Muhlenberg’s 30th Summer Season Continues with ‘Spelling Bee’ musical
Six young outsiders compete for spelling championship in ‘25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,’a Tony Award-winning musical comedy that combines big words and big production numbers‘Celebrity guest spellers’ and audience participation make ‘Spelling Bee’ a different experience every night.Tuesday, June 29, 2010 11:45 AM
Allentown, Pa. (June 29, 2010) — Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre will celebrate cerebration with the second mainstage production of its 30th season: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The musical comedy runs July 14 through Aug. 1, in the Dorothy Baker Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre and Dance.
Telling the story of six adolescent outsiders who compete for the title of Putnam County Spelling Bee champion, “Spelling Bee” won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical and was nominated for Best Musical and Best Score. The New York Times called it “effortlessly endearing.”
The show includes guest spellers from the audience each night, including a “celebrity guest speller” for each performance. Notables will include Allentown mayor Ed Pawlowski, National Public Radio host Neal Conan, and Morning Call columnist Bill White. [A complete list appears below.]
“The show is highly unpredictable,” says Bill Mutimer, the show’s director and choreographer. “On any given night, the direction it goes depends on the guest spellers and the choices that the cast makes. It has a kind of madcap, improvisational energy.
“But at the same time,” Mutimer continues, “the show lets you sympathize with these six vulnerable kids, going through a really tough time in their lives. I mean, who would choose to go back to their middle school days? So it’s awkward and endearing and hilarious, all at once.”
“Spelling Bee” tells the story of six unfortunate pre-teens who try, as spelling bee contestants, to wrench a moment’s dignity from the awkward misery of their pubescent lives. William Barfée — it rhymes with “parfait” — played by Gabriel Martinez, has one working nostril and a magic foot that helps him with his spelling. Leaf Coneybear (Andrew Clark), is the child of hippie parents and doing his best to cope with their low expectations for him. Marcy Park (Jessica Anne Cox) speaks six languages but can’t meet a boy in any of them.
Olive Ostrovsky (Emily Spadaford) is the mousy but courageous young ingenue, whose mom is at an ashram in India, and whose dad is working late as usual. Chip Tolentino (Joe Spiotta) is last year’s champion, struggling with his hormones and his powers of concentration.
The pigtailed Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Anna Gothard) is up on current events and burdened by her two dads’ expectations.
“It has been a beautiful process getting in touch with my inner 10-year-old child,” Gothard says. “‘Spelling Bee’ reminds me of the wonderful innocence that children possess — which I forgot I once possessed as well.”
The adults in the room include Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Patrick M. Brady); comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Matthew S. Walczer), who consoles those who get the ding; and moderator Rona Lisa Perretti (Traci Ceschin), reliving her own bee glory.
The show features a score by William Finn, Tony Award winner for “Falsettos,” and a book by Rachel Sheinkin. Ken Butler is the musical director for the production, Matthew Allar designs the set, Lex Gurst designs costumes, John McKernon designs lights, and Paul E. Theisen Jr. designs sound. Julia Korzeniewski is the production stage manager.
The celebrity guest spellers for the production are:
- Amy Burkett, host of “Tempo InDepth” and senior vice president of production on PBS39, July 14
- Randy Helm, Muhlenberg College president, July 15
- Mark Stutz, director of visual and performing arts for the Parkland School District, July 16
- Neal Conan, radio journalist and host of NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” July 17
- Rebecca Walz, development and public relations director for WDIY-FM, Lehigh Valley community public radio, July 18
- Randall Forte, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, July 21
- A.J. Irvin, actor, award-winning New York cabaret performer, and Muhlenberg alumnus, July 22
- Brooks Joyner, president and CEO of the Allentown Art Museum, July 23
- Michael Fegley, director of marketing, Fegley’s Brew Works, July 24
- Joan Barber, actor, singer, and voice teacher — played Katisha in the original 1981 Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre production of “The Mikado” — July 25
- Sharon Lee Glassman, president of Civic Theatre of Allentown and former Emmaus High School teacher and director, July 28
- Myra Yellin Outwater, Allentown Morning Call theater columnist, July 29
- Ed Pawlowski, mayor of Allentown, July 30
- Ellen Baker Ghelardi, executive director of the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, July 31
- Bill White, Allentown Morning Call columnist, Aug. 1.
The show is the second mainstage production of Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre’s 30th season. The season also features Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” which played June 16 through July 3, and the children’s musical “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” which continues through July 31.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” plays July 14 through Aug. 1, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. While not explicit, the show does deal in part with the turbulent inner life of the pubescent boy, and so is recommended for ages 10 and up.
Ticket prices for July 14-17 are: regular admission, $32; seniors, $28; full-time students, $18; children, $13. Prices for July 18 through Aug. 1 are: regular admission $38; seniors, $34; full-time students, $20; children, $15.
The Trexler Pavilion is located at 2400 Chew Street, Allentown. Tickets are available from the box office, in person or at 484-664-3333, or online at summerbroadway.org.
