Loading ...
When people heard that “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was coming to Stamford High School, many thought it was actually going to be a spelling bee – they were wrong. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a lighthearted musical that exposes the competition, heartbreak and joys of spelling.
At first the audience sees the contestants as a rag-tag group of kids that are obsessed with spelling. They all have their tricks for winning. Like William Barfee, played by Matt Woodside – he can spell anything – as long as he spells it on the ground with his foot first. Also Brianna Bellavia’s character, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, has great skill in spelling – as long as she writes it on her arm first.
All of the different characters have distinct personalities that capture the audience’s attention, ranging from Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere’s lisps, to a care-free attitude from Leaf Coneybear, played by Will Hunt. Daniella Malinowski’s character, Olive Ostrovsky, added some drama to the plot by calling attention to her absent parents and her best friend, the dictionary.
The songs that represent these characters were performed very well; each song showed individuality while also sticking with the group as a whole. The balance between conformity to the choreography and the freedom to let his/her character stick out was very well done. The audience really got a feel for each character, their background story, and what led them to participate in the bee.
For some like Shaina Lubliner, who played Marcy Park, the fun did not last. As soon as the songs were over she was forced to put up a cold front that made for some very funny interactions. Her character was clearly superior in IQ from the rest of the group, and she wasn’t afraid to show it. Her realization that life isn’t all about winning is a feel-good moment for the audience. She was able to let go of being so serious and actually do something that she wanted to do.
That feeling of acceptance can be found throughout the play. As each character walks off stage after getting a word wrong, they come to the realization that there is more to this world than spelling. There is love, friendship, freedom and that each of them have the ability to do what they want in life.
The cast also did a good job of including the audience, when Chip Tolentino, played by Bryce Drynan, sang his song to the audience while throwing candy you could really feel that he was dedicated to having the audience feel like the audience that could actually be in the play. They also brought people up on stage and worked them into the plot; each of them, getting out one by one, was awarded a juice box for their efforts.
Not just the participants in the bee, but also the people running it were hilarious. Zoe Usowski, playing Rona Lisa Perretti, and Ziggy Sakalauskas playing Vice Principal Douglas Panch added some humor to each word. Adding in an embarrassing fun fact about each contestant or giving a sentence that the word is used in, these two characters added a layer of light heartedness to the musical. Another person that helped out with each contestant was Mitch Mahoney, played by Erin Maher. She played the juvy kid that was forced to be there to comfort the kids after they lost. Her transformation was sweet, and she ended up not being so scary after all.
The cast in general was very well placed; each character fully dedicated themselves to the personalities of their parts. The costumes were also very well done; they matched the personalities of the characters very well and were not so over the top as to look unrealistic. The pit also did a fantastic job of keeping up with the singers and adding another layer of interest into what they were doing.
Overall the play was very good, and it is a definite must-see. It will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing and laughing for the whole two hours. Seeing “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a great way to spend your Friday or Saturday night out with friends to get a few good laughs and to support your fellow Stamford High School students.