THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Heads to NKU's Commonwealth Theatre, 7/8-26

Can you spell L-A-U-G-H-T-E-R? The Tony® Award winning musical comedy, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - one of Broadway's most buzzed about hits - is coming to Commonwealth Theatre Company (CTC), Northern Kentucky University's own professional theatre. CTC continues their 35th Summer Dinner Theatre season with ...SPELLING BEE, running July 8-26 in NKU's Stauss Theatre.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a laugh-out-loud musical comedy which follows six young people in the throes of adolescence, who are overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, as they learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. At each performance, four audience volunteers are selected and invited on stage to participate in the Bee, making each performance unique.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE opened Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre where it was an instant hit, prompting it to move to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theater. Nominated for six Tony® Awards including Best Musical - it took home two 2005 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical. THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE has music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin, conception by Rebecca Feldman, and original direction by James Lapine.

Roderick Justice, in his 14th production with CTC, directs. Jamey Strawn, NKU professor of theatre, is music director.

The cast includes several CTC favorites, as well as several new faces:

Alysun Mellick as Rona Lisa Piretti

Dain Paige as Vice Principal Douglas Panch

Christopher Richardson as Mitch Mahoney

Spenser Smith as Chip Tolentino

Haley Jones as Marcy Park

Korey Harlow as Leaf Coneybear

Madeleine Drees as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere

Brandon Bentley as William Barfee

Hannah Gregory as Olive Ostrovsky

Director: Roderick Justice

Music Director: Jamey Strawn

Scenic Designer: Tyler Gabbard

Costume Designer: Jeff Shearer

Lighting Designer: Larry Csernik

Sound Designer: Kevin Havlin

Tuesday-Saturday dinner is served at 6:30pm for an 8pm show. Sunday dinner is served at 5pm for a 6:30pm show. Dinner is served in the Corbett Theatre Lobby. Performances take place in the Stauss Theatre. Complimentary Valet Parking is provided in the Steely Library Circle in front of the Fine Arts Center.

Single tickets are $35 and include dinner. Tickets can be purchased online at commonwealth.nku.edu or by calling the Box Office at 859.572.5464.