May I have the definition please?

Could you use it in a sentence?

What’s the country of origin?

If you’ve watched even one round of the Scripp’s National Spelling Bee, you know these questions. But are YOU ready to take on the Bee yourself? Directed by Jennifer Walls, with music direction by Michael Ipplito, and choreography by Nicholas Rocque, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is not only a hilarious musical about six youngsters who love to spell, it gives audience members the opportunity to come up on stage and be a part of the action. With charming songs, a delightful story, and laughs a-plenty you’ll be S-O-R-R-Y if you miss this Spelling Bee.

Six young students from across Putnam County have assembled to take part in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Former Bee Winner Rona Lisa Peretti provides the colour commentary while local Vice Principal Douglas Panch acts as the Bee’s judge. One by one, the students, along with four intrepid audience members who have bravely volunteered to participate, battle it out for the Bee title and to move on to Nationals in Washington, DC. As each student is eliminated, they’re comforted by the official comforter Mitch Mahoney (who’s also doing this as part of their community service, it’s fine) who gives them a hug and juice box and sends them on their way until a champion is finally crowned.

There are several unique elements to this show which make it not just worth seeing once, but coming back time and time again. The audience participants are fantastic, and what I love is how they get eliminated. Initially, they go through the rounds as if it were a real spelling bee with each participant spelling a word and then going through the cycle. However, at a certain point, the words for each contestant get exceptionally difficult as someone needs to be eliminated for the play to continue. Once they’re down to the last audience participant, they have them spell several words in a row until the bell finally rings, and it can get quite comical. The other element which brings on tons of laughter is the sentences that are used for the examples. These aren’t scripted, and as such get more absurd as the play goes on. Kudos to the cast and crew; these fun moments make the play the joy it is and there must be so much planning and thought going into things.

When you enter into the Aki Studio Theatre, there’s immediately artwork and posters on the wall just like in a school’s hallway or gymnasium. There’s a set of risers on one side of the stage with the table for the judges on the other. Centre stage is a live band, comprised of Amiel Ang, Benjamin Kersey, Dante Alaimo, Emily Morse, Jo O’Leary-Ponzo, and Mike Ippolito. It truly gives that school assembly sort of vibe, and firmly situates the audience as to where we are.

Shifting Ground Collective has assembled a brilliantly funny and wildly talented cast for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Misha Sharivke plays Chip Tolentino, the winner of the 24th Annual Spelling Bee. His portrayal of a young teen and all of the…unintended mishaps which can occur is so very real. Lauren Taylor Scott’s Loraine Schwartsandgrubenierre is the little social justice warrior I can’t wait to see the next generation become. Taylor Scott also deftly displays the pressures and anxiety that young folks often put on themselves as well. Jameson Mosher plays William Barfée; his constant frustration with the mispronunciation of his name only got more hilarious as the play went on. Mosher has this adorable charm that makes any character he plays loveable in some way. Berkeley Silverman’s Olive Ostrovsky is beautifully tragic and definitely the type of girl I would have befriended in school. Silverman brings a genuine sweetness to Olive that touches your heart. Leaf Coneybear, played by Ben Ridd, is so delightfully oblivious that you can’t help but love them. Ridd gives a stellar performance as they navigate Leaf’s daft personality and then seeming possession as they spell. Rounding out the participants is Zoe Virola as Marcy Park. Virola is fierce, and her main number where she Marcy’s accomplishments is absolutely a highlight. Olivia Daniels shines as Rona Lisa Peretti; her command of the stage is unmatched. Nam Nyguen’s Douglas Panch is unhinged in every possible way and provides a great deal of the improv comedy in the show. These two contrast each other so perfectly that I can scarcely imagine a better combo. Diana Del Rosario’s Mitch Mahoney is comic gold; the gruff exterior being totally undermined by the soft person who’s consoling all of the students. Del Rosario is so funny and has such incredible attitude, that I can’t help but look over just to see what she’s up to in any given scene. This cast has us all gripped from the first moment and they don’t let us go.

I competed in a spelling bee when I was in Grade 6. I had been so proud to win at the class and then grade level, and then bombed my first word at the school level. I’m genuinely too embarrassed to even admit what the word was. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee takes all of those core memories for so many of us and puts it into a delightfully funny package full of songs, snacks, laughs, and even a little sing-along.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs at the Aki Studio Theatre and has been extended until March 15! Limited tickets remain, so make sure you get them ASAP! For more information and tickets, visit: https://shiftinggroundcollective.com/spelling-bee/

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Cover Photo: The company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Costume and Production Design by Jason Dauvin; Lighting Design by Niall Durcan; Photo by Taylor Long.

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