Your Wits May Be Tested in 'Spelling Bee'

Live musical theater returns as the Whitecliff Summer Playhouse presents "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" Thursday through Sunday at Whitecliff Park, located at 9245 Whitecliff Park Ln.

The premise of the show revolves around a dozen middle-school students who have all won their school spelling bees and are now competing in a countywide contest, director Al Book said. Muddying the competitive waters are each student’s coming-of-age issues.

“They are at turning points of their life, discovering who they are, how to get along with other people,” Book said.

With young adults in character as middle-school students, Book said the actors are “close enough to remember it and far enough away to have fun with it.”

Adding to the mix will be four volunteer audience members attempting to compete in the competition as well, Book said.

“What’s fun with the premise of the show is we use four volunteers from the audience to be four of the middle-school students spelling bee champions,” he said. “We have fun with them, and they are being themselves and trying to spell the words.”

Al Book’s wife, Sandy, is the show’s choreographer. She said the show is music-orientated with very little script—a necessity considering the amount of improvisation anticipated with the four audience members.

“The people from the audience keep it fresh,” Sandy Book said. “There has to be a lot of improv, so depending on how they answer is how the story goes.”

Horrible spellers should leave their fears at home, Al Book said. The volunteers are approached prior to the show’s start.

Sandy Book said the relaxed atmosphere of the show is a big plus for families with young children.

“A lot of grandparents bring the grandkids to the show,” she said. “They would love to go to the Muny but they worry about the kids screaming and acting out. They don't have to worry about that here. It’s a lot more laid-back.”

Al Book cautioned the show may be difficult to follow for children under 6. 

“There’s nothing offensive, but I’m not sure really young kids would appreciate it because you have to think through the show,” he said.

Todd Stover, Crestwood's recreation manager, said he’s had a sneak peek at the production, and he expects big laughs on opening night.

“It’s the best outside musical theater outside of the Muny,” Stover said of the playhouse group.

Gates open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at dusk at 8:15 p.m. Cost is $5 per adult and $2 per child, and audience members are urged to bring their lawn chairs for seating.