Noble Fool Theatricals SPELLING BEE, Opens 4/22

Noble Fool Theatricals presents the Tony-Award winning new musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, directed by Kevin Bellie and music directed by Peter Storms, at the Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage Theater (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; telephone 630-584-6342).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will preview Thursday, April 22 through Friday, April 30, 2010. The show will open Saturday evening, May 1, 2010 and continue through Sunday, June 13, 2010.

Tickets are priced at $29 on Fridays (and additional Thursday performances), and at $39 on Saturdays and Sundays. Dinner show packages are available at $46 on Fridays and $59 on Saturdays and Sundays. Group Rates, Student Discounts, and Overnight packages are also available.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six of Putnam County's quirkiest and nerdiest spelling titans want nothing more than to be the B-E-S-T. These loveable spellers, played by adults, fiercely battle it out for the title only to learn that winning isn't everything and losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Either way you spell it, this comical competition comes alive with a cornucopia of spelling words, a plethora of sharp humor, and intelligent interaction from only the best spellers in the audience (which could be you!). At each performance, four audience volunteers are selected and invited on stage to participate in the Bee, making each performance unique.

Created by the Barrington Stage Company in western Massachusetts in 2004, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre where it was an instant hit, prompting it to move to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theater. Nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Musical - it took home two 2005 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

JEFF award-winning Director and Choreographer Kevin Bellie returns to Noble Fool Theatricals as director after directing The Taffetas, Drood and Roasting Chestnuts 2006: Gina Wants You!. He is the artistic director of Circle Theatre in Forest Park and Co-Director of Circle Theatre's Emerging Young Artists Program. Kevin's direction and choreography credits at Circle include Sweet Smell of Success (JEFF Recommended), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (JEFF Nominated), Hello Again (JEFF Recommended), Nine (JEFF Citation Recipient), Triumph of Love (JEFF Citation Nominee), The Life (JEFF Citation Recipient), Grand Hotel (JEFF Citation Recipient) and Rags (JEFF Recommended). Kevin has also worked with Pegasus Players, Porchlight, Serendipity, and serves as the Technology Department Chair and a Fine Arts Educator at St. Ignatius College Prep High School in Chicago.

The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee features (in alphabetical order): Samantha Dubina (previously in NFT's The Taffetas), Chie Isobe, Liza Jaine, Randolph Johnson, Erik Kaiko, Cara Rifkin, Jack Sweeney, and Michael Weber (previously in NFT's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Form and directed Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical).

A select amount of local teen actors were chosen as interns for this show, shadowing and learning the process of producing a professional show. Interns include: Alex Adams (St. Charles), Stephanie Dittemore (Lombard), Matt McCue (Bartlett), Bianca Minniti (Glendale Heights), Nadia Pelletier (West Chicago), Allison Slattery (Geneva), Luke Totman (Geneva) and Elena Tubridy (West Chicago).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens on Thursday, April 22, 2010 and runs through Sunday, June 13, 2010. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Thursday performances are available on April 22 and 29 at 8 p.m.; May 6, 13, 20 and June 3 at 2 p.m; May 8 at 4:30 p.m. The show is rated PG-13 due to mature situations and language.

Pheasant Run Resort is located at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL. For tickets, call the Pheasant Run Box Office at 630-584-6342, or visit www.ticketmaster.com. Additional performance information may be obtained at www.noblefool.org.

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