For a long while a friend has told me I needed to go to more independent theatre productions. I’ve always been resistant. After seeing a few fairly amateur local community theatre shows, I decided it wasn’t for me. But then my husband got a job that saw him in Eora/Sydney a couple of days a week, and I started to realise that the only way we would be able to see the shows we’d heard about it at the Tony Awards was to explore the independent theatres there. Needless to say, I’m hooked. Last month we caught the Australian debut of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 at the Darlinghurst Theatre. It was bold and dynamic, and I definitely would have written about it if we didn’t attend one of the last shows. Last night we headed to the Hayes Theatre to see the 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee, and since there’s a little more than a week left I wasn’t going to miss the chance to tell you all about it.
My husband and I have long had the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on our must-see musical theatre list. It won a couple of Tonys back in 2005 along with other honours like Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards and it often features on those musical theatre top 10s videos we love watching on YouTube. I knew it’d be a sweet show, but I didn’t quite prepare myself for how much I’d enjoy it. The premise is simple, as the best musical theatre shows often are. A group of six kids, played by adult actors, along with a few brave audience volunteers, come together for the titular spelling bee. Each has their own story, their reasons for wanting to compete, their strengths and insecurities that have led them to this moment. They’re overseen by a sweet moderator and former spelling bee champ Ms Peretti, the vice principal Douglas Panch, who returns to the bee after a five year absence following a mysterious “incident,” and Mitch Mahoney, an ex-con turned comfort counsellor. It’s a quirky collection of characters and one which delivers laughs and feels in equal measure. The base is solid, but a show is only ever as good as its performers.
This company knocked it out of the park. There wasn’t a weak link among the cast. Their voices, acting chops, and even dancing skills were on point. You have such a short time to establish a connection in a production like this, but I found myself so invested in every one of their stories. Even those brave volunteers I mentioned did a fabulous job. When everyone is so strong, it seems rude to single out anyone, but a special shout out has to go Cypriana Singh, who took on the role of Ms. Peretti at the eleventh hour. Big theatre groups have understudies who prepare for a select number of roles, but as the Hayes is small there are just two expected to be across everything. Honestly, if it wasn’t announced she was an understudy at the start of the show, I never would have known. Way to take your moment to shine!
But honestly, every member of this cast did. They were sweet and funny and fun and so incredibly talented. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is one of those special shows that simply leaves you feeling good. And don’t we all need more of that? If you’re in Eora/Sydney, do see it if you can. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee finishes at the Hayes Theatre on October 8.