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MNM Theatre Company will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Willow Theatre December 2 – 18. This will be the award-winning company’s first production at the popular Boca Raton venue.
Nominated for six Tony Awards, and winning 2, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee features an eclectic group of sixth graders (played by adult actors in uproariously comical caricatures), who arrive at a fictional spelling bee set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School to vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime; the Bee is run by three equally quirky grown-ups. 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! At least the losers get a juice box!
“We are so pleased to be making our Willow Theatre debut with ‘Spelling Bee’”, says Marcie Gorman, MNM’s CEO and Producing Artistic Director. “This show is fun, funny, and heartwarming all at once. It’s a bit ‘raunchy’, that’s true – so it’s not for very young audiences – but we think it will appeal to theatre patrons of just about any age. And there’s even some audience participation – it’s very possible someone will be invited onstage and asked to spell ‘syzygy*’!”
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be directed by Johnathan Van Dyke, who will also do the show’s musical staging: “I am so excited about digging into this gem of a show,” he says. “The content is so strong and a rare gift for actors to sink their teeth into such fulfilling material. The humor, music, and poignancy are all so relevant to the human condition I think audiences are in for a wonderful time at the theatre.”
Spelling Bee’s cast consists of Jen Chia as Marcy Park, Mikayla Cohen as Olive Ostrovsky, Jinon Deeb as Rona Lisa Perretti, Michael Harper as Chip Tolentino, Michael Materdomini as William Barfee, Geoffrey Mergele as Leaf Coneybear, Leah Sessa as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, Troy J. Stanley as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, and James White lll as Mitch Mahoney.
As in the past, the production will be accompanied by a live band led by Musical Director Eric Alsford, with Rick Kissinger on woodwinds, Tim Kutcha on drums, Eden Marte on synth, and Madalina Marcovel on cello.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’s Production Stage Manager is Francesca Barioli. The show’s Assistant Stage Manager is Anna Schulman, Production Manager/Set Design is Jordon Armstrong, Technical Director is Johnbarry Green, who will share Sound Design duties with Jordon Armstrong. Penny Williams is Costume Design, and Abby Rasmussen is Props.
Tickets for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.willowtheatre.org, or by calling 561-347-3948. Tickets are $45; a group rate of $35 is available if 6 or more tickets are purchased in one transaction.
For more information about MNM Theatre Company or The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, visit www.willowtheatre.org or contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
This press release, along with cast headshots and more production photos can be viewed online at https://wp.me/p1S9OR-24L
In the attached photo: Geoffrey Mergele, Leah Sessa, Michael Materdomini
Photo credit: Manny Zaldivar
Please note: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee contains ridiculously childish adult material! It is not suitable for children under the age of 13.
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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
December 2 – 18, 2022
Music & Lyrics: William Finn
Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by: Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by: Jay Reiss
Performances:
Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
Prices: $45 ($35 for 6 or more tickets purchased in a single transaction)
For tickets:
Online: www.willowtheatre.org or mnmtheatre.org
Phone: 561-347-3948
All performances take place at
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail
Boca Raton, Florida 33486
