“Putnam County Spelling Bee” comes to UM stage
Published: April 11, 2010
The University of Montana School of Theatre and Dance in Missoula wraps up its season with “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, April 23-May 8, and 2 p.m. May 1 at the Montana Theatre in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center on campus.
The charming musical tells the story of six quirky adolescents on a quest for acceptance while standing out in a crowd. In the surprise winner of two 2005 Tony Awards, selected audience members participate in part of the spelling bee each performance, ensuring hilarious and unpredictable results.
The captivating evening of song, dance, and spelling was called “effortlessly endearing” by The New York Times and "H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S" by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Director Jere Hodgin has assembled a cast from across campus, with BFA and BA acting students, an MA theatre student, and both undergraduate and graduate music majors rounding out the ensemble. The design/production team is equally inclusive: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” features choreography by an instructor in the dance division, musical direction by a Master of Music graduate, and designers in each of the three years of the MFA Design/Technology program.
For tickets, call the box office at 406-243-4581, from 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, or order tickets online at www.umtheatredance.org.
