Theater Latté Da's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Closes 10/30

Theater Latté Da's production of the Tony Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will close at the Ordway Center's McKnight Theatre on October 30, 2011.

Spelling Bee features Theater Latté Da favorite Tod Petersen as Vice Principal Douglas Panch. Tod has appeared in Theater Latté Da productions of Parade, Gypsy and the holiday hit A Christmas Carole Petersen. The role of Mitch Mahoney will be played by Brian Frutiger (on the roster of The Metropolitan Opera since 2008) and the role of Rona Lisa Peretti will be played by Kim Kivens (most recently seen in Minneapolis Musical Theatre's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Mu Performing Arts' Yellow Face). The contestants will be played by Alan Bach (Leaf Coneybear), Cat Brindisi (Olive Ostrovsky), Mary Fox (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (i.e., Schwartzy)), Sheena Janson (Marcy Park), Derek Prestly (Chip Tolentino), and Joseph R. Pyfferoen (William Barfee).

Spelling Bee is a hilarious interactive musical comedy chronicling the experience of six adolescent overachievers vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has crafted a current, socially aware hit musical about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place on earth where they can both stand out and fit in.

"Spelling Bee does for academics what Glee has done for the arts," said Peter Rothstein, artistic director for Theater Latté Da, "What seems at first blush to be a lighthearted spoof about six students competing for the title of spelling bee champion emerges to reveal the pains and heartaches today's students experience as they strive for academic success."

The production is directed and choreographed by Peter Rothstein and Michael Matthew Ferrell with music direction by Denise Prosek. The design team from last year's record-breaking production of Evita reunites for Spelling Bee, including scenic designer Rick Polenek (Theater Latté Da's Evita and The Full Monty); costume designer Rich Hamson (Theater Latté Da's Evita, Gypsy and Floyd Collins); and lighting designer Paul Whitaker (Theater Latté Da's Evita).

Tickets for Spelling Bee are available for $19-$39 and are on sale now at www.Ordway.org or by calling 651.224.4222. Group discounts are also available by calling 612.339.3003.

Special Programs and Events for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee include:
Family-friendly performances (language appropriate for children ages 14 and up) - On Sunday, October 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 2:00 p.m.
Audio-Description performance for patrons who are blind or have low vision - On Thursday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m.
American Sign Language Interpreted performance for patrons who are deaf or low hearing - On Thursday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Spelling Bee post-show discussions will be held after the 7:30 p.m. performances on Thursday evenings October 13, 20, and 27 as well as after the 2:00 Sunday matinee performances on October 16 and 23. Post-show discussions offer an opportunity for audience members to engage in a dialogue with the actors and creative team, making for a richer theatrical experience. For more information on post-show discussions, please contact Theater Latté Da's administrative office at 612.339.3003.
Director's Dialogue Series for the 2011-12 Season - This series provides the opportunity to hear directly from Peter Rothstein and Michael Matthew Ferrell as they offer insight into their vision for the production, the process they went through to bring their vision to life, and the final result that patrons see on stage. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Director's Dialogue will take place on Sunday, October 9, immediately following that afternoon's 2:00 p.m. performance.

About Theater Latté Da:
Theater Latté Da is a Twin Cities theater company recognized for its ability to connect artists, audiences and communities through diverse stories that are both entertaining and enlightening. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater. For more information, please visit Theater Latté Da's website at www.LatteDa.org.

Support for the Theater Latté Da production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is provided by City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Program Funds, financed in part by the Neighborhood Sales Tax Revitalization Program, and the Travelers Foundation, the charitable arm of Travelers. This activity is also made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Eyewear has been provided by Uptown Vision Clinic.

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