Rachel Sheinkin News

'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' has its regional premiere March 3-28 at The Media Theatre. The hilarious one act musical comedy takes place at a fictional spelling bee in Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky junior high school students participate in the bee. One of the humorous highlights of the show is that the students are portrayed by adult actors.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director) and Snap-Two Productions' new musical Signs of Life opens on Thursday, February 25 at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre.

Actors' Playhouse has chosen to present four Tony Award-winning shows and one world premiere from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright in its new season line up. With one more show to be announced, Actors' Playhouse 2010 - 2011 season at the Miracle Theatre is shaping up to be one hot ticket. After a critically acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables in 2009, which received the most Carbonell nominations for any one show, and with Miss Saigon, another musical from the same creators about to open in March, Actors' Playhouse shows no indication of slowing down the pace for the upcoming year.

How do you follow up thirteen Carbonell nominations? Actors' Playhouse has chosen to present four Tony Award-winning shows and one world premiere from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright in its new season line up.

Little House on the Prairie, The Musical, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will take the stage March 23 - 28, 2010 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will play June 8-13 at Bass Performance Hall. It is presented by Performing Arts Fort Worth and Casa Manana; single tickets are $30-$75 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 1.

Tony Award winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle star as MR. & MRS. FITCH in the world premiere comedy from Douglas Carter Beane at Second Stage Theatre. The production marks MR. Beane's return to Second Stage Theatre where his critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated play The Little Dog Laughed premiered in 2005. MR. & MRS. FITCH will be directed by Scott Ellis, who also staged the world premiere and Broadway transfer of The Little Dog Laughed. Opening night for MR & MRS FITCH is scheduled for Thursday, February 22.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee comes to Kean University's Wilkins Theatre in a hysterical production by the Department of Theatre February 26th through March 6th. This award-winning musical features a cast of Kean students and alumni, and offers opportunities for audience participation that keep the laughs coming.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director) and Snap-Two Productions' will begin performances of the new musical Signs of Life this Tuesday, February 16, 2010.

On Friday, February 26 at 8 p.m., TheatreWorks New Milford opens its 2010 season with the Connecticut premiere of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music and lyrics by William Finn, and book by Rachel Sheinkin. The show is scheduled for a five-week run.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are t-h-r-i-l-l-e-d to present the third production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreography by DJ Gray, musical direction by David O and directed by Jeff Maynard.

If you have fond memories of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books or the popular 1970's TV series, steer clear of the Canon Theatre because your expectations sure to be foiled. The same applies if you are a musical theatre fan out to see this new musical adapted from the novels. Despite a few fine performances the show as a whole just does not work. * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)

Talk about quirkiness and how it can be used to its best advantage in a musical! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is terribly funny in a rather intelligent and offbeat manner with prize worthy characterizations of lively eclectic people. It may be a tad too long like the actual spelling out of words (that are not to be believed!)opening segment - loved the audience involvement, though! Nevertheless, the unpredictability in denouement is another plus.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will present the world premiere of MR. & MRS. FITCH, a new comedy from Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed, Xanadu) starring Tony Award winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle.

Red Branch Theatre Company is pleased to announce upcoming auditions for their 2010 season. In residence at The Drama Learning Center, Red Branch Theatre Company strives to bring quality theatre to the Baltimore/Washington area, through main stage productions and children's theatre.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are t-h-r-i-l-l-e-d to present the third production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreography by DJ Gray, musical direction by David O and directed by Jeff Maynard.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director) in association with Snap-Two Productions, Inc. will present the World Premiere of Signs of Life a new musical, with book by Peter Ullian, lyrics by Len Schiff, music by Joel Derfner, music direction by Michael Pettry, and directed by Jeremy Dobrish.

THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin will play on March 4, 5, and 6 and 7:30 pm and on March 7 and 2:00 pm.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are t-h-r-i-l-l-e-d to present the third production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreography by DJ Gray, musical direction by David O and directed by Jeff Maynard.