When we walked into the Theatre at the Center lobby, there was a person taking names for spelling bee participants. I watched several people talk to the hostess. She spent a lot of time chatting about the spelling bee. It wasn’t until the opening scene of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee that we learned that audience members would be participating in the bee.
The mix of audience members and professional actors puts the musical in a strange place that – at times -- makes it seem like a semi-scripted reality show more than an often-performed professional musical. The audience members sit on the bleachers with the other contestants, arrive at the microphone when their names are called and are asked to spell a word. It’s a great show-within-a-show that keeps the musical fresh. Every night different audience members spend time on stage. Their participation is only lightly scripted, so their reactions are real-time. The actors around them must improvise to keep the show moving. The results are very funny.
The audience participation is one of the reasons The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has been performed internationally since 2005. While the actors are doing their best to stick to the script, you’ll see improvisational moments throughout the show. There’s no way to stick to a script when you bring audience members on stage. You just never know what they will say or do.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is described as “a tuneful, clever and uproarious tale that follows the story of six over-achieving and quirky adolescents vying for a spelling championship.” These are kids you recognize from your childhood and still see in your child’s classroom today. Throughout the story you admire each of them for different reasons.
The actors perform multiple roles, transitioning from spelling bee contestants to supporting parental roles with ease. These parents are flawed, but not cartoonish. It’s another group you can identify with as their stories unfold.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a refreshing way to spend a warm summer evening. Once we headed up 294 on the 95th Street ramp, it took us 30 minutes to get to the Theatre at the Center – including a panicked phone call for directions because the GPS broke.
Performances are Wednesdays through Sundays at the Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN. It’s the first exit once you cross into Indiana, so it’s an easy drive. Individual tickets range from $38 to $42. To purchase tickets call the box office at (219) 836-3255 or visit www.Theateratthecenter.com.
And, be sure to get there early so you can browse the gift shop. There are a lot of original items that would make great holiday gifts. It’s never to early to get started since the holidays will be here soon.
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Disclaimer: We received media passes for this show. My words and opinions are my own.
