‘The Twenty-Fifth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ is about the contest, the spellers – plus sidebar stories
THE CAST AND crew of this fall’s MLHS musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Seated front, Ethan Karschnik (Vice-Principal Panch), left and Lydia Hildebrandt (Rona Lisa Peretti), right. Second row, from left, Ben Grev (Leaf Coneybear), Olivia Hopwood (Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre), Caleb Rempel (Chip Tolentino), Carmen Syverson (Marcy Park), Jenny Wright (Olive Ostrovsky), Sam Grev (William Barfee’) and Ruben Fentanez (Spelling Bee comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney). Back, from left, Regan Syverson (Dan Schwartz), Meredith Suess (Stage Crew), Liana Blomgren (Carol Grubenierre), Jareya Harder (Spotlight), Brook Sunderman (Lea’s Mom/Volunteer Speller), Daniel Harder, Rebekah Klassen (Volunteer Speller) and Isaac Grev (Olive’s Dad/Volunteer Speller). Not pictured are Kalley Rempel (Volunteer Speller/Olive’s Mom).
All of us have been there at one time or another in a school classroom – the face-off during a Spelling Bee.
Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS) thespians from the school’s Drama Department will bring to life all aspects of that competition to life during the presentation of this year’s fall musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The production will be held on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, with a 7:30 p.m. curtain time each evening.
Tickets for the presentation are $6 for adults and $4 for students. The show is presented with special arrangements with Music Theatre International.
In the Putnam County contest, an eclectic group of six quirky adolescents from Putnam Valley Middle School – Chip Tolentino, Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre), Leaf Coneybear, William Barfee’, Marcy Mark and Olive Osgtrovsky (plus a handful of Volunteer Spellers pulled from the audience) – vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The bee is run by three equally quirky grown-ups – Spelling Bee coordinator (and former Putnam County spelling champ) Rona Lisa Peretti, Spelling Bee pronouncer Vice-Principal Panch and Spelling Bee comfort counselor (and ex-convict performing court-mandated community service) Mitch Mahoney.
While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of words hoping to never hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake.
Six spellers (plus a few more) enter – but only one speller leaves! (At least the losers do get a juice box from Mitch Mahoney!)
The production is a long one-act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin, and additional material by Jay Reiss.
Following are a few photos from last Thursday’s rehearsal. Check the website for a play photo gallery following this weekend’s performances.
WITH OLIVE OSTROVSKY (Jenny Wright), right at the microphone, poised to spell her word, the other spellers in the contest, seated at left, await her answer in a wide array of emotions and interests. Seated front, from left, Leaf Coneybear (Ben Grev), Volunteer Speller (Brook Sunderman) and Marcy Park (Carmen Syverson. Middle, from left, Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre (Olivia Hopwood), Volunteer Speller (Kalley Rempel) and William Barfee’ (Sam Grev). Back, from left, Chip Tolentino (Caleb Rempel), Volunteer Speller (Isaac Grev) and Volunteer Speller (Rebekah Klassen).
CHECKING OUT THE “magic foot” William Barfee’ (Sam Grev), center, uses to spell out his words. At left, front-to-back, Marcy Park (Carmen Syverson), Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre (Olivia Hopwood) and Leaf Coneybear (Ben Grev). At right, front-to-back, Olive Ostrovsky (Jenny Wright), Spelling Bee coordinator Lisa Peretti (Lydia HIldebrandt) and Chip Tolentino (Caleb Rempel). At back right is Volunteer Speller (Sam Grev).
SPELLING BEE COMFORT counselor Mitch Mahoney (Ruben Fentanez), center, extols the virtues of his job handing out juice boxes to losing contestans for comfort, surrounded by contestants. From left, Marcy Park (Carmen Syverson), Leaf Coneybear (Ben Grev), Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre (Olive Hopwood), Olive Ostrovsky (Jenny Wright), William Barfee’ (Sam Grev) and Spelling Bee coordinator Rona Lisa Peretti (Lydia Hildebrandt. At back is Spelling Bee pronouncer Vice-Principal Panch (Ethan Karschnik).
ALL THOSE INVOLVED in the Spelling Bee in song as they pass the Spelling Bee Trophy. From left, Spelling Bee pronouncer Vice-Principal Panch (Ethan Karschnik), contestant Chip Tolentino (Caleb Rempel), contestant Marcy Park (Carmen Syverson), contestant William Barfee’ (Sam Grev), Spelling Bee comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Ruben Fentanez), contestant Olive Ostrovsky (Jenny Wright), contestant Leaf Coneybear (Ben Grev), contestant Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre and Spelling Bee coordinator Rona Lisa Peretti (Lydia Hildebrandt).
RONA LISA PERETTI (Lydia Hildebrandt, center, the coordinator for the spelling event – plus the winner of the Third-Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – holds high the coveted Spelling Bee trophy, surrounded by all those involved in some way in the competition. Front, from left, contestant Marcy Park (Carmen Syverson), contestant William Barfee’ (Sam Grev), contestant Olive Ostrovsky (Jenny Wright) and contestant Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre (Olivia Hopwood). Back, from left, contestant Chip Tolentino (Caleb Rempel), pronouncer Vice-Principal Panch (Ethan Karschnik), Spelling Bee comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Ruben Fentanez) and contestant Leaf Coneybear (Ben Grev).
DIRECTOR JULIE BRUGMAN consults her copious notes during a “Take Five” meeting following a run-through of the show.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR ANDREA Brinkman is ready at the black-and-whites (the piano keys).
CAST MEMBERS LET loose with a little physical comedy release time.
