Musical Spelling Bee plays at Curtain Call

HOW DO YOU SPELL LAUGHTER?

J.O.C.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y. That’s what the New Year will find at Curtain Call beginning with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which will play in Stamford’s Dressing Room Theatre, January 11 through 28. (Another classic comedy comes in February with Arsenic and Old Lace, playing in The Kweskin Theatre.)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the first show of 2024 at Curtain Call, began as a workshop twenty years ago and later won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Book of a Musical when it opened on Broadway in 2005. The show also garnered a Tony award nomination and a Drama Desk Award win for former Stamford resident, James Lapine.

“I’ve been wanting to present this show for many years and am so glad to finally have it on our stage,” said Curtain Call executive director, Lou Ursone, noting that the show was originally scheduled for September of 2020. “While sometimes irreverent – and maybe inappropriate for younger audiences – it also can be very touching as we watch these “young” spellers struggle through the competition,” Ursone added.

The show’s director, Tom DeSalvo, said, “The show is a true ensemble piece that is not only hysterical but has a lot of heartfelt moments as well. The cast and I spent a lot of time talking about how these characters are extreme representations of many students today and the social struggles they face.” An interesting feature of this show is that the students are actually played by adults. DeSalvo added, “This cast is incredibly talented and has been a blast to work with. Every single person brings a genuine performance that will have you laughing one second and then shedding a few tears the next.”

Featuring a fast-paced, wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin – (based on a concept by Rebecca Feldman) -and a truly fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is one unforgettable experience that has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. This is the first time the show has been presented at Curtain Call. DeSalvo noted, “I was supposed to direct this show in September of 2020 but Covid had other plans. Here we are 3.5 years later, and it has been worth the wait!”

In The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.

The cast includes Chris Balestriere as Mitch Mahoney, Monique Castillo as Marcy Park, Stephen Emerick as Leaf Coneybear, Matt Haas as Charlito “Chip” Tolentino, Anthony Laszlo as William Barfee’, Sarah Sherwood as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, Brooke Smith as Olive Ostrovsky, with husband and wife Lauren Gulliver Travers as Rona Lisa Perretti and Dan Travers as Vice Principal Douglas Panch. Another fun aspect of the show is that each night four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International and with support from the CT Office of the Arts, CT Department of Economic Development. All shows at Curtain Call are produced in cooperation with The City of Stamford.

In addition to DeSalvo and Ursone, others on the production team include, Matt Stolfi – music director, Kelly Nayden – choreographer, Helen Adams – costume design, Jamie LaJoie – lighting design, set design – Meghan Connolly, Wayne Yeager – technical director and stage managers Jeff Bianco, Laura Castiglione and Kelly Nayden.

Performances will run January 11 through 28, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm, and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Tickets are available through the box office at 203-461-6358 or online at www.curtaincallinc.com. The Dressing Room Theatre is located at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT. Seating in the Dressing Room Theatre is cabaret-style with a BYOEverything format, so grab some snacks and your favorite beverages. Doors open one hour before show time.

Curtain Call was voted Fairfield County's BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP ten years running in the Annual Readers' Poll of the Fairfield County Weekly and has received similar “BEST OF” awards from Stamford Magazine and StamfordPlus magazine for 2008 through 2018. Curtain Call received The Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2011 and the ACE Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture from the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County in 2016.