The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Spoiler-free Review

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - 9 out of 10!
Funk Soul Productions
Tickets: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Tickets

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a small‑cast, ensemble musical comedy about a group of eccentric middle‑schoolers competing in a county spelling bee, where the contest becomes a catalyst for exposing their anxieties, insecurities, families, and identities. No single character dominates stage time, and each speller enjoys a clear narrative arc and showcase song. What begins with nine cast members on stage soon evokes a deep sense of sonder, as the audience realises that each child—and indeed each of us—is the protagonist of their own story. Content‑wise, it includes adolescent themes, mild sexual humour (notably in Chip’s number), and some strong language, so audiences should be mindful when bringing younger children.

The entire show unfolds within the school gymnasium hosting the titular bee, moderated by former champion Rona Lisa Peretti, with Vice Principal Panch reading the words and ex‑offender Mitch Mahoney serving as “comfort counsellor” for eliminated children. Six core spellers, joined by four audience volunteers, tackle increasingly difficult and often absurd words while revealing deeply personal reasons for wanting to win. The tone balances broad comedy and improvisation with moments of unexpected poignancy, especially around family pressure, perfectionism, and isolation.

Producers Gracie Greenrod and Immi Beattie have collectively delivered a thoroughly engaging production, inviting the audience to play along. This marks Greenrod’s directorial debut and Beattie’s second outing as music director, with Allycia Angeles once again part of the creative trio. Together, they trust their cast’s instincts, allowing space for organic choices and believable 12‑year‑old energy. Their approach favours natural movement over rigid staging, creating moments that verge on the phantasmagorical.

Ruby Pinkerton animates both Rona Lisa Peretti and Olive’s Mom with remarkable assurance and exuberance. Her interaction with audience participants showcases sharp improvisational skill. As the former champion turned moderator, Peretti radiates both grace and self‑importance, and one can imagine her slipping backstage to confabulate with fellow teachers in the break.

Credit: Henry Cook

Corey Major’s effervescent charm lights up the stage the instant he appears as Chip Tolentino. His oversized Scout uniform and youthful energy make his portrayal of a hormone‑addled 12‑year‑old both believable and hilarious. The fallout from his youthful impulses leads to one of Act Two’s funniest moments—a testament to Major’s crisp comedic timing.

A standout performance comes from Neve Sargeant as Logainne SchwartzandGrubenierre. While her added lisp occasionally affects clarity, her enthusiasm shines through from the pre‑show entertainment right to her final scene. Sargeant’s Logainne is deeply endearing—never cantankerous and charged with determination and heart.

Matthew Boyd’s Leaf Coneybear is delightfully quirky, his eccentric spelling rituals performed with endearing sincerity. Boyd captures Leaf’s awkwardness and exuberance with deft comic timing, executing his character’s physicality with precision—almost like a scatter chasse in a fast ballroom quickstep.

Jaxon Joy as William Barfee has developed so many oddities into his character and makes for great entertainment as he writes out his words with his magic foot. The development in Joy’s characterisation is legendary, showcasing the minor distinctions within repetition to ensure the character is kept fresh. His duet with Amelia Boys is one of many highlights in Act Two.

Credit: Henry Cook

As Marcy Park, Yasmin Fitzgerald impresses with an exhausting array of skills, whether genuine or learned in record time for her rendition of I Speak Six Languages, astonishing many in the audience. Fitzgerald captures Marcy’s high-achieving perfectionism with precision, sprinkling in just the right amount of sly schadenfreude when her rivals falter.

Olive Ostrovsky is a whimsical yet grounded character, and Amelia Boys embodies her beautifully. Although this marks Boys’ first adult production, her confident stage presence rivals many adults. The vocal work in her heartfelt delivery in The I Love You Song alongside Pinkerton and Parisya Mosel fills the space with emotional power before she retreats seamlessly into Olive’s gentle shyness. There’s a quiet vellichor in her portrayal—a soft nostalgia for innocence and the fleeting magic of youth.

Douglas Panch is deceptively simple but surprisingly layered. Though most of his scenes involve word definitions and pronunciation jokes, Flynn Turley injects subtle vulnerability into the role. His comic rhythm—especially in the repeated mispronunciation of Barfée’s name—lands perfectly, as if Panch himself suffers mild dyslexia. Turley balances humour and pathos in equal measure.

Parisya Mosel’s Mitch Mahoney is anything but ethereal. Gruff yet likeable, he shepherds each eliminated speller through their defeat with an odd tenderness. The recurring farewell sequence (complete with juice boxes and hugs) evolves from funny to genuinely affecting, and by the end, Mahoney’s closing ditty becomes one of the production’s most unexpectedly fun moments.

Credit: Henry Cook

Not reviewed on opening night were Eloise Morriss as the Fem Swing and Teagan Harvey as the Masc Swing. In a quintessential community season, swings rarely bask in the spotlight, but should that opportunity serendipitously arise, audiences are sure to witness equally well-developed performances from both.

Special shout outs to the audience volunteers tonight. They equally gave their all in their improvisational performances, including some quips back at the actors. It truly adds another layer to theatre when the audience can participate onstage, and this is a production that it's required.

There are moments when it is evident the cast can give more in their projection to help with ease of hearing over the music, particularly when the music was used as accompaniment to dialogue, rather than relying heavily on the mechanics of microphones, and there some enunciation issues by means of the choices they made for their character. The lighting design has left a couple of dark spots on either side of the stage where cast members fell into throughout Act One, although it was less noticeable in Act Two.

Altogether, this Spelling Bee exudes irresistible energy and heart—an affectionate portrait of youthful chaos, ambition, and the bittersweet humour of growing up. It’s the kind of production that lingers long after curtain call, radiating the gentle glow of nostalgia, humour, and ensemble harmony. Funk Soul Productions have succeeded in producing another hit that Adelaide will love to talk about.

- Andrew Broadbent