‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ Off-Broadway review — charming musical revival spells pure joy

Read our review of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee off Broadway, a 20th-anniversary production of the award-winning musical at New World Stages.

Summary

• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical about a spelling competition featuring six quirky students and three adult moderators
• The show features voluntary audience participation and gives each actor a three-dimensional character and a showcase for their talent
• Audiences have called the show charming and funny and praised the performances of the ensemble cast

Listen up for the word “syzygy” in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It’s defined as an out-of-this-world alignment. Off Broadway at New World Stages, all the elements have stacked up splendidly in a revival of the show that arrives 20 years after the Broadway premiere and captures every drop of the original charm. The endearing misfit characters, upbeat and thoughtful songs, and consistently laugh-out-loud humor add up to pure joy.

Written by William Finn (music and lyrics) and Rachel Sheinkin (book), the show follows six quirky middle schoolers competing in a local spelling bee, supervised by adults with issues of their own.

Director/choreographer Danny Mefford’s production seen last year at the Kennedy Center lands in NYC with shrewd, venue-specific zingers (“Have you ever been in a gymnasium next to a production of Heathers before?”) and updates for today (one speller “is president of the pronoun club”). Punchy jokes surface when contestants step up to the mic and when the spelling words are used in sentences.

There are six main student competitors: athletic Chip Tolentino (Philippe Arroyo), politically aware Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Autumn Best), home-schooled Leaf Coneybear (Kimberly Akimbo Tony nominee Justin Cooley), allergy-prone William Barfée (Glee’s Kevin McHale), overachieving Marcy Park (Leana Rae Concepcion), and shy Olive Ostrovsky (BOOP! Tony nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers).

Adults on the scene include bee host Rona Lisa Peretti (Lilli Cooper), word pronouncer Douglas Panch (Jason Kravits), and comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Matt Manuel). They’re a reminder that idiosyncrasies make us human, and they can last a lifetime.

But each character, flaws and all, is more than just a solitary trait. That's thanks in large part to insightful, character-driven songs that explore family expectations, awkward crushes, outsider status, perils of puberty, and the pressures of competition.

And the entire ensemble shines, squeezing every last drop out of each moment. Leaf confronting his insecurities in “I’m Not the Smart” and Olive imagining the words she wishes to hear from her parents in “The I Love You Song” are standout musical moments.

For wonderful weirdness, “Magic Foot” is tops. William belts it to demonstrate his bee technique with the word “lugubrious,” tracing letters on the ground and, finally, dotting an “I” with his toe. It’s an eloquent gesture in a show that’s as big-hearted as it is fleet-footed.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee summary

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy that celebrates imperfection and individuality as it follows six middle schoolers competing in a local spelling bee. Songs by William Finn, who died in April, reveal the spellers' personal insecurities, desires, and what makes them tic, and tick.

Previously seen off and then on Broadway in 2005, the musical is based on C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, a play by The Farm.

What to expect at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The show takes place in a garden-variety school gym neatly rendered by scenic designer Teresa L. Williams. On a bleacher are 10 chairs set up for bee contestants. Four of those chairs are filled by audience members who can volunteer to get in on the act. The interactive device really works: When a show is this fun, you want to share it.

What audiences are saying about The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

As of writing, Spelling Bee had earned an impressive near-perfect 96% audience approval rating on the online review aggregator Show-Score.

• “I laughed, I cried, I learned how to spell new words.” Show-Score user Jen Q
• “Very fun, hilarious show with an excellent cast. I love how much the audience is involved here.” Show-Score user comlykabom
• “I forgot how funny this show is, and the team has done such a good job updating the book to today, while leaving the best parts intact.” Show-Score user Tim 2336
• “I love how this show gives everyone a moment to shine.” Show-Score user ec93
• “I’ve listened to the 2005 Original Broadway Cast Recording on repeat and I am so glad to have finally seen a brilliant production of my favorite musical. The set, the cast, and the music are all fabulous.” Show-Score user mewantBroadway

Read more audience reviews of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Show-Score.

Who should see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

• Audiences who appreciate strong character-driven stories will enjoy the young people who emerge in all their idiosyncratic glories.
• Theatregoers who like ensemble stories will appreciate the team spirit that is inherent in this show.
• Fans of William Finn’s other shows, including Falsettos and A New Brain, will enjoy seeing how his mind worked in this show.
• Fans of the original Broadway production, which provided an early platform for actors like Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, and Celia Keenan-Bolger, will get a kick out of seeing this iteration.

Learn more about The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee off Broadway

Big on feels and fun, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is 105 minutes without an intermission, and the time flies by.

Learn more and get The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tickets on New York Theatre Guide. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is at New World Stages through April 12.

*Photo credit: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)