Cappies Review: Madison's '25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'

Vienna VA

05 May, 2022

10:41 AM

Description

By Kiana Collins of Meridian High School On a warm spring evening at the end of April, a Virginia high school theater is transformed into a middle school gymnasium, teenagers into 11-year-olds, and an audience falls in love with a quirky cast of characters telling a hilarious story like no other. By the end of the night, not only are the songs stuck in our heads but so is the heartwarming tale of triumph, acceptance, and the painful reminder of the rollercoaster that is puberty. Set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam County, The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee opened Off-Broadway in 2005, winning several awards, before premiering on Broadway the same year and closing in 2008 after more than 1,000 performances. The musical comedy tells the story of six young students competing in a Spelling Bee competition. Each character has a distinct personality and story, and by the end has discovered themselves or their self-worth in some way. It's a musical full of hope and excitement, and of course, a whole lot of laughter. Bringing the show to life was the cast of characters, who brought elementary school-aged passion on stage naturally. Fortune Picker's portrayal of Olive Ostrovsky, a shy girl who discovers she can be independent was especially astounding. One of the most powerful moments of the show was when she sang "The I Love You Song" with her imaginary parents, and the three teared up as Olive finally accepted that they wouldn't be there watching. Then there was Jonah Uffelman's Leaf Coneybear, a free-spirited boy who just wanted to be accepted by his family and to prove that he is smart enough, even if it meant he didn't win. His acting shone even when he wasn't the center of attention, making the audience roll over in laughter with just a peculiar glance. Clare Shannon's Marcy Park also gave a notable performance; the way she portrayed an overworked, overachieving, and intense child was equal parts funny and realistic. Her song "I Speak Six Languages" incorporated Ballet dancing and her vocals never once wavered. Accompanied by an ensemble of dancers behind her, the choreography (done by Sasha Tepp and Audrey Miscavage) shone and successfully placed us into Marcy's world of stress and winning. The technical aspects were another highlight of the show; the set done by Nic Crews, Kaitlyn Bellew, and Graham Armstrong created a realistic gym decorated with fake posters to express the American middle school atmosphere that we recognize all too well. The lighting also contributed to this atmosphere; done by Graham Armstrong, the use of spotlights, colors, and more expertly accompanied the story so the audience could live it alongside the characters. After hilarious definition readings, amusing audience participation, and entertaining dance numbers, the musical ended when one of the kids was crowned the winner. Yet they are all winners, the audience realized, having taken a journey throughout the show; one that we were lucky enough to witness. A standing ovation greeted the actors as they took final bows, well-deserved applause for their passionate performance.