by Paula Kaplan-Reiss
The late great William Finn wrote the music and lyrics for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, originally workshopped at Barrington Stage Company in 2004 and premiered on Broadway in 2005. A winner of two Tony awards, this sweet, endearing and hilarious musical depicts the competitors of a middle school spelling bee, moderated by a former winner and the school Vice Principal. While the cast at Sand Lake Center for the Arts all play teens, they are all very much adults inhabiting individual adolescent personalities who are “the slightest bit bizarre.”
Add to the mix, four audience members getting the opportunity to compete with the cast on stage, each volunteering prior to the show and given no instruction, preparation or rehearsal.
Having seen the original performance on Broadway with the virtually unknown Jesse Tyler Ferguson, I was excited to have the opportunity to see this show again. From the opening number, the smile rarely left my face. This cast has ‘it.’ Each character is fully developed and memorable. The script by Rachel Sheinkin is hysterical.
A past spelling bee winner, with the word syzygy, Rona Lisa Peretti (Heather D’Arcy) happily enters the stage to announce the start of the Bee. As an adult, tastefully dressed, she is funny, enthusiastic and has a beautiful soprano voice. The cast joins her, each with a more outlandish ensemble and very little self-consciousness, as they sing the opening title number. We are drawn in, as we wait for the characters to individually introduce themselves and explain their presence in this competition. At the same time, four audience members are called to the stage. One man, in particular, seems quite comfortable amongst the actors and easily hams it up. The other three are game to play along and to spell either remarkably simple words (cow), or, at times, more complicated words (Xanadu).
Olive Ostrovsky (Allison McArdle Avery) wearing pink overalls and her hair pinned up in two buns, movingly sings, “My Friend the Dictionary.” She is lonely. Her Mom has been away a long time at an Ashram and Olive longingly waits for her Dad to show up to the Bee from work. Saving a seat for him, she is hoping he pays her $25 entry fee. She is neglected and talented and pulls at our heartstrings.
Leaf Coneybear (Eric Shovah) wearing a red cape and very colorful unmatching t-shirt and pants, introduces himself as a third-place winner in his school who gets the chance to participate because the first and second place winners had to attend a Bat Mitzvah. He sings, “I’m Not That Smart,” which he is often told and, unfortunately, feels. Yet, he does remarkably well in the competition and loves having his family watch him.
William Morris Barfée (Adam Coons) whose name is never pronounced with the French accent, joins the cast wearing plaid shorts, suspenders, an untucked button-down shirt (and an awful wig). Having left the Bee last year due to an allergic reaction to peanuts, he demonstrates his spelling skills using his “Magic Foot” to spell the words on the floor. This sight gag makes us laugh with every word. He shows no anxiety and is remarkably confident.
Logainne SchwartzandGrubinierre (Nina Scandurra) is the youngest contestant. Speaking with a lisp, she is the daughter of two gay men who have pressured her into participating. Wearing all black, a vest with political buttons and a crocheted frog hat, she writes the words on her arm when called to spell.
Marcy Park (Emily Argento) a recent nationals competitor, polyglot, and overachiever, comes to the Bee in her parochial school uniform. She is bored by the competition and is tired of a competitive life. She appears the least invested in winning the Bee.
Chip Tolentino (Nick Martiniano) a past winner and current Boy Scout is faced with the embarrassment of puberty, while falling for one of Coneybear’s sisters, he spies in the audience. Called to spell a word while he has an erection, he tries to hide his shorts as he hilariously sings, “My Unfortunate Erection/Distraction.” His spelling struggles cannot be funnier.
Vice Principal Panch (Jeffrey P. Hocking) provides the pronunciation, definition and word use in a sentence for each spelling word. With pathetic flirting with Peretti and great reactions to the spellers, Panch dings the bell when a word is misspelled. Off the speller goes to be comforted by Mitch Mahoney (Hollie Miller), the Official Comfort Counselor. Handing the losers a juice box, as the other spellers sing a good-bye song, Miller plays an ex-convict wearing all leather and is remarkably devoted to his community service. Singing “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor,” we hear her incredible voice which amplifies Miller’s performance.
While all spellers have great comic delivery and sing well, the standout vocalists, including Miller, are D’arcy, Martiniano, and Avery. Even though Chip is cut from the competition early, Martiniano thankfully returns in the second act as a gender fluid Jesus helping Marcy to determine her own destiny.
Director and choreographer, Brian Avery, assembles a wonderful cast with perfect comic timing. While the set is minimal and simple, the placement of some of the bigger actors on chairs up front, sometimes obscure the view of the smaller female actors behind them, despite being on risers.
Costume designer, Rose Biggerstaff, adds to the offbeat presentations of the different spellers. Musicians including percussionist, Robert Ackerman, upstage right and a keyboard player/Music Director, Cathy Mele, clarinetist/flautist, Alessandra Shellard, upstage left provide perfect accompaniment to the singers.
Born in the Berkshires, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, has not lost its humor or relevance in the last 20 years. The dynamics of adolescence, the pressure to succeed, the desire for approval and acceptance by parents and peers remain front and center. Fortunately, we get the pleasure to watch all of the contestants be winners.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, directed by Brian Avery, plays October 17-26, 2025, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, 2880 NY-43 in Averill Park, NY. CAST: Allison McArdle Avery as Olive Ostrovsky, Heather D’Arcy as Rona Lisa Peretti, Eric Shovah as Leaf Coneybear, Nina Scandurra as Logainne SchwartzandGrubinierre, Nick Martiniano as Chip Tolentino, Adam Coons as William Morris Barfée, Emily Argento as Marcy Park, Jeffrey P. Hocking as Vice Principal Panch, Hollie Miller as Mitch Mahoney, CREATIVE TEAM: Music Director Cathy Mele, Choreography and Props Brian Avery, Sound Design/Board Operator Bob Healey, Costume Design, Hair and Makeup Artist Rose Biggerstaff, Hair Crew Nora Edgar, Dance Captain Katie Victor, Light Design Graham Wall, Master Carpenter Adam Coons, Set Crew Brian Avery and Eric Shovah.
Tickets $12.00 – $22.00. https://www.slca-ctp.org