Spelling Bee: Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond to make Broadway debut

'Saturday Night Live's' Darrell Hammond will make his Broadway debut this summer when he joins the cast of the Broadway musical 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for a limited engagement from 12 Jun - 19 Jul 2007, playing Vice Principal Douglas Panch.

Hammond assumes the role of Douglas Panch from Mo Rocco, who leaves the show on 10 Jun 2007.

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle In The Square on 2 May 2005, following previews from 15 Apr 2005. The musical originally opened Off-Broadway at Second Stage on 7 Feb 2005, following previews from 11 Jan 2005. The musical is currently booking to 2 Sep 2007.

The musical currently features James Monroe Iglehart (Mitch Mahoney), Greta Lee (Marcy Park), Stanley Bahorek (Leaf Coneybear), Jared Gertner (William Barfee), Jennifer Simard (Rona Lisa Perretti), Jenni Barber (Olive Ostrovsky), Aaron J. Albano (Chip Tolentino), Mo Rocca (Douglas Panch) and Sara Inbar (Logainne Schwartzandgrubiennaire).

The musical comedy is about six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn�t everything and that losing doesn�t necessarily make you a loser.

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin and is based on an idea conceived by Rebecca Feldman. The musical is directed by James Lapine, with choreography by Dan Knechtges, costumes by Beowulf Boritt, lighting by Natasha Katz and sound by Dan Moses Schreier.