Christian Borle, Jose Llana and More Join BROADWAY BEE to Benefit Broadway Bound Kids

Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization, will host the first annual BROADWAY BEE on Monday, May 9, at 7pm at The Cutting Room (44 East 32nd St.), featuring actors from current hit musicals, in an adults only spelling bee, that will benefit the organization.

The original creators of the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Rebecca Feldman and Jay Reiss, will host the hilarious evening. Ten teams, representing a Broadway show are encouraged to pull out all the stops to correctly spell the words. Cheating is encouraged and drinking is allowed -- the more funds each team raises, the more they will get to cheat!

Broadway cast members participating include original Broadway cast of Spelling Bee Jose Llana (The King and I), Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten), Drew Gehling (Waitress), Melvin Tunstall and Jessica Keenan Wynn (Beautiful), Karl Kenzler (Fiddler on the Roof), Joseph Medeiros (Matilda), Mary Page Nance (Finding Neverland), and Jonah Platt (Wicked).

Go to www.crowdrise.com/broadwaybee to support your favorite show and help the spellers cheat their way to victory! Tickets to the BROADWAY BEE on May 9 are limited but everyone who donates will be on the pre-sale list.

Since 2004 Broadway Bound Kids has been providing performing arts education opportunities to kids throughout NYC. Broadway Bound Kids provide school based performing arts residencies, community based workshops and summer programs, master classes with Broadway professionals, full scale musical productions, and trips to see Broadway shows. The goal is to ensure that all kids have access to the performing arts regardless of their financial resources. Broadway Bound Kids programs are designed to inspire and empower young lives through the arts by creating a nurturing and stress-free environment where kids will gain confidence, make friends, express themselves, and find a place where they feel a sense of belonging and acceptance.

To learn more about the educational organization, or to donate to Broadway Bound Kids: www.broadwayboundkids.net/broadway-bee. To find out more about The Spelling Bee Company's fundraisers go to www.thespellingbeecompany.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos