Every theatre performer, be they amateur or professional, has a list of “dream shows” they’d love to be in. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has been on my list since I saw the first professional Australian production way back in 2006. Although this has so far remained an unrealised dream, the fact that we finally have a new production after a 17-year wait is every bit as satisfying.
With a cast of endearing characters, who are each battling their own personal demons, Spelling Bee is irresistibly funny, with a soaring score to boot. But what really sets this musical apart is the audience interaction. Yep, this is a phrase that can strike fear into the hearts of many seasoned theatre-goers. However, this show takes an opt-in approach with four willing audience members being chosen to join the cast as additional contestants, putting their own spelling abilities to the test. This makes each performance a unique event, and watching the talented cast respond and adapt in real-time – without so much as thinking about breaking character – is half the fun.
In a world where anyone who is "different" has been told to be quiet and blend in, Spelling Bee allows these differences to shine.
Spelling Bee premiered on Broadway in 2005, with music and lyrics by William Finn, who is best known for Falsettos. It’s a staple of amateur theatre companies due to its small cast size, versatility, and quirky characters. Perhaps one reason to explain the dearth of professional productions in Australia is its subject matter. Spelling bees feel like a definitively American phenomenon, not immediately appealing to an Australian audience (although anyone who has watched the documentary Spellbound knows bees are serious business).
The action all takes place in a single afternoon, as a group of young contestants come together to fight for the title of Putnam County Spelling Bee Champion. They’re supported by moderator and former spelling bee champion Rona Lisa Peretti (Katrina Retallick), judge Vice Principal Panch (James Haxby), and comfort counsellor Mitch Mahoney (Nathaniel Laga’aia), an ex-convict who hands out juice boxes to losing contestants as community service.
Every member of the cast fully commits to their role, bringing both levity and sincerity to their performances. As Rona, Retallick (Come From Away) is the perfect mix of warm and funny, and her voice soars. On opening night, Haxby (On a Clear Day, 9 to 5) as Vice Principal Panche had the audience in fits of laughter with his word definitions, read out with a dry, sarcastic wit. Rebecca Ordíz, in her professional debut as Olive Ostrovsky, is able to convey an incredible amount of emotion purely through her facial expressions. Her big Act Two song is a highlight of the show, taking us on a complex emotional journey in the span of six minutes. Axel Duffy’s (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) performance as Leaf Coneybear (the sweet homeschooled kid who makes his own clothes) is another standout, drawing constant laughter while never letting Leaf himself become the punchline.
When staging a show where so much is dictated by the book itself, finding a fresh perspective requires inventiveness. But you also want to avoid making change for changes' sake. Some of the elements in this production, such as the set (designed by Monique Langford) filled with giant coloured blocks and chalkboards are wonderful additions, evoking a heightened nostalgia for primary school as the smell of classroom chalk wafts through the air. Other choices, such as framing the entire spelling bee as only existing in Miss Peretti's memory, are less successful.
Dash Kruk's direction makes complex manoeuvres – such as the cast wrangling four audience members onstage – appear simple. The choreography by Vi Lam is both dynamic and clean. In particular, there is a beautiful synergy between movement and music, with beats and elements in the score being emphasised with an accompanying movement. The lighting (Lucia Haddad) is simple but used to great effect, giving the audience visual cues. The costume design (Adrienne Andrews) immediately gives a sense of who all these characters are, accurately reflecting young people beginning to figure out their own styles, complete with the kinds of looks we all experimented with as pre-teens. Each costume is distinctive, but they come together to create a cohesive whole.
It would be easy for a show like this to turn mean-spirited, but Spelling Bee does the opposite. Yes, it is a comedy first and foremost, but rather than laughing at the characters, we celebrate them. In a world where anyone who is "different" has been told to be quiet and blend in, Spelling Bee allows these differences to shine. As a neurodivergent loner who loved books so much she became a librarian, I saw so many parts of myself in these characters, and I only wish I'd had similar opportunities to embrace my uniqueness as a child.
While Spelling Bee is a very funny show, the real magic lies in its heart. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider will relate to the characters who are all isolated in their own ways – from Leaf, whose family see him as dimwitted, to Marcy, who longs for the freedom to pursue her own interests. More than a competition, the bee is an opportunity for the contestants to exist in an environment where their quirks and passions are encouraged and they’re told that who they are is enough. It’s a beautiful message and one that leaves the contestants – and us – feeling just a little bit less alone.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee comes to the Sydney stage care of September Remedy Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co. It plays at Hayes Theatre Co, Potts Point, until October 8. Tickets start at $75 and you can snap them up over here.