A dose of humor, wit, and emotion is coming to Flagler College’s Lewis Auditorium from March 2-6.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” by Rebecca Feldman gives the audience a hilarious look at a middle school county spelling bee while reminding us that life is nuanced and that joy, friendship, and growth do not come easily. “Great theatre has audiences laughing one minute and crying the next – ‘Spelling Bee’ does just that,” says the show’s director, Leah Page.
The show was originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine. Music and lyrics for the production are by William Finn. The book is by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material is by Jay Reiss. Choreographer Patrick John Moran is a NYC-based actor who performed in the first sit-down production of “Spelling Bee” in Chicago, featuring the original Broadway staging. The Music Director is Clinton Weinberg, a Flagler faculty member, and director of the Flagler College Pep Band.
Actor Jessica Griffin, who plays Olive Ostrovsky in the show, said “there are a lot of themes I really love in this show that I feel like everyone can identify with in some way or another. My favorite part is the message that people (especially kids) can be very resilient. No matter the circumstances, you can always bounce back and overcome.”
The show was originally chosen in 2020 but delayed due to COVID. Now, the cast and crew have a renewed energy as they prepare to present this long-awaited show to their local community.
“The spelling bee itself is a community event, and the way the show is structured also makes it a community event with the guest volunteers and all of the audience interactions; so coming out of two years of isolation from COVID, it is a great way to remind us all that we are not alone,” said actor Ben Shafer who plays Leaf Coneybear.
The show runs March 2-6 at various times. To view show times and to purchase tickets, please visit flagler.universitytickets.com. For questions about the show, call the box office at 904-826-8600.
