The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee June 6, 2009

The Tony Award-winning musical comedy, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, is coming to the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, June 6 and 7, for 4 performances.

In THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, 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. This tuneful, offbeat and at times heartwarming show offers audience members the opportunity (strictly voluntary) to become part of the action as on-stage spellers.

"Can you spell i-r-r-e-s-i-s-t-i-b-l-e? SPELLING BEE is riotously funny and remarkably ingenious. Gold stars all around," says the New York Times. In the Wall Street Journal, SPELLING BEE was called, "perfect in every possible way - that rarity of rarities, a super-smart musical that is also a bona fide crowd-pleaser. An ingenious blend of simplicity and sophistication, it's not merely funny, it's wise."

Starring in SPELLING BEE are Katie Boren (Marcy Park), Roberta Duchak (Rona Lisa Peretti), James Kall (Douglas Panch), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Leaf Coneybear), Justin Keyes (Chip Tolentino), Kevin Smith Kirkwood (Mitch Mahoney), Vanessa Ray (Olive Ostrovsky), Eric Roediger (William Barfee), and Dana Steingold (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre).

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE in based on C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm improv group in New York City. SPELLING BEE had its world premiere production in July 2004 at Barrington Stage Company, Sheffield, MA. Under the direction of James Lapine, SPELLING BEE officially opened Off-Broadway on February 7, 2005 at Second Stage Theatre, where it ran from January 11 through March 20, 2005. The show then moved to Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (where it continues its run), with previews beginning on April 15, 2005 and an official opening on May 2, 2005.

$95/$80/$70/$60.

Official Website: http://www.bankheadtheater.org