Hayes Theatre Co. to Present THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

After a highly successful Melbourne season, Vic Theatre Company in association with Hayes Theatre Co is thrilled to be bringing their production of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE to Sydney's Hayes Theatre Co for a strictly limited season from November 17.

An eclectic group of young people, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, arrives at THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, each eager to win for very different reasons. Sweet and shy Olive brings only her best friend (the dictionary) with her; bold and hyper-allergic speller William Barfee uses his 'magic foot' to propel him to greatness; former champion Chip is struggling with his burgeoning puberty; easily distracted Leaf is unconvinced that he's smart enough to be a challenger; overachiever Marcy is disappointed by her consistent success; and politically aware Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre only wants to impress her gay dads. Even though only one can win, they all take home the important lesson that winning isn't everything and losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

In hilarious, touching, and catchy songs, each speller reveals his/her hopes, struggles, and passions as they make their way through the competition. With an engaging, tuneful score by William Finn and a sweet, funny book by Rachel Sheinkin, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE causes audiences to fall in love, both with the show itself and its 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.

The talented ensemble cast includes Henry Brett (The Songs of Cy Coleman), James Coley (Dogfight), Sage Douglas (Heathers), Teresa Duddy (The King and I), Matt Heyward (Les Miserables), Andrew Hondromatidis (South Pacific), Caitlin Mathieson (High Fidelity), Rebecca Moore (Children of Eden), Riley Nottingham (His Ghostly Heart) and David Spencer (Mary Poppins).

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE originally opened off-Broadway in 2005 where it was an instant hit, prompting its move to Broadway where it ran for nearly three years clocking up 1.136 performances. It received six Tony Award nominations including Best Musical and won two Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical. The show also received six Drama Desk Award nominations including for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Musical and won for Outstanding Book of a Musical, Outstanding Ensemble Performance, and Outstanding Director of a Musical.

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