THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Will Offer Free Tickets For Teachers

If you can spell FREE, thank a teacher! Teachers and school staffers are being invited to attend the Friday, October 12 performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at no charge. A hilariously hip musical comedy complete with audience participation, Spelling Bee has been hailed as a work of comedic genius. It will perform at the Burgdorff Center in Maplewood October 11 - 28.

NJEA members will receive discounts throughout the run. Adult actors play an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens - and some volunteers from the audience -- spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing "ding" of the bell that signals a mistake. At least the losers get a juice box.

Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor thanks to a fast-paced, wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a vibrant score by William Finn, this BEE is one unforgettable experience.

The production is made possible by pooling the resources of two companies: Bullet Theatre Collaborative and The Theater Project, presenting at the Burgdorff Center, 10 Durand Rd, Maplewood. Tickets: TheTheaterProject.org