Spelling Bee Plays Philly's Merriam Theatre, Oct. 17-22

The first national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will come to The Merriam Theater at 250 S. Broad Street in Philadelphia from Tuesday, October 17 through Sunday, October 22, 2006 for eight performances. 

On opening night, Tuesday, October 17, Clifton Davis, executive director of Sunoco Welcome America (SunWA), will appear on stage during the performance of Spelling Bee as a celebrity speller.  By mentioning the word "Buzz" when purchasing tickets, $10 from each ticket for the evening's performance will benefit Sunoco Welcome America and the Avenue of the Arts, Inc. 
 
The show is directed by James Lapine, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods) who also directed the Broadway production.  The musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material written by Jay Reiss, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner William Finn (Falsettos, Elegies, A New Brain) and a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin. Spelling Bee features scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Jennifer Caprio, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier and choreography by Dan Knechtges. 

With the launch of the national tour, there will be four North American companies of Spelling Bee, which continues its Broadway run at the Circle in the Square Theatre, an open-ended engagement is running in Chicago at the Drury Lane Theatre/Water Tower Place and another starts performances in Boston at the Wilbur Theatre on September 26, 2006.

In the show, "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."

Starring in Spelling Bee are: Katie Boren (Marcy Park), Miguel Cervantes (Chip Tolentino), Alan H. Green (Mitch Mahoney), James Kall (Douglas Panch), Eric Petersen (William Barfee), Jennifer Simard (Rona Lisa Peretti), Sarah Stiles (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre), Lauren Worsham (Olive Ostrovsky) and Michael Zahler (Leaf Coneybear).  

Spelling Bee is produced by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Co. and Second Stage Theatre.

Showtimes are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.  Tickets range in price from $25 to $73.50 and are available at the Merriam Theater Box Office at 250 S. Broad Street in Philadelphia, by phone at 215-336-1234 in PA, 856-338-9000 in NJ, or 302-984-2000 in DE, or at www.ticketmaster.com or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Philadelphia.

The production is presented as part of the Broadway Across America – Philadelphia 06/07 Season at the Merriam Theater.  For season ticket information call 888-451-5761.

For more information, please visit www.spellingbeethemusical.com

To post a comment, you must register and login.