Spicy Spelling Bee Performance Admits Adults Only, Oct. 2

By: Sep. 08, 2005
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The pre-pubescent mavens of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will spell words slightly racier than "crepuscule" on Sunday, October 2nd at 7:30 PM. 

That performance is designated as "for-mature-audiences only," with no one under 18 admitted to the ordinarily family-friendly show.  The idea for a spicier Spelling Bee came about as a result of the ad libs of Jay Reiss, who plays the stern Vice Principal Douglas Panch in the show.  He states: ""During rehearsals, I would occasionally cross the line a bit and use some material that was pretty filthy. The cast would crack up, and director James Lapine would say, 'That is so wrong.' On Sunday evening, October 2, some of that material will be used for the first and possibly last time in front of a live audience."

Starring Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana and Sarah Saltzberg in addition to Reiss, the show boasts music and lyrics by Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), and a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin.  Conceived by Rebecca Feldman and directed by James Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George, Falsettos), the show (which was nominated for a 2005 Best Musical Tony) has broken all house records at Circle in the Square Theatre (50th St., between Broadway and 8th) and plays to sold-out audiences each week.  In addition to Sheinkin, Fogler (who plays William Barfee) received a Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Musical.

In the show, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.  A cast album is available on Ghostlight Records.

Tickets, which range from $25 to $95, are available through Telecharge at 212-239-6200 (or at www.telecharge.com), or at the Circle in the Square box office.
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