The Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts will present its rendition of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with opening night set to take place Wednesday. Credit: Courtesy of Mandy Fox
An upcoming Ohio State theatrical production is ready to spell success over the course of its eight-show run.
The Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in its Proscenium Theatre starting Wednesday. Mandy Fox, the show’s director and a professor in the department, said the musical comedy will run through April 12, marking the fourth production to take place in the facility. The theater resides in the department’s new building, which officially opened for classes this past autumn 2023 semester and is located at 1932 College Road.
The theater resides in the department’s new building, which officially opened in October 2023 and is located at 1932 College Road.
The Tony Award-winning musical follows a group of six distinctly eccentric — yet equally awkward — middle school spellers as they compete in their county’s annual spelling bee, said Brian Rocha, the musical’s assistant director and a graduate teaching associate in the department.
“The competition of the spelling bee is getting tangled with their personal lives that they are dealing with and struggling with, so all of those stories are kind of shared as they’re going through it and competing in this competition,” Rocha said.
Rocha said this musical stands out from others because despite being a scripted production, it integrates improvisational elements into its plot. Specifically, four audience members are selected each night to be “guest spellers” and appear on stage alongside the cast.
“Each performance truly is something different, because we’re going to have a different cast and characters essentially every night,” Rocha said.
Between its large ensemble, relatable plot and entertaining premise, Fox said the show felt like the ideal show for the Ohio State community.
“We wanted to pick something that would provide a lot of opportunities, great roles for students and also something that is about community that we could enjoy together,” Fox said. “We can look back and remember something we all have in common is that we were awkward tweens.”
Since its release in 2005, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” has undergone numerous adaptations due to its immense popularity. As a result, Fox said she questioned whether the world needed another installation of the musical.
Ultimately, because of the story’s ability to bring people together despite their innate differences, she decided in its favor.
“Every choice we have made directorially is in the hopes that it will be a great evening,” Fox said. “It will be beautiful. It will be fun, comfortable and promote community and joy. We have really tried to reach for the joy.”
Because the musical has been reinterpreted so many times over the years, Rocha said this production has integrated Ohio State-specific references throughout the script to add some personal flair to the renowned show.
Both Fox and Rocha emphasized the importance of making performers’ respective characters feel like authentic human beings rather than mere caricatures. Because the show’s brand of comedy relies on spellers’ individual quirks, Rocha said she advises the actors to draw inspiration from their real-life personalities to strike the right balance between humor and emotion.
“When they get these roles, one of the things they can do is access a tiny bit of themselves that is like the character and blow it up huge, so the acting style is quite large and funny,” Fox said.
Ashley DeAngelis, a third-year in political science who plays Rona Lisa Peretti in the production, said she found meaningful connections between herself and the character. DeAngelis said playing someone who previously won the spelling bee in her youth and returns to host it regularly has proved to be a fun challenge.
“I feel like my character tries her best to keep face and make sure things look like they’re going as best as possible, which I think is very true to who I am,” DeAngelis said. “Being able to tune into my perfectionist side for this character has been nice.”
Ethan McCoy, a second-year in psychology, is taking on two roles in the musical: Leaf Coneybear — one of the kid spellers who takes on an underdog-like role — and Carl Dad — the notably overbearing father of another participating middle schooler.
He has been able to find similarities between himself and each character, McCoy said.
“The biggest thing when you are forming a character is trying to find that intersection between yourself and your character, and once you’re able to get that cross, that’s when the real theater magic happens,” McCoy said.
For Carl Dad specifically, McCoy said he draws inspiration from earlier periods of his life when he identified with the character’s intense demeanor.
“When I was younger I was very much a perfectionist,” McCoy said. “Whether it was academically or just at home, I tried to always make sure that I was doing everything right and that all the details were perfect and all my ducks were in order and such. I grew out of that thankfully because it was taking a toll on me, especially because I was going through my middle school years into high school.”
Though McCoy has since stepped away from this mindset, he said he can channel those moments to put into his character Carl Dad. On the other hand, McCoy said he finds Leaf Coneybear’s optimism and friendly disposition more relatable to his current self.
“No matter what is going on in the show, Leaf is having the absolute time of his life,” said McCoy. “He just always has a smile on his face.”
Though the musical’s interactive nature makes it particularly fun to perform, DeAngelis said the “heart and soul” of the production is its cast and crew, as every member is committed to eliciting authentic laughter from the crowd.
“The show is so silly, and we all know how silly it is so we really embrace that as a cast and as a crew,” DeAngelis said. “It has been such a fun show to be a part of.”
The show is designed to present attendees with a spontaneous but poignant theatergoing experience, leading DeAngelis and McCoy to encourage the Ohio State community to attend.
“No two nights are the same, that’s what is really exciting about it,” McCoy said. “It even keeps the actors on their toes.”
Similarly, Fox said attendees can expect to have a great time.
“It’s absolutely hilarious and we are surprised and delighted every night at how funny it is, the actors are amazing,” Fox said.
More information about the show, including specific dates and ticket information, can be found on the department’s website.
