Alex Newell to Join The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee This Summer
The Tony winner will play Rona Lisa Peretti for a four-week engagement beginning August 7, succeeding Lilli Cooper
(Photo by Sergio Villarini for Broadway.com)
What to Know
- Tony winner Alex Newell joins the off-Broadway cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Rona Lisa Peretti beginning August 7
- Newell will play a four-week limited engagement, succeeding Lilli Cooper, whose final performance is August 2
- Newell is best known for Shucked, Glee, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and Empire
We're full of G-L-E-E! Tony winner Alex Newell will join the off-Broadway cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Rona Lisa Peretti this summer. Newell beings performances on August 7 for four weeks only. Lilli Cooper will play her final performance as Rona Lisa Peretti on August 2.
Newell’s Broadway credits include One on This Island, Chicago and Shucked, for which they won their Tony Award. This past season, Newell appeared in the New York City Center Encores! production of Bat Boy: The Musical. Newell’s television credits include Glee, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Empire. Newell can be seen in the film Another Simple Favor.
The cast of Spelling Bee currently features Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino, Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park, Jon Cryer as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear, Kevin McHale as William Barfée, Jasmine Amy Rogers as Olive Ostrovsky, Matt Manuel as Mitch Mahoney, Laura Marano as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre and Cooper as Rona Lisa Peretti. As previously announced, Rogers will depart the production on August 9, with Nina White beginning performances on August 10. Fernell Hogan will play Leaf Coneybear from June 24 through July 22 during Cooley's scheduled leave of absence.
Get tickets to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!
