Lisa Peretti News

Every so often in our lives along comes a musical full of heart. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is a musical comedy with Music & Lyrics by William Finn, with a book by Rachel Sheinkin. The Broadway Production opened in 2005 and was directed by James Lapine. Since its opening, many productions both locally and regionally have been produced throughout the United States. Spelling Bee was nominated for 6 Tony Awards, winning two including Best Book. This fast-paced musical comedy features 6 adult performers playing children in a local annual spelling bee competing for the top prize, and a savings bond for furthering their education. At the judge’s table and moderator for the events of the bee are past spelling Champion Rona Lisa Peretti, who is also a local Real-Estate Agent, and Vice Principal Douglas Panch. The unique aspect of the show is that four audience members are invited on stage with the performers in the show to compete in the bee. The Announcer and Moderator switch off by ad-libbing mixed sentences and various definitions for the words often to hilarious ends. One by one the performers playing middle school-aged children take their turn at the mic and perform their unique form of spelling by talking into their hand, writing the word on the floor with their foot, or drawing the word on their arm all competing to make sure each word is spelled correctly.

Theatre Arlington will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on June 3rd. This hilarious and endearing musical focuses on six quirky pre-teens (all played by adults) as they compete for a slot in the National Spelling Bee. As each speller has their moment at the mic, they candidly reveal their hopes, dreams, and touching stories about their home lives.

Pittsburgh CLO and Dolores Kara have announced the nominees for the 31st Annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. The awards show will take place on Saturday, May 28 at 7:30pm at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Theatre444 presents the popular musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 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.

The 2022 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards ceremony will take place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Monday, June 6, at 7:30pm, featuring presenters from both Broadway and beyond. See the full list of nominees.

Meet all of the Broadway actors in THE GILDED AGE! The new series features appearances by Audra McDonald, Denée Benton, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Kelli O'Hara, Carrie Coon, Claybourne Elder, Donna Murphy, Katie Finneran, Debra Monk, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Patrick Page, Michael Cerveris, and more.

Next week, FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club & Private Event Destination, will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

An eclectic group of six tweens vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a delightful den of comedic genius. Performances are December 5th thru the 19th. Gallery Players, 1125 College Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43209. Please visit https://columbusjcc.org/gallery-players/ to get specific show times and purchase tickets.

There are some people who manage to make everything look so easy, even the difficult things. Lisa Howard is just such a person. She has worked with some of the best and brightest on Broadway. She has won a Drama Desk Award and been nominated for another. Her powerhouse voice feels as effortless as a cool breeze on a summer day. She’s been directed by James Lapine, David Hyde Pierce, Joe Mantello, Bartlett Sher, and Christopher Ashley, and yet it always looks like she glided on from the wings and just made up something brilliant.

F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C. Fantastic is defined in the dictionary as 'extraordinarily good' Simply put, and to use in a sentence, 'The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee at STAGES Theatre is simply a FANTASTIC production that should and needs to be seen by all.' Not only is the show brilliant, but it has easily become the best fall musical in the Houston theatre scene.

San Francisco’s Landmark Musical Theatre (Jon Rosen, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast and creative team for the opening production of the Company’s upcoming in-person 2021-2022 season, the Tony Award®-winning audience favorite THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. 

Sally Wilfert returns to Feinstein’s/54 Below with her brand-new show, How Did I End Up Here? She and music director Joseph Thalken take you on a musical journey from innocent Ohio farm girl to acclaimed Broadway songstress. 

It was exactly a year ago that the newly formed professional non-profit Nicely Theatre Group (NTG) was slated to premiere its inaugural show with the musical Pippin. And we all know what happened last year to live theatre productions...

How do you spell WINNER? If you have an evening to plan and want to spend an evening outside and enjoying live theatre, I recommend you take a trip down to the bee.

FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, will present Sally Wilfert in “How Did I End Up Here?” on July 18th and 20th at 7PM.  Sally Wilfert (Assassins, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) returns to Feinstein’s/54 Below with her brand new show, “How Did I End Up Here?”

Portland Center Stage released a statement today from Stacey Caldwell Roberts, incoming board chair; Cynthia Fuhrman, managing director, and Marissa Wolf, artistic director:

After a 15-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 epidemic, proprietors Steve Baruch, Richard Frankel, and Tom Viertel have announced that “Broadway’s Supper Club” Feinstein’s/54 Below will reopen its iconic red door for live performances on June 17, 2021. 

Celebration Theatre Company continues its fifth season with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn's Tony Award-winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, running from April 30 - May 9, 2021 at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts' Alexis and Jim Pugh Theatre.

Hagerstown Community College presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee next month.

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, The Lincoln Project created an incredible video, titled Covita- a Trump-themed parody of 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' from the musical Evita. It was later revealed that Broadway veteran Lisa Howard (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, It Shoulda Been You) lent her voice to the now viral tune, which has has almost 3.5 million views. Now she's telling us all about how she became involved!