Jay Reiss News

The Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC), recipient of the 2012 Caffe Cino Fellowship Award from the Innovative Theatre Foundation, is pleased to announce their 15th season which will include a world premiere play by Cheryl L. Davis (2014 AUDELCO Playwriting Award winner for Maid's Door), CAREFULLY TAUGHT, directed by Pat Golden (Assistant Director on Emily Mann's Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams), and the award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, directed by APAC Artistic Director Dev Bondarin (APAC's IT Award Nominated In The Bones and Merrily We Roll Along). Additionally, Bondarin is introducing a new program of works based on the Astoria community, called ASTORIA STORIES. APAC's performance venue is located at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd), in Astoria, Queens.

Getting ready for THE WILD PARTY at Encores? Anxiously Awaiting Opening Previews of HAMILTON? Didn't have time check in on all of the latest Broadway news? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.' Highlights from this week include photos from HOLIDAY INN at the MUNY, Jeremy Jordan rocks 54 Below, Magic returns to Broadway, a R-E-U-N-I-O-N and so much more! Click through the gallery below to relive some of this weeks biggest highlights.

With cheers, tears, and special surprises (we're looking at you Celia Keenan-Bolger!), nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard,Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg (plus Jenni Barber) - reunited for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert Monday night, July 6.

With cheers, tears, and special surprises (we're looking at you Celia Keenan-Bolger!), nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg (plus Jenni Barber) - reunited for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert last night, July 6.

Check out our special photos below from the concert's glamorous and emotional after party. You've got a front row seat!

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert tonight, July 6 at 7:30pm at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

BroadwayWorld has decided to take you back to the bee to look back at the extremely talented original cast as we prepare for the one-night only reunion!

The SPELLING BEE cast is back together at last!

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Jenni Barber, Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 7:30pm at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street). BroadwayWorld caught up with the company in rehearsal - see what they had to say about the nostalgia, the concert and more!

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard,  Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 7:30pm at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street). BroadwayWorld has just learned that Celia Keenan-Bolger, who was originally slated to participate, will no longer take part in the event. A show rep told us: "Due to the demands of being mom to a newborn, Celia Keenan-Bolger has had to withdraw from the upcoming Spelling Bee reunion concert.  The role of Olive Ostrovsky will be played by Jenni Barber, who took over the role on Broadway."

Disney's Newsies will claim Nashville as their own hometown with a weeklong run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center beginning Tuesday, Osborne and Eppler's Southern Fried Nuptials takes the stage in Woodbury, and local favorite Geoff Davin unveils his latest theatrical creation - Adamenses Huckster…and there's plenty of theater continuing this week to keep you occupied all week long!

Williamstown Theatre Festival  has announced further programming and special events to join the 2015 summer season including: the legendary Late-Night Cabaret, the ever popular Fridays@3 Reading Series, and this summer's Developmental Workshop Series. Also announced are this year's Boris Sagal and Bill Foeller Directing Fellows: Dustin Wills and Adrienne Campbell-Holt.

The nine original cast members of the hit Broadway musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE - Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss, and Sarah Saltzberg - will reunite for a special one-night-only 10 Year Anniversary benefit concert on Monday, July 6 at 7:30pm at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street). Benefit tickets, priced $50, $100, $150, $250, and $500 are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

Arkansas Repertory Theatre, the state's largest nonprofit professional theatre, is proud to announce its 40th Season. Beginning in September, the new season will include Tony Award-winning artistic experiences and family favorites that exemplify The Rep's mission of producing diverse work of the highest artistic standards for its Arkansas audience.

Clocktower Players TEEN Troupe continues THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE tonight, February 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Theatre Out is set to open their 10th anniversary season with a revival of the hit Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn conceived by Rebecca Feldman, book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss tonight, January 16, 2015.

Theatre Out is set to open their 10th anniversary season with a revival of the hit Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn conceived by Rebecca Feldman, book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss on January 16, 2015.

What do you get when you throw six quirky kids bubbling with adolescence, three frazzled school administrators trying to relive their glory days, a live band, and four new audience members each night into a spelling bee? Magic. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee onstage at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre tomorrow, November 20th, through December 7th. Winner of Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Theatre World and Tony Awards in 2005, Spelling Bee will delight audiences. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

What do you get when you throw six quirky kids bubbling with adolescence, three frazzled school administrators trying to relive their glory days, a live band, and four new audience members each night into a spelling bee? Magic. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee onstage at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre tonight, November 20th through December 7th