THE 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - 11/09/2025 Performance at The Avalon Theatre

Music and Lyrics by William Finn Book by Rachel Sheinkin Conceived by Rebecca Feldman Additional Materials by Jay Reiss Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine Originally produced on Broadway by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a production of strange characters full of niche humor and a multitude of idiosyncrasies to portray. It’s a show that can be a challenge for young casts and production teams. Understanding the sharp wit and referential script are some of these main challenges. As a directorial team this production was chosen because of these reasons. This style of musical theatre is hard to get right and we knew our community of students would be up for the task. There are countless numbers of new theatrical issues that had to be conquered by these students this year; from portraying these extreme characters, a unit set in a limited space, to using light and sound to uniquely tell this story. This show has provided a distinctive opportunity for students to try out new characters, new voices and new skills for our tech department. These characters are our friends, our teachers and our cohorts at school. This show lives in truths found in every high school community with teens dealing with their own paths to success while learning about their own personal battles and traits. It’s a show of laughter, sarcasm, impersonation and heart. The last few years have been a challenge for our performing arts community as our students found their passions at the brink of loss with our program being on the line with the district's challenges with funding. Because of the support of thousands of people in this community, many of whom are attending this production, our students are able to keep this important work alive. We are so grateful as a department for the continued support of every shareholder and community member who helped keep this opportunity for our students. Thank you for your continued support in our students and the Performing Arts. Enjoy the show! Brianna Bizzaro & Luke Ahern