Review: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at The Barnstormers

Tamworth’s venerable The Barnstormers Theatre finishes its 95 season with a spectacular production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the Tony Award-winning musical by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin. Under the smart direction of Clayton Phillips, with Michael Ursua's vibrant music direction, the show proves itself a heartfelt, laugh-out-loud triumph that will have audiences spelling "W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L." 
I have seen other productions at the Barnstormers in recent years and they all have been consistently top notch. This show, however, electrifies the confines of the intimate theater with a spectacular set, powerful orchestra, and a talented and diverse cast. I would say that the new artistic director, Jordan Ahnquist, has taken the theater to new heights.
In the show, an eclectic group of six preteens compete for the coveted spelling bee championship. But as they take their turns at the microphone, the audience is treated to a hilarious and often poignant peek into their personal lives. It masterfully uses a spelling competition as a vehicle to explore themes of adolescence, family pressure, and the awkward journey to self-acceptance. The genius lies in its ability to be both a clever satire of childhood competition and a deeply empathetic look at what makes these young people tick. 
The cast is uniformly fantastic, each actor fully embodying their eccentric character with precision and charm. Phil Sloves is a definite standout as the nasal-challenged William Morris Barfée, whose "Magic Foot" routine, where he imagines a word written across the floor before spelling it, is absolute joy. Sloves delivers his lines with a perfect mix of arrogance and vulnerability, creating the perfect nerd.
Helen Jane Planchet gives a quietly heartbreaking and beautiful performance as Olive Ostrovsky, whose emotional solos bring a tenderness to the show. Her rendition of "The I Love You Song" is a highlight, a moment of such pure and raw emotion.
Seth Tucker is riotously funny as Leaf Coneybear, effortlessly capturing the character's wide-eyed innocence and boundless energy. His impish charm is delightful and his self-reflective number, “I’m Not That Smart,” effectively portrays a teens lack of confidence. 
Lee Hollis Bussie’s confident Chip Tolentino is a character full of prepubescent hormones that tend to kick in at inappropriate times. In what is the only R rated tune in the show, he rocks the number, “My Unfortunate Erection,” an ode to the unpredictable whims of his approaching maturity.
 Mallory Newbrough’s politically minded Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere is an over-the-top activist with high expectations from her two Dads. She is loud, in your face, and very engaging.
Tiffany Chalothorn’s high-achieving Marcy Park is one of the most interesting characters of the show. While others strive to win the Bee, she imagines what it would be like to not win the Bee, not to be the image of perfection so often placed on her. 
Dan Domenech is a delight as the intimidating but kind-hearted Mitch Mahoney, who serves as the "comfort counselor" for those eliminated from the competition. (You see, it is part of his community service assignment as part of his parole.) Domenech balances comedy and charm with ease. 
Sara Coombs brings a warm and commanding presence to Rona Lisa Peretti, the bee's host and former champion, providing a cheerleader-like demeanor with enthusiasm and a soaring voice. 
 Blair Hundertmark is a perfectly deadpan, word pronouncer, Douglas Panch, whose delivery of increasingly bizarre word definitions while using the words in silly sentences is a great gimmick that runs through the show. 
While there are solo standouts in the music, the most engaging tunes are the group numbers, among them, “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” and “Why We Like Spelling.” 
The show adds extra fun as some preselected audience members join the spelling bee competition relying on their word making skills to see how far they remain in the competition. Though their appearances are brief and unscripted, the gimmick adds some particularly fine comic moments especially when the audience members fail miserably or do unexpectedly well spelling some challenging words. 
The production’s success is also due to a dynamic creative team. Richie Ouellette’s scenic design perfectly captures the feel of a small-town gymnasium, complete with bleachers on stage and school memorabilia spread throughout the entire theater. It is, by far, one of the most eye-catching and colorfully delightful sets I have ever seen at the Tamworth theater.
 Kevin Dunn's lighting adds a dynamic flair, highlighting key moments and arousing moods on the stage, while the costumes by Chelsie Cartledge Rose are a perfect reflection of each character’s personality, from Barfée’s terribly bad fitting sweater vest, suspenders and shorts, to Panch’s poor taste in professional garb to Coneybear’s colorful super hero cape. 
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Barnstormers Theatre sets a high standard of excellence in a production that goes far beyond all expectations with attention to detail and in a larger-than-life comedy. And as far as a spelling bee goes, this production spells out an undeniable success.