The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at University of Mary Washington Department of Theatre & Dance

UMW Theatre will end its 2021-22 season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin. Performances will be March 31-April 2, April 7-9, and April 14-16 at 7:30 p.m., and April 3, 10, 16 at 2:00 p.m. in Klein Theatre, duPont Hall at the University of Mary Washington. Guests may also attend the Pay-What-You-Can Preview performance on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. The box office opens at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. AfterWords, a post-show talkback with the cast, will take place after the matinee performance on April 3. This show offers a comical look into the world of competitive spelling. Each of the six contestants on stage have won (or placed in) their individual school bees and have now advanced to the next level to compete in the Putnam County spelling bee. The winner of this bee will go on to take the stage in Washington, DC at the National Spelling Bee, so stakes are high. As drama and hilarity ensue in this battle of spelling prowess, this musical offers a glimpse at what it is like to be a kid uncomfortable in your own skin and illustrates the hardships of growing up.

Authors

• Jay Reiss
• Rachel Sheinkin
• Rebecca Feldman
• William Finn

Tony Awards and Nominations for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee