Photo Flash: President Clinton at Spelling Bee

On Friday, June 1, Former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton celebrated Dorothy Rodham's (Hillary Rodham Clinton's mother) 88th birthday by taking her to the Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Since the show allows for an element of improvisation, the cast, led by Mo Rocca (as Vice Principal Panch) couldn't help but pay tribute to their special guests with a few Clinton-inspired jokes!

One of the audience volunteer spellers was asked to spell the following word and was given its definition and use in a sentence…

Word: VERMEIL
Definition: gold-plated or gilded silver, often used in formal table settings.
Sentence: "Had he known that his official duties would include selecting a china pattern to match the vermeil tableware, Billy never would have supported his wife's candidacy."

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the Tony Award-winning musical with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman and directed by James Lapine.

"A hilariously hip musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee features six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learning that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser," as the show is described in press materials.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is performed at Broadway's Circle in the Square (50th St., between Broadway and 8th) on the following schedule:  Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm and 7:30pm.  Tickets are available through Telecharge, (212) 239-6200 or www.telecharge.com, or by visiting the Circle in the Square Theatre box office.  Tickets prices are $100.00 and $50.00.  Premium seating is available.

For more information, please visit www.spellingbeethemusical.com.

Former President Bill Clinton and Mo Rocca backstage at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, June 1

Photo courtesy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee