By MITCHELL PEARL
The Brandon Actors Troupe is presenting the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” this weekend at Otter Valley. Shows are at 7:00 on Friday evening, September 12 and 7:00 on Saturday evening, September 13, with a matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14.
This is the second full-length musical performance offered by adult company of the Troupe, after last September’s successful performance of “Lucky Stiff.” The Brandon Actors Troupe started out last year as a collaboration between Otter Valley’s Walking Stick Theatre Company and the Brandon Recreation Department and has now matured into an independent community theatre group. The youth company of the Brandon Actors Troupe presented “Spaghetti Western” and “Treasure Island” last spring to appreciative audiences.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn, with a book written by Rachel Sheinkin. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. An eclectic group of six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally quirky grown-ups. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the contestants hope they never hear the “ding” of the mistake bell and are not led off stage to a chorus of “Goodbye.” The show appeared on Broadway in 2005 to good reviews and box-office success. It was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two.
The Brandon Actors Troupe production of “Spelling Bee” is directed by Otter Valley’s Jeffrey Hull, with a well-known cast featuring some recent graduates of the Walking Stick Theatre Company at OV, a school board member, and other community theatre regulars from the area. Several of the performers who shined in “Lucky Stiff” will again grace the Otter Valley stage. Kenny Cifone is the musical director, leading a band of five well-known local musicians.
An unusual aspect of the show is that four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters. During the 2005 Tony Awards, former presidential candidate Al Sharpton competed. Can you spell “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E”?
More information, and a link to buy tickets online can be found at the Brandon Actors Troupe Facebook page. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” includes some mild language, sexually suggestive humor, and references to sensitive topics. Tickets are $17.50 (+fees) at CUR8 – Brandon Actors Troupe Projects or $20 at the door.
