Spelling Bee Musical for Canterbury

Spelling Bee Musical for Canterbury

Canterbury Theatre Guild (NSW) presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee from April 19.

Spelling Bee is a one-act musical comedy by William Finn (A New Brain, Falsettos, Elegies), conceived by Rebecca Feldman, book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss.

The show portrays a spelling bee at the fictional Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the contest run by three equally quirky grown-ups.

Director Rachael Thompson says the show is a ‘gift’ for actors who get to revert to childhood again! They can throw a tantrum, cry like no one is watching or completely muck up.

“As you can imagine, they’re having a brilliant time!”

A fun aspect of Spelling Bee is that four real, random audience members (chosen from those asked to volunteer before the show) are invited onstage to compete alongside the six young characters.

Thompson has designed the production to convey the look and feel of a school hall and an actual spelling bee – chocolate wheel with prizes, a canteen with scones and prize-winning cakes for sale. And because audience members are seated at tables, they will be able to eat and drink during the show. 

Thompson is joined by musical director Cathy Boyle, choreographers Launcelot Roma & Cameron Lewis and a cast including Clinton Griffiths as William Barfee,  Anita Margiotta as Olive Ostrovsky, Philby Mack as Chip Tolentino, Sam Ardasinski as Mitchell Mahoney, Jess-Yvette Hansby as Marcy Park, Brad Facey as Leaf Coneybear, Melissa Goman as Rona Lisa Peretti and Rosemarie Olk as Logainne Schwartzand-Grubenierre           

“This show has been a favourite of mine for years,” says Thompson. “Every time I see a production, it is always different and exciting because you never know what may happen. Audiences can expect to laugh a LOT, to learn some new words and maybe even remember the joys of just being a child!”

THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
April 19 to 28, Canterbury Bowling Club, 15 Close St Canterbury
Tickets $25.00 to $35.00 (incl. GST and booking fees)
Bookings
www.canterburytheatreguild.com

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