Wallace State Theatre presenting “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” March 18-20
Wallace State students rehearse a scene from the upcoming production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Wallace State Community College. Pictures from left are, in front Tori Dahlgren (Olive Ostrovsky); second row: Courtney Bryant (Marcy Park), Melinda Marcum (Logainne Schwartzandgrubennier), Isaac Hollis (Leaf Coneybear); back row: Alex Bragwell (Chip Tolentino).
HANCEVILLE, Ala. — The Wallace State Community College Theatre department will present the musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Friday-Sunday, March 18-20 at the Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre.
The play debuted on Broadway in 2005 and since then has been entertaining audiences all over the world with its story surrounding a spelling bee and the quirky characters who participate in and run the event. An added twist is that four volunteers from the audience are brought on stage to compete in the bee alongside the contestants. Also, the official pronouncer often provides ridiculous examples when asked to use a word in a sentence.
The cast for Wallace State’s production is made up mostly of current students, but also includes a few faculty and staff. The cast list includes:
- Isabel Newby of Cullman as Rona Lisa Perretti, who is the moderator
- Paul Minda of Hanceville as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, who is the official pronouncer
- Jairus Williams of Decatur as Mitch Mahoney, the Official Comfort Counselor
Spellers:
- Alex Bragwell of Albertville as Chip Tolentino
- Isaac Hollis of Oneonta as Leaf Coneybear
- Eli Baker of Gardendale as William Barfée
- Tori Dahlgren of Gardendale as Olive Ostrovsky
- Melinda Marcum of Oneonta as Logainne Schwartzandgrubennier
- Courtney Bryant of Decatur as Marcy Park
Other cast members include Grace Ashley of Florence, Jacob Keisler of Cleveland, Bethany Sartain of Hayden, Em Sharp of Bremen, and Kit Smith and Marcos Zapien, both of Cullman.
“I have performed in, choreographed and seen this show before, and I knew that everyone involved in the production loved it,” said Angela Green, head of the Wallace State Theatre program and the production’s director.
“The audiences of Spelling Bee can expect an entertaining and interactive night at the theatre,” Green added. “Audience members can become cast members if they sign up for and are chosen to be a part of the ‘Bee’! This makes the show a little different every night and keeps the cast on their toes!”
The 90-minute play can be seen on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19, at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, March 20, at 2 p.m. Admission to the play is a $10 donation for general admission or a $5 donation for students and children under 12. For more information contact Jessica Chairez at 256.352.8277 or jessica.chairez@wallacestate.edu.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was written by Rachel Sheinkin with music and lyrics by William Finn. The story was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss. The play won two Tony Awards, including Best Book, and the album was nominated for a Grammy. A Disney film adaptation was announced in 2021 and is currently in development.
