What a difference a venue and a director make! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee came off as cute when I saw it
on its National Tour in a large presenter's hall but hardly Tony awards
material. On Florida Studio Theatre's intimate Keating Mainstage, made to seem
more like a rural school assembly hall, we feel as if we're in bleachers
emotionally invested in the trials of the adolescent contestants. Director
Richard Hopkins is both our cheerleader and responsible for judiciously setting
up the game. That includes putting musicians able to strike up a band, led by
Corinne Aquilina, behind a scrim on stage. Nothing comes between us and the
spellers and Bee administrators. In fact, several of us get to participate in
the contest. (They did us proud when I attended. It was also clear that many
relived relevant moments from their own youth.)
Friendly but firm, Ashley Puckett Gonzales' statuesque
Ms. Rona Lisa Peretti sets a mixed friendly and warning tone for the
proceedings by helping us to our seats and assuring what rules must be obeyed.
In charge of all words, definitions, and usage, Stephen Hope as never-promoted
Vice Principal Douglas Panch keeps an admirable straight face. He, unlike
Peretti, was never a Bee winner. But he leads the contestants vigorously in the
rules song they know so well, mostly from district competitions they've won to
qualify for this Bee. Keeping order, as well as awarding boxes of fruit juice
to losing contestants with whom he's quite sympathetic, is Mitch Mahoney. Erick
Pinnick is intent on our sympathizing in turn with Mitch who needs to do
community service here.
Only one contestant can go on to National. In his scout
uniform with many badges, Kavin Panmeechao's suave-looking Chip Tolentino
seems a formidable contestant.
Unfortunately, he has frequent erections to try to cover up. (This worked
better in a larger hall.) He comes more into his own when he's ousted from the
Bee and made to sell confections. The audience loves his decision as to how to
get rid of the candy and popcorn! Diminutive Robin Lee Gallo, who has played
typical Asian-American smartie Marcy Park on Broadway and throughout the
nation, now owns the part. "I Speak Six Languages," she tunefully
boasts. Because he qualified when his district's first two winners couldn't
make the finals, ChristopherTotten's self-conscious Leaf Coneybear compensates
by continually making a spectacle of himself, not least by wearing a Superman cape. What are we to make of
his performance?
Two of the contestants end up in an unlikely connection.
Nerdy William Barfee all but drools out each word he must spell. Heavy set but
light on his feet, Bruce Warren relies on trying out all Barfee's entries by
dancing out each letter. Competitors play a dirty trick on him. As Olive
Ostrovsky, pretty blond Sarah Jane Mellen relates her letters first into her
cupped hands. She's painfully shy. Her other problem is uninvolved parents,
especially a mother who's in India and apparently hasn't sent or is late
sending in Olive's entrance fee. Providing plenty of competition for both,
Rachel Cantor's Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre projects confidence galore, even though she lisps. She
obviously feels she's the justified pride of her two fathers.
We follow all in the game where the director makes clear
that winning and losing aren't always mutually exclusive. We can also cheer for
all the outcomes. Credit for the predominantly burnished golden set walls,
trimmed in red, goes to designer Nayna Ramey. Marcella Beckwith's costumes are
just right, and in the case of Olive's matching striped shirt and socks with
short pink overall, inspired. Michael Foster and Eric Stahlhammer designed
appropriate lighting and sound. None of the songs mean much outside their
milieu but are catchy in moving characterization and contest forward. Dance
movement is choreographer and dance captain Stephen Hope's, while Tony Bruno,
Jeff Theiss, and Phyllis Gessler supply the music.
Production Stage Manager is Kelli Karen. The
no-intermission musical production lasts 95 minutes.