Arden Theatre Company Presents New Production Of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

The Arden Theatre Company will be presenting a new production of Rebecca Feldman, William Finn, and Rachel Sheinkin's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The show, directed by Arden favorite Amina Robinson, will replace the previously announced production of Violet. Audiences can experience this joyful, fun musical that, like the company's recent production of Every Brilliant Thing, engages audiences in a unique way from May 25 through June 25, 2023, on the F. Otto Haas Stage. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $26-$58 and are available online at www.ardentheatre.org, by phone at 215-922-1122, or in person at the box office at The Arden Theatre Company at 40 N. 2nd Street.

"Our director for Violet recently received an offer for an incredibly exciting opportunity and had to withdraw from our production. As we have learned all-too-well these past few years, sometimes it's best to pivot," notes Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen. "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a joyful, funny musical that features audience participation in a clever way. The production will be directed by Amina Robinson, who directed 74 Seconds...to Judgment and School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play at the Arden, in addition to receiving the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for her production of The Color Purple at Theatre Horizon. We are thrilled that Amina will be bringing our Spelling Bee to life."

This winsome Tony Award-winning musical follows a group of six awkward spelling champions who learn that winning (and losing) isn't everything as they compete for a treasured spelling bee championship and make some hilarious and heartfelt self-discoveries along the way. Featuring a vibrant score by William Finn and a touching book from Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is an unforgettable and joyful night of pandemonium that celebrates the pursuit of victory and the challenges of being true to oneself.

"For me, Spelling Bee is about the essence of being human with all of its hilariously beautiful and sometimes troubling contradictions, shaped into an ovoid filled with youthful longing, dreaming, fulfillment, and loss, leaving us with the message that it is alright to just laugh, to just live, to just BE our full selves. This is what excites me the most about this show," said Robinson, the show's director.

Single tickets to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are currently on sale. If patrons have tickets for Violet already, they will act as tickets for Spelling Bee - including date and seat location. For questions, please call the box office at 215.922.1122.

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