The Pollard Theatre's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" last weekend

It's spelled W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L, with six Tony nominations and two Tony Awards, (including Best Book). This hilarious musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, opened at The Pollard Theater on August 22 and continues through September 13. It is the first production of the company's 28th Season.

In the musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The six are vying for the championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes, a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

University of Oklahoma’s Shawn Churchman directs the show. Musical direction is by Todd S. Malicoate, scenic design by James A. Hughes, costume design by Michael James, and property design by Timothy Stewart.

The cast includes Jared Blount, Doug Ford, Molly Johnson, Michelle Owens, Megan Montgomery, Harold Mortimer, Jasmine Richman, Ben Rodriguez and Michael Turrentine.

With such a talented production team and cast, Artistic Director W. Jerome Stevenson is justifiably excited about the musical and what it offers Pollard audiences. “This is such a wonderfully charming show. It speaks to the idea that there is bit of nerd, geek, or oddball in all of us.

“It's remarkably funny, and touching, and ultimately honest. Combine the thematic idea with the opportunity to get audience members onstage and into the action and it just seemed like a show that would be a perfect fit for the Pollard and our 28th season,” explained Stevenson. “Shawn is such a fun performer and director. He is incredibly skilled but he also has such a good time putting on shows. His energy and passion are infectious and that was something that made him the ideal choice to direct Spelling Bee.” 

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beeruns through September 13 at the Pollard Theater, 120 W. Harrison, in Guthrie, OK. Tickets are $25 with senior, military, and student discounts available. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Thursdays Sept. 4 and 11 at 8pm, and Sundays Aug. 31 and Sept. 7 at 2pm. Tickets are available online at www.thepollard.org, by phone, 405-282-2800or at the Pollard Box Office at the theater.

The Pollard Theatre Company is produced by the Guthrie Arts and Humanities Council, with additional support from the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, the Kirkpatrick Foundation and the Inasmuch Foundation.

The Gayly – September 9, 2014 @ 10:30am