Brisbane Arts Theatre will host 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' with a bunch of overachieving kids and some not-so-grown-up grown ups next month.
Written by William Finn, Rachel Sheinken and Jay Reiss, 'Spelling Bee' tells the tale of six quirky kids competing at a geographically ambiguous – you guessed it – spelling bee. Moderated by six equally quirky adults, the musical includes flash backs, a cast of unlikely heroes and a mix up of audience participation.
Having had runs both on and off Broadway, as well as in Melbourne, London and Mexico City, the production has had previous cast members such as Lisa Howard ('Ugly Betty', 'Twilight' franchise) and Magda Szubanski ('Kath & Kim', 'Babe'). Brisbane Arts Theatre's production promises to be a superbly entertaining night for all involved. Director Katherine Alpert spells out why.
How long have you been directing for?Quite a while. I have always enjoyed taking on leadership roles and directing, for me, is another opportunity to give an audience that moment where you take their breath away – which is why I became involved in the arts in the first place.
Could you give us an overall summary of the plot of 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'?
Six young spellers in the throes of puberty along with two issue-ridden adults bring their awkward and quirky, yet charming stories to 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'.
What initially interested you in doing 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' as a production?
It’s a wonderful, character-driven show where every second we learn more about the astounding and sometimes utterly ridiculous quirks of each character! And of course who could forget the unusual and unpredictable audience involvement!
Who will be in your cast and what roles will they be playing?In order of appearance: Liv Wilson as Marcy Park, Kelsie McDonald and Jessica Elise Moore as Rona Lisa Perretti, Jarrad Lindsay as Chip Tolentino, Samantha Sherrin as Logainne Schwarzandgrubenniere, Isaac Tibbs as Leaf Coneybear, Alex Watson as William Barfee, Jessica Potts as Olive Ostrovsky, Trent Richards as Vice Principal Panch, and Stephen Smith as Mitchell Mahoney.
Who is your personal favourite character in the play?
I’m not sure, I have just one favourite character. I certainly have favourite songs though that bring me to tears . . . some from laughter; others from raw emotion.
Audience members are invited up onto the stage to compete in the fictional spelling bee. In a 2005 production, presidential candidate Al Sharpton participated in the show. If you could choose anyone, who would be your dream spelling bee participant?
Definitely Ian McKellan.
What are some of the challenges in directing a looser, semi-improvised script format?
Certainly an unpredictable audience adds to the adrenalin rush.
What are some of your favourite ridiculous “use in a sentence” examples from the show?Hahaha... I can’t give the best ones away! Come and find out!
Will there be any “adult only” versions of the show?
I think the show has a fair few unforgettable “adults only” moments as it is!
Will there be live instrumentation for the musical numbers?
Yes, we have a live band for the full show.
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about the production and what the audience can expect?
It’s a fantastic comedy that’ll keep you in stitches long after the show’s finished!
