ProArts' 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE to Open 12/13

ProArts will present "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" as the second show of their 2013/2014 season. This Tony Award Winning musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin was conceived by Rebecca Feldman. "Can you spell irresistible? Spelling Bee is 'A Chorus Line' with pimples" raved the New York Times. "It is that rarity of rarities; a super-smart musical that is also a bona-fide crowd pleaser" cheered the Wall Street Journal. The Associated Press put it simply: "How do you spell h-i-t?"

Six adolescent outsiders, 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 even when they're vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a 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. Audience members are recruited to try their hand at spelling against the "experts." Everyone wins in this heartwarming, funny, and very musical hit!

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" features the best of Maui talent including Kisha L. Milling, Gary Shin-Leavitt, Scott Smith, Justin House, Christina Sutrov, Jeff Brackett, Lily Marceau, Ashlyn-Jade Aniban and Isaac Rauch.

The show is produced and directed by Jonathan Lehman, with musical direction by Kim Vetterli. The costumes will be designed by Linda Ewing, scenery created by Caro Walker and lighting provided by Bonnie Prucha.

Opening night is December 13. The show runs two weekends until December 22, and then returns after the New Year for two more weekends: January 3 through January 12. It plays Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm (no show on 12/14). ProArts offers reserved seats at $25.00. Kama'?ina nights, with discounts for Hawaii residents, are scheduled for Saturday, December 14, and Thursdays, December 19 and January 9.

The intimate ProArts Playhouse is located at the Azeka (Makai) Shopping Center, 1280 S. Kihei Rd. in Kihei, Maui. The Playhouse is air conditioned with 82 reserved seats. There is free parking, plenty of nearby restaurants, and an art gallery inside currently featuring the works of Linda Ewing and Caro Walker.