(Cast of Spelling Bee. Photo credit: Joan Marcus)

by Tim Leininger

NEW YORK — Great musical comedies sit in a perfect pocket of a script that is witty and smart, a director with impeccable timing who understands the deeper themes of the story, and a cast that is fearless and willing to take risks that increase the level of absurdity with every passing moment. Such is the case with the revival of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, currently on Stage 3 at New World Stages, directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford.

            The musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and based on an original play by The Farm called C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, is a hilarious take on the classic spelling bee. The musical is loaded with eccentric characters who are more than just cartoonish children but exhibit genuine emotional depth as they struggle with the realities of adolescence from rampant hormones to negligent or overbearing parents. The spelling bee becomes a nexus of these personalities under the banner of their love for spelling, the competitors getting to know each other, building relationships as they attempt to become this year’s winner.

            The cast is excellent. Justin Cooley is adorable as the sweetly innocent Leaf Coneybear, which directly contrasts with the sexually blossoming Chip Tolentino, played by Philippe Arroyo, who struggles with his untimely pubescence, singing the hilarious “My Unfortunate Erection (Chip’s Lament)” at the top of Act 2. I highly recommend that if you don’t want to be in the splash zone to not sit in the first couple rows as he has some “accidents” with juice boxes. Kevin McHale is delightful as the brilliant but socially awkward William Barfée. For those who saw Boop! The Musical and were dismissive of Jasmine Amy Rogers, her performance as Olive Ostrovsky should dismiss any doubts people have of her abilities as a performer. She is amazing as the earnest Olive, desperate for her father to show up to the bee, eager for her parental approval, and her performance of “The I Love You Song” is deeply sensitive and moving. Leana Rae Concepcion and Autumn Best round out the superb ensemble of children.

(Jasmine Amy Rogers. Photo credit: Joan Marcus)

Matt Manuel, Lilli Cooper, and Jason Kravits, who all play the adult roles get to exercise a bit more of the improvisational elements of the musical, as they bring up people from the audience to participate in the spelling bee, riffing on whatever may be said by the audience members that show up. It always gets funnier when one of the audience members is actually an accomplished speller, a delightful occurrence that happened while I was in attendance.

Teresa L. Williams doesn’t deviate too far with the scenic design. The proscenium stage changes the aesthetic of the show compared to how it was staged when it was on Broadway at Circle in the Square, but, if anything, it feels a bit more natural for a spelling bee with the audience being a character in the show, making the house feel like it’s the audience in a school auditorium with a simple conception for the stage with risers and chairs for the competitors.

What makes Spelling Bee a classic at this point — the musical originally opened off-Broadway in 2005 — is its sincerity towards its children. The musical satirizes the culture of spelling bee competitions, but the way the children are humanized gives the humor a depth and honesty to it that doesn’t just make characters like multilingual Marcy Park (Leana Rae Concepcion) more than just an educated, conceited know-it-all. She is extremely intelligent and competitive, but she also has heart and compassion for her peers, opening the character in a way that lesser writers would have missed.

(Cast of Spelling Bee. Photo credit: Joan Marcus)

This production of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hilarious delight with a smart, tender quality that invites people to not only have a fun time, but also reflect on the deeper emotional feelings that children have, and how they deal with competition and approval of parents and their peers.

PRODUCTION

Music & Lyrics by William Finn; Book by Rachel Sheinkin; Conceived by Rebeca Feldman; Additional Material by Jay Reiss; Directed and Choreographed by Danny Mefford; Based on C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm; Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine; Music Supervision and Vocal Arrangements by Carmel Dean; Scenic Design: Teresa L. Williams; Costume Design: Emily Rebholz; Lighting Design: David Weiner; Sound Design: Haley Parcher; Hair, Wig, Makeup Design: Tommy Kurzman; Orchestrations by Michael Starobin; Music Director: Elizabeth Doran; Music Contractor: Kristy Norter; Casting by Geoff Josselson Casting; Associate Director: NJ Agwuna; Associate Choreographer: Niani Feelings; Advertising & Marketing: Serino Coyne; Press: Vivacity Media Group; Production Stage Manager: Rachel A. Zucker; Production Management: Bethany Weinstein Stewert; Company manager: Emmy Steele; General Management: 321 Theatrical Management

CAST

Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino

Autumn Best as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre

Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park

Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear

Lilli Cooper as Rona Lisa Peretti

Jason Kravits as Vice Principal Douglas Panch

Matt Manuel as Mitch Mahoney

Kevin McHale as William Barfée

Jasmine Amy Rogers as Olive Ostrovsky