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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Also see Susan's review of Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad
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
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