The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
at Loudoun Valley High School

Reviewed on February 18, 2018

Matthew Wisdom
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Spelling is truly a sport. With the slip of a vowel, a season is over. At the misplacement of a consonant, there is always a heart break that follows. In Loudoun Valley High School's, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, astute champions were not only tested through the vocabularic fires of the dictionary, but energy, endearment, and outstanding characters took the stage, enticing the audience from letters A to Z.

Making its Broadway debut in 2005, this one of a kind musical comedy garnered rave reviews in front of audiences of all ages. Picking up six Tony Award nominations and two wins, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee showcases an electric group of six students, competing for the coveted title of spelling champion. Parallel to the sharp-witted decision making of its competitors, Loudoun Valley's choice of staging produced a warm and inviting environment to its audience, where laughter was in no short supply. With the audience members seated onstage alongside the actors, interaction and inclusiveness blossomed, adding to all storytelling aspects. Other notable elements that were used to its advantage were Loudoun's valley's use of lighting, sound design, and set. With the usage of a simplistic backdrop and light and sound design, Loudoun Valley High School achieved a recognizable school atmosphere while creating an immersive experience with ease.

Aiding in its inclusiveness, Loudoun Valley High School's production showcased a talented company with an eccentric ensemble of competitors. Intriguing characters were created by all, with each actor and actress showing dedication to character through vocal decisions and overall demeanor. Two standout performances included those of Sophie Stapleton in the role of the shy Olive Ostrovsky, and Blake Carlson in the role of the eccentric William Barfee. These two performers were not only completely immersed in their characters, but left the audience in stitches while handling their arcs professionally. With their separate and joint dynamics, the audience cheered the actors on after each pronunciation, definition, and spelling, hoping to see them each advance to the next round of the competition. Complementing its dedicated actors perfectly, Loudoun Valley's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee truly triumphed in its cast's laugh out loud improvisational skills. Using its source material's intentional space for improv to its advantage, Viking Theatre did not disappoint. Taking this opportunity to heart, the cast's delivery and grip on this challenging skill was on full display throughout the entire musical.

Energy bounced off every wall at Loudoun Valley High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With a cast in complete command of its comedic capabilities, a sense of endearment was created towards a story that stayed true to its original source material, but was molded by the hands of a company that wasn't afraid to bring about new ideas to this beloved American musical.

Amanda Hampton
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Fill a gymnasium with angst-ridden adolescents, quirky teachers, and overbearing parents, and pandemonium is sure to ensue: a notion that was confirmed with raucous flair by Loudoun Valley High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The musical, which saw its Broadway debut in 2005, brings together six tween oddballs (and four audience participants) to compete in the high-stakes spelling bee at Putnam Valley Middle School. Whether they are trying to appease their single-minded dads, garner the attention of absent parents, or maintain their winning streak, the event is all-important and all-consuming in the minds of the students. Inevitably, in the heat of competition, tensions run high, relationships are formed, and dreams are crushed with the ding of a bell as the day wears on.

The cast's dedication to their larger-than-life characters was commendable, as was their clear aptitude for comedy. In particular, Zach Goolsby as Leaf Coneybear and Blake Carlson as William Barfee displayed remarkable commitment to their outlandish personas. Goolsby's portrayal of the vacuous but gentle-natured Leaf made him an endearing favorite the audience was loathe to see eliminated; by contrast, Carlson's affected voice and waspish mannerisms kept the audience in stitches. His blossoming relationship with Sophie Stapleton as Olive Ostrovsky allowed for some genuinely sweet moments to shine through, furthered by Stapleton's crystal-clear vocals and mild temperament.

Claire Poirier was an immediate standout as Rona Lisa Peretti, the empathetic spelling bee moderator reliving her former glory as a previous Putnam County Spelling Bee champion. She carried the role with sophistication and poise, and her vocal aptitude was perfectly suited for the more mature sound demanded by the character, shining through in the nostalgic "Rona's Moment" and serving as the anchor for many group numbers. Another evident vocal talent was seen in Onna Thomas, who gave the role of Michelle Mahoney a fresh, effortlessly gritty update that made her a joy to watch.

The technical elements of the show served to bring a sense of zany realism to the production. The incorporation of an improvised thrust stage allowed the audience to truly feel a part of the onstage action, and the set and prop teams did an outstanding job of painting an incredibly vivid picture of a high school gymnasium, complete with white-washed cinder blocks, painted murals of school mascots, and posters proclaiming the advent of such activities as online bowling. The stage managers, in a stroke of innovation, took on the roles of Putnam PTA moms, giving bubbly introductions at the beginning and at intermission that added yet another element of unorthodox hilarity to the performance.

With integrity and talent rampant among both cast and crew, Loudoun Valley High School's charming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was absolutely S-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N-A-L.

Joshua Wisdom
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Humdinger. Definition? Something remarkable or outstanding. Usage in a sentence? Loudoun Valley High School's humdinger performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee lead the audience on an odyssey of love, laughs, and large words.

A staple in modern musical theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee revolves around six young tween contestants as they cope with the trials of puberty and the tribulations of their home lives, all while vying for first place at the Bee and a coveted spot at Nationals. Unlike other shows, four audience members are spontaneously selected to compete and are brought on stage for their chance at spelling bee triumph, much to the fie of the other contestants. With music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, the musical premiered on Broadway in 2005 after a 2004 workshop and 2005 Off-Broadway opening, all resulting in high critical praise and accolades, including two Tony Awards.

With the audience seated on chairs surrounding the stage on three sides, the company performed with unifying hilarity while preserving each character's prevailing uniqueness, differentiating themselves amongst an assortment of quirky cast members and never being caught blank-faced. Zach Goolsby and Henry Trochlil ascended quickly as show stealers Leaf Coneybear and Vice Principal Patch, respectively. Whether hanging from an expertly constructed basketball hoop or simply falling from his seat, Goolsby brimmed with energy and a love for South-American rodents, creating larger-than-life persona the audience could not help but love. Behind the judge's table, Trochlil's improv-laced performance was witty and featured precise comedic timing, delivering side-splitting sentence usages throughout.

From quiet flitting to ethereal tangos, Blake Carlson and Sophie Stapleton perfectly encapsulated the awkwardness of young love as William Barfee and Olive Ostrovsky. Together, created endearing relationship - one the audience was more than willing to root for. Balancing a hilarious character voice, Carlson stole the audience's heart as he paraded up and down from the microphone, confidently spelling word after word (with the help of his magic foot) with the intensity of a line-backer. Close behind, however, was Stapleton, whose kind demeanor and quiet insecurity turned bold confidence shone through the words.

The individuality of all characters was partially enabled by the lighting design in that each character commanded their own color scheme based off their personality, which sometimes left the stage looking semi-simplistic during solo songs, but was more than made up for during group numbers, where the lighting added thematic and visual intrigue. The set and props accompanied the witty and faced-paced show, adding merriment wherever the eye landed.

The cast and crew of Loudoun Valley's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee created a hilarious and heartwarming experience for each audience member, filled with hilarity. H-I-L-A-R-I-T-Y.

Lily Noyd
Tuscarora High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

A bunch of awkward adolescents, a former spelling champ turned realtor, and a comfort counselor on parole, these are the faces that makeup Loudoun Valley's vibrant production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With audience member's sharing the stage, Valley's immersive piece brought laughs, smiles, and heartfelt aweing.

First appearing on Broadway in 2005, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee takes place in the geographically ambiguous Putnam County, centering on six misfit pre-teens competing to take home the spelling bee gold. Through trials and triumphs, these quirky spellers use unconventional methods to show off their wordy affinities.

The cast of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling worked brilliantly as an ensemble, each with stand out moments in their own right. Their energy and childlike enthusiasm brought life to the show, the juvenile spellers joyfully contrasting their adult counterparts. The exuberance of the actors worked harmoniously with the equally as vivacious technical elements, making for a fantastically spellbinding whole.

The six pre-teen contestants gave hysterically captivating performances. Nick Tortora hilariously captured the awkwardness of puberty in his portrayal of Chip, while Liza Shourds's performance as Marcy Park gave insight unto the pressures of perfection. As Logainne Schwartzandgrubienerre, Jena McDonald brought childlike enthusiasm to the role with captivating character quirks and physicality, maintaining a believable lisp. Sophie Stapleton's clear voice and honesty in a juvenile role, brought endearment to Olive Ostrovsky and made hers a performance to remember. Both Blake Carlson and Zach Goolsby, as William Barfee and Leaf Coneybear, respectively, lit up the stage with outlandish and energetic performance, creating lovable and bold character. Though each performer had their own moments to steal the spotlight, they worked brilliantly as an ensemble, not upstaging, but complementing one another.
Claire Poirier's performance as Rona Lisa Peretti brought a sense of maturity, yet playfulness to the show. Her connections with the contestants, as well as her fellow auditor, Vice Principal Panch, portrayed by Henry Trochlil, added honesty to the production. As Michelle Mahoney, Onna Thomas's voice soared, her strength as a singer made her featured solos show-stoppers. The entire cast worked beautifully together with genuine chemistry, from the opening number, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," to the "Finale," their crisp harmonies and sharp choreography brought incredible strength.

The technical aspects of Loudoun Valley's production thoughtfully complimented one another as well as enhanced the actor's performances. The simplistic, yet impactful set, designed by Zahl Azizi, captured the essence of a middle school gymnasium in a high school auditorium, his creative use of the double doors added interest to the performance while his set pieces brought symmetry and levels. The white wall backdrop created a blank canvas for Megan Horgan's creatively colorful lighting designs. Victoria Wright's costumes and Emily Simpson's props whimsically enhanced the already playful characters, and choreography by Mariel Clark was well executed, bringing dynamics to the piece. Sound by Devin Flynn and Josh Gilbert was crisp and clean, pulling the audience into the performance without distracting them. Each of these elements proved to be strong individually, while creating a cohesive production overall.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee requires an immense amount of energy, commitment, and creativity in order to truly capture the essence of the show, all things that Loudoun Valley High School was bountiful in.
With a hilariously dedicated cast and an immensely imaginative design team, they produced a show to remember. Though many would not consider a middle school spelling bee the place to be, Loudoun Valley created one you would be "Woe Is Me" to miss.

Helen Ganley
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

When looking back at life, there are a series of high points and low points. The high points are commonly weddings, birthdays, meeting your best friend, and when your first review gets published. Puberty, however, is a definite low point. Loudoun Valley High School's hilarious production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" transports all back to a relatable time of school crushes and parental pressure that is sure to make you L-A-U-G-H.

Originally an improvisational play by Rebecca Feldman, Spelling Bee was evolved into an Off-Broadway Musical and then premiered on Broadway in 2005. Since then, the show has been widely performed both nationally and internationally. Spelling Bee focuses on six teenage kids in their local spelling bee who are facing a myriad of adolescent issues such as pressure from the parents, an absentee mother and father, not living up to expectations, and an unfortunately timed "distraction." Through it all, one of them still has to win!

Waltzing awkwardly across the stage, Sophie Stapleton and Blake Carlson embodied an awkward middle school couple perfectly. Stapleton's voice soared during "I love You," her heartbroken feeling being present and clear. Carlson's dedication as William Barfee was apparent in his tap dancing during "Magic Foot" and constant rasping tone. Wearing a constant sneer and switching between two equally nerdy pairs of glasses, Carlson was dynamic to watch even when he wasn't the center of attention.

Distracted by an attractive young audience member, Nick Tortora's interpretation of Chip Tolentino was that of a classic teenager: romantically frustrated and scholastically confused. Hanging from a basketball hoop and falling dramatically out of his seat, Zach Goolsby was hysterical as Leaf Coneybear, constantly interacting with his sock puppet hand and adopting a minimal attention span. Holding an impressively long note in "Woe is Me," Jena McDonald was a convincingly overcommitted 10-year-old, complete with a convincing lisp, as Logainne Schwartzandgrubienerre.

Henry Trochlil and Claire Poirier preside over the bee as the two judges: Vice Principal Paunch and Rona Lisa Peretti. Trochlil's deep rasping voice incited raucous laughter with his comedic example sentences and Poirier's sweet high notes in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" were filled with an ever-present hope and kindness. Cole Walker and Bryan Ly were classic "helicopter parents" as Logainne's gay dads, both impressively portraying two characters. Juxtaposing her gentle voice with a bone-crushing headlock, Onna Thomas created the well-rounded comfort counselor Michelle Mahoney.

Teaming with Loudoun Literacy, Loudoun Valley collected 1,500+ books in addition to many other marketing techniques. Having a different color of light specified for each character, the light crew creatively blended spotlights when different characters were onstage. The pit orchestra played loudly and energetically, especially the saxophonist and percussionist. Creative posters and a well-made basketball hoop created an authentic gymnasium in Loudoun Valley's auditorium.

Supporting a charity, Loudoun Valley High School's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" was both a good time and for a good cause. One could say that the show was E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T! (That is correct!)

Madeleine Sullivan
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to The Viking

Loudoun Valley's portrayal of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was beautiful pandemonium! Valley's colorful cast combined with impressive technical elements created a light-hearted yet important show which captivated audiences of all ages.

The Annual 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee is a tony award winning musical comedy written by William Finn and brought to life on Broadway in 2006. The musical follows the stories of six quirky contestants in a middle school spelling bee and the journey they undergo both in their personal lives and in the competition. The bee's moderator, Rona Lisa Peretti, along with the school's unconventional Vice Principle lead the competition, bringing a sense of humor and fostering relationships with the contestants along the way. The show begins with six school middle school contestant and select audience participants; however, when all is said and done, contestant William Barfee is victorious.

The musical's utter success would not have been possible without the undeniable stage presence and humor of the six spellers. Each speller brought a unique archetype to the stage and was able to flawlessly remain engaged and in character throughout the entirety of the show. Zach Goolsby nailed the role of Leaf Coneybear through his eccentric physicality and attention to detail. The audience will forever remember Goolsby hanging center stage from a basketball hoop, for it was truly a priceless sight like no other. Blake Carlson, too, brilliantly executed the role of William Barfee with his captivating vocal decisions and humorous stage dynamic. His ability to simultaneously tap, talk, and sing all while remaining in his quite ridiculous character is truly commendable. Lastly, Sophie Stapleton beautifully portrayed the role of Olive Otrsovsky with her impressive vocals and innocent, yet commanding, stage presence.

Valley's show was far more than just the spellers, for the other members of the cast contributed to the musical's comedic and sensational nature. The bee's moderator, played by Claire Poirier, delivered impeccable vocals and created a complex character beyond that of the typical high school capability. Her dynamic with the hilarious Vice Principle Panch, played by Henry Trochlil, was impressive and beautifully maintained for the entire show. Trochlil, too, delivered a phenomenal, striking performance with entirely unique and pronounced humor. Guidance counselor Michelle Mahoney, played by Onna Thomas, contrary to her character's dark nature, also brought life and talent to the stage with her awe inspiring vocal performance. Lastly, the parents seated in the audience, especially Bryan Ly and Cole Walker, enhanced the show's humor and strong characterization.

The technical elements of Valley's production, too, are worthy of applause. From the moment the show begun, the audience was struck by the show's set and the subtle humor provided through the posters hung on the wall. Each aspect of the set and the impressive props were all indisputably intentional, bold choices which enhanced the cast's performance. The choice to sit the audience on stage with members of the cast in the audience fostered a sense of intimacy and connection between the performers and audience like no other. The sound elements, too, elevated the show to an entirely new level. The audience was pleasantly dumfounded by the phone alarm done by the pit orchestra because of its realistic sound and meticulous timing.

The audience, along with William Barfee, left Loudoun Valley feeling victorious and joyed as a result of the performers' and crew's unambiguous talent and capability to executive such an amusing, captivating show!