Spelling Bee Added to 2nd Stage Season
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tells the stories of six obsessed word lovers. These outsiders use competition to define themselves, apart from their crazy families, while their struggle to escape childhood is overseen by grown-ups who never completely succeeded in escaping it themselves. The show, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, features a score by Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin.
The musical had its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company, where it was co-directed by Feldman and Michael Unger, in the Berkshires in July. In his Variety review of the show, Frank Rizzo wrote: “This show's infectious nature and its affection for vulnerable outsiders bring to mind the spirit of a group of hip, young, contemporary works that speak to the sunnier-though-complex side of life--and perhaps a new audience as well: Hairspray, Avenue Q and Zanna, Don't. The composer's take is clearly his own, and nobody understands, sympathizes and loves wiseguys under severe stress more than Finn.”
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is expected to begin off-Broadway performances on January 11. It joins a Second Stage season that already included John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Paul Weitz's Privilege which has replaced the originally announced The Lady From Dubuque revival and Cheryl L. West's Birdie Blue.