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| Blake Kevin Dwyer of San Mateo plays hippie-reared Leaf Coneybear. (Kevin Berne photo) |
Middle school, once known as junior high, is often a time of angst and anxiety. Just ask the six finalists in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
Each of the three boys and three girls (played by adult actors) has his or her concerns and, in the case of this musical comedy presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, some quirks, which they display as they try to spell words that most people have never heard of.
The proceedings are overseen by Rona Lisa Peretti (Molly Bell), a Realtor, along with vice principal Douglas Panch (Christopher Reber), who gives out the words and, if requested, their definitions and use in a sentence.
When they misspell a word, Mitch Mahoney (Anthone Jackson), who’s fulfilling part of his community service requirements, gives them a juice box and escorts them off the stage. (In previous productions, he also gave out hugs.)
They’re joined by four good sport audience members. At first these volunteers get easy words like “cow” and “Google,” but soon the words get obscure, leading to an exit.
Although Meredith McDonough’s direction is sometimes too fast-paced, the show is well served by talented actors who create likable characters. McDonough was director of TheatreWorks’ New Works Festival from 2009 to 2013. She was called in late in the process after the original director, James Monroe Iglehart, had to back out because “Spamalot,” in which he was performing, was moving to Broadway.
Iglehart played Mitch Mahoney in the Post Street Theatre production in San Francisco in 2006. He also has appeared in a number of TheatreWorks shows. He’s credited as creative producer for this show.
Bell is another “Spelling Bee” veteran, having played a finalist in the San Jose Repertory Theatre production in 2009. Although everyone in the cast acts and sings well, she’s a standout.
The show has an interesting book by Rachel Sheinkin and ear-pleasing music and lyrics by William Finn. William Liberatore serves as music director.
“Spelling Bee” isn’t a holiday show per se, but the set by Andrea Bechert evokes the season with colorful gift boxes, large candles and a reindeer wearing sunglasses arrayed around the stage. Lighting is by Steven B. Mannshardt with sound by Jeff Mockus, choreography by Lee Ann Payne and costumes by Courtney Flores-Kerrigan.
TheatreWorks is celebrating a successful fund-raising drive, “Save TheatreWorks Now” that ended Nov. 30. It called for $3 million to make sure the company could produce the rest of its season. Instead it raked in $4 million from more than 700 donors.
Running about an hour and 45 minutes with no intermission, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” will continue through Dec. 24 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.
For tickets and information, call (877) 662-8978 or visit www.theatreworks.org.
