The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
at James Madison High School

Reviewed on April 30, 2022

Gabriella Sanchez
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

One spelling bee. Six competitors. Infinitely high stakes. Spell a word correctly, you are safe. Misspell a word, you are eliminated. In a room full of quirky middle schoolers, do you have what it takes to win?

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" entails a highly competitive spelling bee set in Putnam Valley Middle School. With eccentric music and lyrics written by William Finn, the 2005 Broadway production won two Tonys and performed over 1,000 shows. Through hilarious comedy, dramatic choreography, and euphonious singing, James Madison High School's rendition of the comical musical provided a refreshing take on the ridiculously competitive nature of spelling bees.

Fortune Picker portrayed the role of soft-hearted Olive Ostrovsky, using hunched shoulders and fearful eyes to signal timidness associated with her vulnerable character. Employing grief-stricken expressions, Picker conveyed her profound desire for parental love and validation through heart-breaking harmonies and periodic sobs in "The I Love You Song," joined by her mother (Mary Ulses) and father (Matthew Pearson). Casting a bright blue light over the actors, Graham Armstrong illuminated a tragic facade of Olive's interaction with her family. There was a noticeable emphasis on Picker's development, which is especially noticeable in the second act where she learns to overcome her family's absence and flourish into her own being.

With a humorous take on a typically serious role, William Barfée (Aaron Shansab) turned arrogant cadence into outright humor. In the tap number "Magic Foot," Barfée showcased his excellent tap-dancing skills and powerhouse vocals with the help of the passionate ensemble. Constantly correcting the Vice Principal's pronunciation of his name, Shansab delved into the complexity and the fragility of his seemingly overconfident character to create an elaborate and captivating performance.

While he might not be that smart, Leaf Coneybear (Jonah Uffelman) was certainly hilarious. Wearing a tight helmet and red cape, Uffelman fully encapsulated childlike innocence with his clueless personality and lively movements in "I Am Not That Smart." Maintaining high energy throughout his time onstage, Uffelman's vibrancy fully immersed the audience into his character's wondrous imagination. Using his arms to make grandiose movements and carrying himself in an unaware manner, Uffelman greatly excelled at physical comedy. Further, Vice Principal Panch (Bill Gibb), provided excellent comedic relief as the moderator of the spelling bee. Through pauses after each witty remark, monotone speech, and unhinged outbursts of anger, Gibb perfectly encapsulated a stereotypical school administrator and balanced the anxiety-inducing competition with seamless comedy.

The ensemble joined the craze in the frenzied "Pandemonium" to comically illustrate the ruthless spelling bee competition. Adding to the hysteria, rainbow lights moved in different directions, bleachers spun in circles, and the live orchestra, known as the "Bee-Flats," played maniacal music. Although bodies moved in hurried directions, voices were still cohesive and individual characterization was precise. In addition, the set designed by Nic Crews, Kaitlyn Bellew, and Graham Armstrong created a very realistic feeling of a spelling bee set on a school premises. With fliers scattered on bulletin boards and bleachers placed on both sides of the stage, the set significantly accentuated the school-like atmosphere. Further, the costumes by Ciara Stefanik, Emma Burke, and Mikenna Corcoran heightened the individuality of the competitors and flawlessly matched their unique personalities.

Overall, James Madison High School's rendition of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" explored the nature of competitive rivalries and youthful determination through hysterical, outlandish comedy!

Tess Jannery-Barney
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

There are hundreds of thousands of words in the dictionary, but there can only be one champion. James Madison high School spelled out a snappy production of the 2005 Broadway musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With articulate music and pronouncing lyrics by William Finn, and a Tony Award Winning, page-turning best book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee defines S-U-C-C-E-S-S, S-A-B-O-T-A-G-E, and S-A-C-R-F-I-C-E through a story of middle school scholars.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy set in a middle school gymnasium during the county-wide spelling bee, adjudicated by former bee champion, Rona Lisa Peretti, and the unhinged administrator, Vice Principal Panch. The story centers around six oddball logophiles: Logainne, Barfée, Olive, Chip, Leaf, and Marcy, on a journey to self-confidence and choice. These tweenaged spelling aficionados are forced to confront tweenaged desires and budding romances, overbearing or neglectful parents, in a fight of wits to win the competition.

Jonah Uffelman brought a genuine goofiness to the unlikely spelling bee contestant, Leaf, and made the audience explode in laughter in the lyrically playful "I'm Not That Smart" where he giggled at somewhat silly-sounding words, caressed his helmet hair, and doubted if there were any brains under his bicycle helmet. Every time Leaf was called to the stand, Uffelman crooked his head, dropped his jaw in awe, and widened his eyes, spelling almost every word perfectly. Clare Shannon shined with a surplus of brains and attitude as the overachieving Catholic school student, Marcy, demonstrating her vocal stamina, confident stage presence, and dance flexibility in her solo, "I Speak Six Languages," even dropping into a split in her final note of the song.

In "Magic Foot," Barfée (Aaron Shansab) revealed his secret spelling bee strategy and wiggled his right foot across the stage, miraculously dotting I's and crossing T's with his toes in a suitably awkward tap dancing jig. Fortune Picker played Barfée's love interest, Olive, with endearing vulnerability from the moment she entered the stage. First, Picker stood shy and unsure where to register for the bee, and then later in "The I Love You Song," Picker released softly haunting, then booming vocals, clutching the hands of her absent mother (Mary Ulses) and negligent father (Matthew Pearson.)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee immersed the audience, from Vice Principal Panch (Bill Gibb) and Rona (Coco Pinnock) chatting with real audience members onstage to spell words at the bee, to Chip (Bailey Pavitt-Graff) chucking candy to the audience in "Chips Lament," and even in "Pandemonium."

Additionally, the stage crew (Jacob Simpson, Sanjeev Raghu, Sasha Tepp, and Audrey Miscavage) seamlessly tackled "Pandemonium," moving a large pair of gym bleachers from the utilitarian stage set (Nic Crews, Kaitlyn Bellew, and Graham Armstrong) in a swift set change. During Leaf's trance-like spelling moments, a colorful array of lights (Graham Armstrong) focused on Leaf, and an echoey sound effect (Samuel Deege, Izzette Azari, and Patrick Thurston) reverberated every letter Leaf spoke, utilizing technical elements to further examine the characters and aid comedic moments within the musical.

After the final round of the bee, Barfée (Aaron Shansab) rejoiced as the victor, beaming with his golden trophy. Although every child was not a champion, each speller achieved; Olive found love and friendship, Leaf became maybe a little smarter, and Rona celebrated yet another year of academic excellence. Overall, James Madison High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a perfect example of how to use C-O-M-E-D-Y in a sentence, defined what it truly means to be a W-I-N-N-E-R, and repeated L-A-U-G-H-T-E-R all night long.

Sophia Pandit
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

E-X-E-M-P-L-A-R-Y: serving as a desirable model or representing the best of its kind. In other words, James Madison High School's rendition of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

The story is simple: six young teenagers compete in a regional spelling bee, hoping to qualify for nationals. The kicker? Much of the show involves improv and audience participation. In fact, during the 2005 Tony Awards, Reverend Al Sharpton was one of the four actual audience members selected to compete in the spelling bee alongside the actors. Madison's cast provided a masterclass in how to combine both aspects and give an exceptional performance, which was only bolstered by the work of their technical department.

Leaf Coneybear, a sheltered homeschool student played by Jonah Uffelman, was the source of many of the crowd's laughs. The cheeky expressions, along with the wide-eyed spelling of rodents' names, made Leaf one of the most endearing characters in the show. His counterpart in almost every sense of the word, William Barfee (Aaron Shansab), produced just as much applause. There was always both swagger and contempt carried by the character in every scene, regardless of his role in it. But the most impressive feat was the use of physical comedy; whether that be shouting words in slow motion or twisting feet around, Shansab excelled at every bit of it. Apprehensive Marcy Park, portrayed by Clare Shannon, served as the show's "triple threat;" no beat was skipped, no note faltered, and her characteristic sharp demeanor never wavered.

The introductory number was outstanding. Although essentially all the cast was involved, there still managed to be strong characterization from each of the performers while ensuring their vocals blended seamlessly together. Olive Ostrovsky, played by Fortune Picker, was one of the driving forces behind Act 2 with "The I Love You Song." Her voice reverberated throughout the auditorium and illuminated the emotional intensity of the song, yet still retained her meek nature through gliding over the melodies. Not only was Leaf a brilliant comic, but a talented vocalist as well; Uffelman put forth the effort to make Leaf's singing voice in tune with his animated character.

Choreography-wise, Sasha Tepp and Audrey Miscavage incorporated varying disciplines of dance, from the tap and jazz of "Magic Foot" to ballet for "I Speak Six Languages." It was evident that the cast utilized the time they had from auditioning in December to now to nail down the nitty-gritty details of each number. "The Bee-Flats" student orchestra added to the spectacle, with timpani drumming up anticipation and strings being the catalyst of each number. As for costuming, Ciara Stefanik, Emma Burke, and Mikenna Corcoran assembled pieces that had personalities of their own and were intricately designed. One other factor they considered was authenticity; the dress Olive's Mom (Mary Ulses) wore for "The I Love You Song" is an actual form of casual wear in India, signifying the careful thought behind their decision-making.

A lovable "Pandemonium," James Madison High School's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" spells out for us what it takes to put on a professional production. In the audience's eyes, each character tied for first.

Kiana Collins
Meridian High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

On a warm spring evening at the end of April, a Virginia high school theater is transformed into a middle school gymnasium, teenagers into 11-year-olds, and an audience falls in love with a quirky cast of characters telling a hilarious story like no other. By the end of the night, not only are the songs stuck in our heads but so is the heartwarming tale of triumph, acceptance, and the painful reminder of the rollercoaster that is puberty.

Set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam County, The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee opened Off-Broadway in 2005, winning several awards, before premiering on Broadway the same year and closing in 2008 after more than 1,000 performances. The musical comedy tells the story of six young students competing in a Spelling Bee competition. Each character has a distinct personality and story, and by the end has discovered themselves or their self-worth in some way. It's a musical full of hope and excitement, and of course, a whole lot of laughter.

Bringing the show to life was the cast of characters, who brought elementary school-aged passion on stage naturally. Fortune Picker's portrayal of Olive Ostrovsky, a shy girl who discovers she can be independent was especially astounding. One of the most powerful moments of the show was when she sang ‘The I Love You Song' with her imaginary parents, and the three teared up as Olive finally accepted that they wouldn't be there watching. Then there was Jonah Uffelman's Leaf Coneybear, a free-spirited boy who just wanted to be accepted by his family and to prove that he is smart enough, even if it meant he didn't win. His acting shone even when he wasn't the center of attention, making the audience roll over in laughter with just a peculiar glance. Clare Shannon's Marcy Park also gave a notable performance; the way she portrayed an overworked, overachieving, and intense child was equal parts funny and realistic. Her song ‘I Speak Six Languages' incorporated Ballet dancing and her vocals never once wavered. Accompanied by an ensemble of dancers behind her, the choreography (done by Sasha Tepp and Audrey Miscavage) shone and successfully placed us into Marcy's world of stress and winning.

The technical aspects were another highlight of the show; the set done by Nic Crews, Kaitlyn Bellew, and Graham Armstrong created a realistic gym decorated with fake posters to express the American middle school atmosphere that we recognize all too well. The lighting also contributed to this atmosphere; done by Graham Armstrong, the use of spotlights, colors, and more expertly accompanied the story so the audience could live it alongside the characters.

After hilarious definition readings, amusing audience participation, and entertaining dance numbers, the musical ended when one of the kids was crowned the winner. Yet they are all winners, the audience realized, having taken a journey throughout the show; one that we were lucky enough to witness. A standing ovation greeted the actors as they took final bows, well-deserved applause for their passionate performance.

Frances (Franny) Stec
Osbourn Park High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

There was never a dull moment at James Madison High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. From a character seemingly being possessed in order to spell words to the appearance of a deity, the audience was laughing the entire time.

The beloved 2005 Broadway musical evolved from an improvised play, originally called "C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E." It features a main cast of six spellers, the moderator, the announcer, and the comfort counselor. Each production also calls on 3-4 members of the audience, who are quickly prepped on what to do while onstage, adding to the improv aspect of the show. Each of the main contestants get eliminated in their own hilarious way until the end, where the eccentric William Barfée (Aaron Shansab) beat out the strange yet loveable Olive Ostrovsky (Fortune Picker). The entire cast of the production stood out as incredible actors with great comedic timing.

Each of the main cast displayed incredible acting ability for highschoolers, and each of them talked about their (some hilarious) struggles. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere (Sasha Tepp), the youngest contestant, lamented about the immense pressure put on her by her dads, while William Barfée (Aaron Shansab) sang about how his foot was "magic." Olive Ostrovsky (Fortune Picker) wowed the audience when she performed with her parents (Matthew Pearson and Mary Ulses) in "The I Love You Song" as she waited for her parents to come and be there for her. Chip Tolentino (Bailey Pavitt-Graff) and Leaf Coneybear (Jonah Uffelman) provided comedic relief as Chip had an encounter with puberty and Leaf sought out to prove to his family that he was smart. Marcy Park (Clare Shannon) went from trying to be the best all the time to messing up on purpose to satisfy herself.

Every character in the show, though some had more onstage time than others, never failed to make the audience laugh. Vice Principal Panch (Bill Gibb) and Rona Lisa Peretti (Coco Pinnock) were an incredible duo, stealing the spotlight every time they interacted. Though he only appeared once briefly, Jesus (Luke Murphy) was the audience's favorite character, from his hilarious entrance to when he broke through the doors for curtain call.

A standout technical element of the production was the lighting. Led by Graham Armstrong, the lighting team used many different colors of lights to add to the atmosphere of the show. During "Pandamonium," colored lights flashed and moved all around the auditorium, adding to the chaotic effect of the song. During any sort of flashback, there would be a spotlight timed perfectly along with whatever music, sound, or dialogue happened.

The orchestra, known as "The Bee-Flats," never missed a cue. It was clear how much effort they had put into their music, especially because their cues changed depending on how the ad-libbing went. The orchestra was almost always playing and never missed a beat. They worked well with the actors and clearly knew the show inside and out, despite only being a high school orchestra.

From Leaf's entrance on wheelies to Marcy's splits in "I Speak Six Languages," every moment in James Madison High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was unforgettable. The audience got a chance to be engaged with the story and really felt like they were a part of the spelling bee itself. The students gave the audience a wonderful time and had an I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E- performance!

Leila Mohajer
Riverside High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," written by William Finn, tells the story of six quirky adolescents competing to win their middle school's spelling bee. All six contestants come from their own unique backgrounds, yet they all have the same common goal in mind: winning. Although the apparent genre of the show is a comedy, there are a variety of other themes present that cover a deeper scope of emotion. Olive Ostrovsky (Fortune Picker) struggles with neglect from both her parents, while Marcy Park (Clare Shannon) comes to terms with the idea that she has never really had fun in her entire life. MAD Drama's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" captivated audiences through their outstandingly talented cast, crew, and production team members.

Something that made this show so special was the devotion each of the six ensemble members put into making their character as distinct and true to the role as it could be. Leaf Coneybear, portrayed by Jonah Uffelman, had flawless comedic timing and an amazing stage presence all around. His song, "I'm Not That Smart," was a hysterical depiction of a ditzy, middle-school boy. Aaron Shansab's portrayal of William Barfee was additionally amusing to the audience. The actor was able to portray this dynamic character seamlessly, as he goes from being an entitled dork to a hopeless romantic for Olive. Another part of the show that stood out was the vocals. The harmonies throughout the entirety of the show blended together beautifully making for extremely entertaining numbers. The vocal performances by Clare Shannon as Marcy Park and Coco Pinnock as Rona Lisa Peretti, in particular, were extremely notable.

The choreography (Sasha Tepp and Audrey Miscavage) was another "wow" factor from the production. Each dance matched the theme of the corresponding song perfectly and clearly had a lot of creative thought put into it. The ensemble dancers in "Magic Foot" executed this choreography wonderfully. Additionally, this show contained a portion of audience interaction that was carried out extremely well by the cast. They had four teachers from their school come on stage and actually participate in the spelling bee, which was extremely entertaining for the audience. When cast members danced, the teachers did their best to look like they belonged, making certain numbers even more comedic than intended.

A notable song in this production was "The I Love You Song," performed by Olive, Olive's Mother, and Olive's Father. The three worked together to depict Olive's unfortunate circumstances using such emotion with their facial expressions. The vocals done by all three actors were outstanding as well.

The production wouldn't be complete, however, without the hard work of the tech and production teams. The costuming done by Ciara Stefanik, Emma Burke, and Mikenna Corcoran completed the show. Each and every character had a costume that suited their persona extremely well. Sasha Tepp's costume as Logainne worked super well with her youthful role, attempting to appear as an adult. The lighting (Graham Armstrong) and sound (Samuel Deege, Izzette Azari, Patrick Thurston) also played a significant role in this production. The most entertaining use of such was whenever Leaf randomly found the ability to spell the word having never heard it. The lights would instantly change color, focusing on him, while the sound would echo. Altogether, MAD Drama did an excellent job executing the show.

Fiona Rizvi
Clarksburg High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

"Win or lose," James Madison High School's production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a comical experience like no other. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy following six elementary schoolers competing to be the county spelling champion. The story mainly revolves around Olive (Fortune Picker), a young girl who tries to navigate the spelling tournament while dealing with internal conflicts surrounding her parents' absence.

This production automatically captivated the audience with its strong vocal control and tight harmonies. Each member of the cast demonstrated mature vocal control that was almost at a professional level. Characters such as Olive Ostrovsky (Fortune Picker) and Rona Lisa Peretti (Coco Pinnock) especially showed strong, vocal maturity that elevated the show to new levels. Picker's operatic tone was both warm and endearing while also creating a heartfelt and melancholy feeling throughout the acts with songs like "The I Love You Song." Pinnock's powerful vocals allowed for the connection between each section of the bee to feel cohesive and refreshing such as in "Rona Moment #2."

The lighting (Graham Armstrong) was extremely imaginative and heightened the performance significantly. Both added a comedic and somber tone, the lighting provided great effects that helped separate flashbacks from dream sequences from hilarious gags. Everything technical was well executed and timed thanks to the stage management of Elizabeth Dorsey, Alex Lundquist, Rachel Neuman, and Leslie Payne.

The dances (choreography by Sasha Tepp and Audrey Miscavage) were chaotic and engaging, with some interesting mixes of various types of dances. This production was elevated by visually interesting numbers such as "Magic Foot," "I'm Not That Smart," "I Speak Six Languages," and "Pandemonium" that featured a mesmerizing use of ensemble, tap dances, ballet, and more.

Leaf Coneybear (Jonah Uffelman), Marcy Park (Clare Shannon), and William Barfee (Aaron Shansab) all demonstrated excellent characterization, providing many moments of physical comedy, vocal strength, and impeccable dancing abilities. Uffelman stole the stage with large, hilarious facial expressions and quirky movements. Shannon was consistently a triple-threat with superior strength in precise ballet movements, consistent intricacies with character development, and vibrant mixed vocals. Shansab exhibited a strong sense of character within the performance, putting extra detail in foot movements to provide a funny and visually appealing performance. Shansab's tap skills were visually appealing and fit the character well.

The "Bee-Flats" orchestra advanced the story and world of the stage. Moments of intensity were amplified by the orchestra. Many scenes and jokes are added upon with the addition of the live instrumentation. Timpani, a smooth clarinet, and a killer drum set were just some of the highlights one heard from the addition of the "Bee-Flats." Though there were some mic issues and sound leveling issues, overall, the sound was adequate, and actors could be heard.

Unlike how the losing spellers felt, James Madison High School's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee "was good enough" and showed many moments of vocal maturity, dance precision, and comical movements to amplify characterization.