Welcome to our production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!
As the director, I've had the privilege of witnessing the incredible dedication and talent of our cast and crew. Together, we've poured our hearts into bringing this story to life on stage. This production has required more flexibility from all of us than usual and I am so proud of the cast and crew for remaining dedicated and upbeat!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a celebration of friendship, resilience, and the power of embracing our quirks and differences. It's a joyous reminder of the magic that happens when we come together as a community.
It has been such a joy to watch the actors develop these zany characters: playing charicatures of middle schoolers was a unique challenge and our rehearsals were full of laughter as they discovered the uniqueness and loveability of these heartwarming characters. The production meetings I had with the tech crew department heads were a highlight of each week as they shared their vision for this show and made it come to life.
I'm immensely proud of everyone involved in this production, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share our passion and hard work with you tonight.
Thank you to the ELHS Drama parents and supporters as well as the ELHS and greater East Lyme community for your support - we hope you enjoy this show just as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.
Becky McCoy
Director & Choreographer
A NOTE ABOUT THIS SHOW:
Based upon C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm.
The Barrington Stage Company workshop of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE was originally co-directed by Michael Barakiva and Rebecca Feldman.
The Farm was founded in 2000 by Rebecca Feldman, Artistic Director. It is a collective of writers and performers, including Jay Reiss, Dan Fogler, and Sarah Saltzberg. The Farm’s interest is in the role of improvisation in creating new work for the theatre. The Farm initially designates a two-week intensive period in which to discover, develop, and rehearse a play from the impulses borne mainly out of the pressure of a deadline. Previous projects include “Super” (at Atlantic Theatre Studios), “Why I Hate Florida” (workshop at White Wave in DUMBO) and “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E” (at the Present Company Theatorium in October 2002), on which “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is based. The character and original dialogue of “Beth Marguiles,” “Vice President Douglas Panch,” “Mr. Barfee,” and “Logan Schwarzengrubenierre” were created by Rebecca Feldman, Jay Reiss, Dan Fogler, and Sarah Saltzberg, respectively.
