TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Dust off your dictionaries and brush up on your diacritics! The Woodington Players of Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a musical comedy centered on the antics of six quirky middle schoolers who yearn to be crowned spelling bee champion.
The Woodington Players’ production incorporates moments of character improvisation and audience participation while telling a story of the highs and lows of awkward adolescence.
Musical numbers—including “Pandemonium,” “Magic Foot,” and “I Speak Six Languages”—showcase the eccentric nature of spelling bees and their most ardent participants while poignant songs, such as “I’m Not That Smart” and “My Friend the Dictionary,” reveal the loneliness of being a precocious outsider.
Evening performances are 7 on Thursday, March 21; Friday March 22; and Saturday March 23, with a matinee at 2 p.m.
Additionally, The Woodington Players will present a special free matinee performance for senior citizen residents on Tuesday, March 19, at noon, which will include free refreshments at intermission.
Performances are at Campbell Auditorium at Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School, 701 Ridgewood Road, Township of Washington.
Drama teacher and Woodington Players advisor Krista Reagan serves as director and producer of the production, with Westwood’s own choral director Joseph Fritz serving as music director.
Assisting with the production is an experienced corps of student costume, art design, and set construction crews as well as the production staff advisors Keith DeBlasio (set construction advisor), Rene Leon (lighting and sound advisor), Alba Mezini (stage art advisor) and Cindy Miraglia (costume, makeup, hair advisor).
Tickets ($10 for students and seniors, and $13 for general admission) can be purchased at showtix4u.com and at the door on show days.
To RSVP for the free senior citizen resident matinee, write roseannciarlante[at]gmail.com or call (917) 345-2301.
The 2005 Broadway production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling” Bee featured music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and was conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material by Jay Reiss. The show was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book.
About the players
The Woodington Players is an extracurricular theatre company whose mission is to provide students at Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School with an enriching, cultural, educational, and inspiring experience through theatrical productions. The players produce two shows annually: the fall play and the spring musical.