It’s absolute pandemonium. And that’s exactly the point.
East Tennessee State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” Nov. 19-23, bringing audiences a show where no two performances are the same.
The Tony Award-winning musical comedy follows six quirky adolescent spellers competing for glory at a local spelling bee. The twist: audience members become part of the show, joining the competition alongside the cast.
“Each performance will be different because of the improvisation brought on by audience reaction,” said Bobby Funk, director. “The script is funny, the songs are memorable, and due to the improvisation, no performance is the same.”
Why does this show connect with audiences?
Beneath the comedy lies something deeper. Each young speller grapples with real challenges facing tweens today, from ADHD and self-esteem issues to parental pressure and feeling invisible.
“All of the characters represent a portion of our population that audience members will recognize,” Funk said. “We have all been there, and we know these people.”
Student performer Salvatore Faccadio sees that authenticity as the source of the show’s humor: “Comedy comes from honesty; you can’t force it. These kids are all very real, and this spelling bee is their everything. There's absolutely nothing funny about it to them. I think that’s where a lot of the humor comes from.”
What are Theatre and Dance students learning from this production?
For student choreographer Natalie Duncan, the production presented new challenges, including choreographing for a thrust stage where audiences sit on three sides.
“I’ve learned the importance of making sure every moment is rooted in truth and intention,” Duncan said. “Things in life are comical because they come from real-life circumstances with real-life human emotions. The show is not comical because we made it comical. The show is comical because the audience gets to see real characters, facing real circumstances, showing their real reactions.”
Taten Osborne, who juggles three different characters, found the experience pushed him beyond what he thought he was capable of: “Getting to perform and be silly and creative to tell an incredible story with my friends has taught me a lot about just letting loose and being stupid and silly on stage.”
What should audiences expect from the show?
“‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ is unlike any show you’ve ever seen before,” Duncan promised. “It is so entertaining and constantly keeps you on your toes. Come ready to be surprised.”
Jacob Jackson describes Act One as “wild, loose and hilarious,” while Act Two “shifts into a more serious tone as we begin to see how much the spelling bee means to the kids.”
Elsa Kummer, playing host Rona Lisa Peretti, highlighted one of the show’s most unpredictable elements: audience interaction.
“The most challenging part has been coming up with new things to say when it comes to roasting the audience volunteers, but I’ve got it down now.”
Note that the show contains adult themes and language.
Show Details
When: Nov. 19-23
Times: 7:30 p.m. (Sunday, Nove. 23, at 2 p.m.)
Where: ETSU Martin Center for the Arts, Bert C. Bach Theatre
Tickets: Available through the Martin Center Box Office
The Department of Theatre and Dance is part of the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, a lively hub for cultural activity. Learn about the many ways in which life in the region is so rich at etsu.edu/our-region.
