Previews: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE By MAD Theatre At Straz Center

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, presented by madTheatre, is coming to  Straz Center's Shimberg Playhouse from January 26 to February 10, 2024.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is the story of six quirky, awkward middle schoolers (played by adults) who compete for the spelling championship of their lives. Along the way, they reveal hilarious and touching stories from their home lives and learn that winning and losing isn't everything.

The show features a fast-paced, witty, and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, who also wrote the music for Falsettos and A New Brain. The Tony-award-winning show is under Music Direction of Megan Zeitler, Choreography by Evan Lomba with Artistic Director, Tony Gilkinson, and directed by Casey Vaughan.

“We get to laugh at ourselves and the middle-schoolers we used to be reminiscing about that time in our life when everything was incredibly heightened and mattered so much. Everybody gets to see if they are as good at spelling as they think they are. Eventually, we’re going to find a winner.”

Vaughan also says she is proud of the cast and crew, who have been working hard to bring this fun show to life. The cast includes Richard Brown, Chris Cordero, Dylan Fidler, Jamie Lynn Gilliam, Jill Koehn, Jay Morgan, Gabrielle Ray, DJ Schuett, and Taylor Skolnick, who play the six spellers, the three grown-ups, and the audience volunteers.

Vaughan directed the show a decade ago in her previous career as a high school theatre teacher.

“When I first read the script in 2014, I thought what a great opportunity for characters that don’t fit into the usual ingenue stereotypes to be able to really shine. It doesn’t pigeonhole you into the Disney princess stereotypes that other shows might.”

The show also features audience participation, as four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters. Vaughan says that this adds an element of unpredictability and fun to the show, as the actors have to improvise and interact with the audience.

“I’m lucky to being working with several people I know from previous shows and some outstanding new talent who’ve created such a bond within the cast. It’s very easy to just let people play in the room and I just give a little feedback.”

Vaughan says that she hopes the audience will enjoy the show and relate to the characters, who are all dealing with their insecurities and challenges.

She explained the actors are given creative freedom, especially for the three 18+ 11 pm “Spelling Bee After Dark” performances.

“It’s kind of a no-holds-barred show. They can say whatever they want because it is an 18 and up show.”

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is the first show in MAD Theatre's 25th anniversary season, and Vaughan says she is honored to be part of this milestone.

Audience spelling volunteers can express their interest in joining the cast on stage by donating any amount on their website and leaving a comment indicating what night they would attend.

“I suppose there is a chance one of the audience volunteers might win one night. No matter what happens, it’s all in good fun. If you get eliminated you get a juice box and that makes it all ok,” said Vaughan. “I hope the audience laughs really hard and maybe they home telling stories about their own awkward times in middle school.”

The show runs from January 26 to February 10, 2024, at Straz Center's Shimberg Playhouse. Tickets are available at the theater website at madtheatre.com or strazcenter.org/events/2324-season/rentals/the-25th-annual-putnam-county-spelling-bee/