently located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening performance on Nov 5. (Due to some mature content, the show is not recommended for children under the age of 13.)

Written by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin, this Tony Award-winning musical features a quirky band of misfit adolescents in a tiny fictional town. Their everyday angst grows exponentially with the approach of one of the most anticipated events of the year - the Annual Spelling Bee. Hilarity rules as the adults in charge of the proceedings prove just as quirky as their students.

Audience members are drawn in from the start, with three or four invited to participate along with the six contestants. The charming cast and all in attendance will learn from this unlikely group of heroes that winning isn't everything and losing doesn't necessarily make you a "loser."

Cast members include Jill Bradshaw, of Audubon, as Olive Ostrovky; Carrie Denito, of Doylestown, PA, as Marcy Park; William Mercado, of Hightstown, as William Barfee; Jaimie McMillin, of Bordentown, as Rona Lisa Peretti; Brian Meltzer, of Pennington, as Vice Principal Douglas Panch; Dominick Sannelli, of Levittown, PA, as Leaf Coneybear; Danielle Shinder, of Holland, PA, as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre; Tim Walton, of Easton, PA, as Mitch Mahoney; and Kyrus Westcott, of Hamilton, as Chip Tolentino.

The production is directed by Frank Ferrara, with musical direction by Shannon Ferrara and Nick Cheng, and choreography by Nicole Machin.

Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $12 for students and children. Free parking is available next to the theater. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible. For a complete listing of adult and children's events, visit the Kelsey website.