It is only appropriate, since the National Spelling Bee wound down last week, that Cain Park has mounted The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
As Patrick Ciamacco, the show’s director states of the show in his program notes, “The spelling bee serves as a microcosm for the intricacies and pressures we face as adults. From the pressure to be perfect to the frustration of constantly being underestimated or the desire to be supported by people you care about, this show addresses these situations with humor, charm and more importantly … heart.”
How would you do if asked to spell “syzygy,” “capybara,” “cystitis,” “pandemonium” and “qaymaqam?” How about “crepuscule?” And then there is “cow!” (The latter, as attenders of the show find out, is a very important word in the script, as is “erection.”)
C-r-e-p-u-s-c-u-l-e means twilight, and ironically is the original name of the musical now known as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (The name was probably changed so that reviewers like myself, who are spelling handicapped, wouldn’t embarrass ourselves if spellcheck didn’t catch our errors.)
The play, created by Rebecca Feldman for her New York-based improvisational comedy group, was transitioned into the present script by Rachel Sheinkin, with the addition of music and lyrics by William Finn. The 2005 Broadway production was a hit, garnering six Tony Award nominations, including Best Book.
The fun-filled romp centers on a fictional spelling bee conducted at the Putnam Valley Middle School, which finds six quirky kids, joined by four culled-from-the-audience “volunteers,” who vie for the coveted large blue and gold trophy and the pride that goes with it. (The losers are awarded juice boxes.)
We meet the nerdy group of “r-e-a-l” spellers who are competing for our laughs, hearts, the trophy and a cash prize. There’s Chip Tolentino (Gabriel Hill), hunky Eagle Scout and last year’s winner, who unfortunately gets distracted by a pretty young lady in the audience and his resulting erection throws him off and, though he spells the word correctly, he is eliminated by Vice Principal Panch (Brian Altman) because of a rule infraction. We find out that he is a master of rule infractions!
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere (Sophie Ruiz) is an elementary school lesbian, who is accompanied by her over-attentive gay fathers. The girl of many causes also falls by the wayside.
Leaf Coneybear (Andres Martinez), an adorable geek who makes his own “unique” clothes, is considered dumb by his family. He’s only in the competition because the winner has her bat mitzvah on the day of the competition and her best friend, the runner-up, is also at the religious event. Much to his surprise Leaf sails through the early rounds. Unfortunately, he stumbles on the word “chinchilla” but walks away head held high, singing “I’m Not That Smart,” having proven to himself, despite his elimination, that he is okay.
William Barfee (Seth Crawford), an obnoxious know-it-all, demonstrates his very successful “magic” foot spelling routine, in which he spells out the word on the ground with his shoe.
Marcy Park (Kayla Peterson), an uptight young lady, the product of “tiger parents” has obviously been put under high pressure to succeed, whizzes through words until she makes a life-changing decision and intentionally spells an easy word incorrectly.
Olive Ostrovsky (Kate Day Magocsi) is able to break through Barfee’s curtain of insecurity and nastiness by doing a kind deed when he is threatened by Chip with peanuts, one of many things to which Barfee is allergic.
The cast, which also includes Rona Lisa Peretti (the multi-talented Bridie Carroll), former bee winner, who has made a career out of coordinating contests, and Mitch Mahoney (Geoffrey Short), the contest’s gruff/lovable bouncer and counselor-in-residence.
The cast, as can be expected from a group who are mainly products of Baldwin Wallace’s national recognized music theatre program, sing and dance as future Broadway stars should. They each create consistent characterizations.
Add Ciamacco’s focused directing, Rachel Woods finely tuned musical directing and Katie Gibson’s limited choreography, and the result is a fine evening of summer theater.
CAPSULE JUDGMENT: Sometimes it’s fun to just sit in the theatre, smile and admire the talent of the cast. If that is your kind of entertainment, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is your thing and will spell “d-e-l-i-g-h-t.”
Sidenote: The street construction on Lee Road is complete, so there is parking in the handicapped lot at the Park’s east entrance. Also be aware that the golf-cart transportation provided for the handicapped is inconsistent. I had to walk both ways to and from the Alma, quite a distance, along with a man with two canes and a pair of ladies that needed to stop several times to catch their breath.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs through June 9 at the Alma Theatre of Cain Park.
[Written by Roy Berko, member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle]