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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2009 > February > 17 > Entry
Victoria rings up a “Spelling Bee” winner
Tell vice principal Douglas Panch to put away the bell he rings to signal a failed attempt. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a lock to sail through the next two weeks without a miss.
If memory serves, the national tour was even better Tuesday, Feb. 17, on opening night at the Victoria Theatre than it was on Broadway, in part because of a great cast directed well and in part because the lines that work best for a road audience have been solidified.
As musicals go, “Bee” is small. There are no blockbuster numbers, although there are a few expressing the big emotions that well up in kids like those being played by adults in the show by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin.
There are only six spelling bee finalists, a total swelled to 10 when four audience members are included as contestants who don’t get to the finals.
As musical comedies go, “Bee” is big in the number of laughs it contains and in the way it introduces a collection of geeky brainiacs, proceeding to develop them into memorable individuals an audience can care about. Most of that takes place between the satisfyingly challenging words they’re given to spell.
The best thing about the words is the hilarious way Anthony Lopez as pronouncer Panch uses them in sentences. Almost as good is how the actual meaning of the words often connects with what the spellers are experiencing in their lives.
Christian Busath was excellent as the widebodied, confident, but name-sensitive William Barfee, who writes out his words on the floor with his “magic foot.” Brittany Ross was also memorable as Olive Ostrovsky, dressed in pink and hoping her dad would show up.
Others included Nikki Switzer as emcee and past champion Rona Lisa Peretti, Ryan Goodale as caped speller Leaf Coneybear, Joanna Krupnick as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Kavin Panmeechao as Chip Tolentino, whose pronounced pubescence stands between him and the prize; Yvonne Same as multilingual genius Marcy Park and Don Juan Seward II as bad Mitch Mahoney, whose job is to comfort the disqualified.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” will continue through March 1 at the Victoria Theatre, First and Main streets. Tickets are $37-$79.50 at (937) 228-3630, (888) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups.
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