Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Ford's Theatre

Also see Susan's review of Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad


The Cast
Ford's Theatre in Washington has some fun with its historic reputation in its current production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. "Have you ever been in an auditorium where there was a successful presidential assassination?" one competitor asks another as they walk onto Court Watson's cleverly banal set. Also, out-of-towners should know that the "Lincoln Waffle House" sponsor banner references an actual restaurant across the street from the theater.

The 2005 musical by William Finn (music and lyrics) and Rachel Sheinkin (book) is charming on its own terms, but this production gets an extra boost from a supercharged cast, Peter Flynn's emphatic direction, and Michael Bobbitt's dynamic choreography. The script also calls for four audience volunteer participants, one of whom became an audience favorite on press night as she kept giving correct answers—to the apparent surprise of the actors.

Adult performers play the six youthful competitors, but they never hold the characters up to ridicule. Yes, they have their quirks: smug returning champion Chip Tolentino (Vincent Kempski) preens in his Boy Scout uniform; homeschooled Leaf Coneybear (Nickolas Vaughan) wears an outfit he made himself, and it shows; William Barfee (Vishal Vaidya) has a peanut allergy and chronic breathing problems; Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Kristen Garaffo) fights to spell despite an obvious lisp; overachieving Marcy Park (Felicia Curry) refuses to smile or break her concentration; and Olive Ostrovsky (Carolyn Agan) feels utterly isolated.

While all six contestants have their moments, the strongest are Curry, who goes from iron control to gymnastic abandon, and Agan, whose "The I Love You Song" is a heartbreaker. Among the adults, talented Kevin McAllister makes the most of his role as Mitch Mahoney, the unlikely "comfort counselor" for departing students.

One note for audiences familiar with the show: Ford's gets a family audience, including large numbers of children. Perhaps for that reason, this production uses a slightly modified version of Chip's lament about the trials of puberty, with less explicit lyrics.

Ford's Theatre
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
March 14th - May 17th
Music and lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional material by Jay Reiss
Olive Ostrovsky: Carolyn Agan
Vice Principal Douglas Panch: Matthew A. Anderson
Marcy Park: Felicia Curry
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre: Kristen Garaffo
Chip Tolentino: Vincent Kempski
Mitch Mahoney: Kevin McAllister
William Barfee: Vishal Vaidya
Leaf Coneybear: Nickolas Vaughan
Rona Lisa Peretti: Rachel Zampelli
Directed by Peter Flynn
Musical direction by Christopher Youstra
Choreography by Michael Bobbitt
511 Tenth St., N.W.
Washington, DC
Ticket Information: 202-347-4833 or www.fords.org


Photo: Scott Suchman