The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Sets Its New York Return with a Limited Off-Broadway Run
A revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will open off-Broadway this fall in honor of the musical’s 20th anniversary. The production will have a limited 14-week engagement at New World Stages, beginning previews November 7 ahead of a November 17 opening. Performances will run through February 15, 2026.
Danny Mefford returns to direct and choreograph, following a successful staging at the Kennedy Center last fall, which starred Philippe Arroyo, Beanie Feldstein, Noah Galvin, Alex Joseph Grayson, Taran Killam, Bonnie Milligan, Nina White, Leana Rae Concepcion and Kevin McHale. Also returning from the Kennedy Center run are costume designer Emily Rebholz, lighting designer David Weiner and sound designer Haley Parcher. Scenic designer Teresa L. Williams will join the off-Broadway creative team and Carmel Dean will serve as music supervisor. Casting will be announced at a later date.
Spelling Bee is a musical comedy about six anxious adolescents who face off in a regional spelling competition. The original production opened on Broadway in 2005 and received two Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical (Rachel Sheinkin) and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Dan Fogler). Spelling Bee features music and lyrics by late composer William Finn, who died in April at the age of 73.
