For you spelling bee enthusiasts out there, here is a real humdinger of a word challenge. How do you spell “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”? Before you assume I just gave you the answer, perhaps I should use it in a sentence. For a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experience at the theater, be sure to pick up your tickets for Pioneer Theatre Company’s limited engagement of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” A word to the wise — you might want to brush up on your spelling skills before you go, because there is a chance you might end up being part of the show.
The Tony Award-winning production is bringing its irresistible charm from the bright lights of Broadway to Salt Lake City for a limited time this month. Starting Sept. 12 and running through Sept. 27, Salt Lake audiences will get a chance to experience the drama and intensity of a spelling bee, combined with catchy music and humor. The play is uniquely composed of one long act that centers on a fictional spelling bee and its six zany and offbeat adolescent contestants, whose immaturity is only matched by the three equally ditzy grown-ups who are running the competition into the ground. PTC’s production is giving audiences a chance to see a musical that was nominated for six Tony Awards and won for “Best Book” and “Best Featured Actor in a Musical.”
“After new productions complete their Broadway run, they become available to regional professional theatres like PTC,” said Kirsten Park, PTC’s director of marketing. “We feel it’s important to produce new work when it becomes available to Salt Lake City audiences. ‘Spelling Bee’ was recently made available, and we knew our patrons would enjoy it.”
Part of what makes “Spelling Bee” such a fun, interactive experience for the audience is that, unlike most stage productions, this play gives patrons a chance to actually participate in the play and become a contestant in the titular spelling bee.
“Audience members will have a chance to audition in the lobby before the curtain and perhaps participate on stage,” Park said. “How does this work? You’ll have to come to the show and find out. A few audience members will have the chance to match their wits with the spellers.”
There are two versions of the musical. PTC is giving audiences a chance to see both versions during its limited run. The original version is a bit more on the bawdy side, as it focuses on a particular contestant’s problem with risqué language, whereas the tamer version handles it with slightly more discretion.
“We think Salt Lake audiences will appreciate both versions, and therefore we are offering both,” Park said. “We hope some audience members will see both.”
The original, more risqué version will be performed only on Thursday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, Sept. 24. The rest of the performances will coordinate with the dates of its PTC run. For more information about times and ticketing, visit PTC’s website at www.pioneertheatre.org. In the meantime, be sure to work on your spelling skills because with a little luck, you may find yourself under the bright lights of the stage trying desperately to remember exactly how many “i’s” there are in the spelling of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Good luck with that!
@ChronyArts