“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” is funny, quirky and a bit touching in this enjoyable production presented by Northampton Community College Theatre Department.
On stage through April13 in Lipkin Theater, Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem Township, the show is NCC’s final production of the spring semester.
The entertaining ensemble cast are appealing as six nerdy middle school students competing in a regional spelling bee in the gymnasium of Putnam Valley Middle School.
Moderator and former spelling bee winner Rona Lisa Peretti is played with bubbly earnestness by Brittany McGorrey. McGorrey gives the character a buoyant enthusiasm and perky positivity that is highlighted in her well-sung “My Favorite Moment of the Bee."
Vice principal Douglas Panch is portrayed with a kind gruffness by Mark Breiner who shows off his improvisation skills providing hilarious usage-in-a-sentence examples for the audience members chosen to be additional spellers.
A surprise is comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney, played by Jayden McFaddin who initially portrays the character (who is there to perform community service) as sullen, but opens up unexpectedly and closing the first act with the soaring "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor" in which McFaddin shows off some impressive rhythm and blues vocal chops.
Devvani Choudhury is endearing as shy student speller Olive Ostrovsky, who yearns for her absentee parents. Her song “The I Love You Song" sung in trio with McGorrey as her mother and Max Wetherhold as her father is the most memorable of the show.
Wetherhold also throws himself whole-heartedly into the role of eccentric former spelling bee finalist William Morris Barfée, who bizarrely, but humorously, uses his "Magic Foot" to spell out the words.
The lisping Logainne SchwartzandGrubenierre is played with determined pluck and eagerness by Lucy Moore. In her "Woe is Me" sung with her two gay dads (played amusingly by McFaddin and Aidan Weller) she expresses her frustration at being held to high standards.
As over-achiever student Marcy Park, Angelina Marie is at first reserved, but then lets it all go with the impassioned "I Speak Six Languages."
Morgan Lotito is charming as Leaf Coneybear, a homeschooled hippy student who defiantly overcomes his family’s lack of belief in “I’m Not That Smart.”
Defending champion Chip Tolentino, is entertaining as played by Weller. Weller nails the physical comedy of Chip coming up against puberty in the funny "My Unfortunate Erection.”
Director Will Windsor Erwin keeps the chaos from getting too out of hand, considering several scenes have the students running all over and another has the bleachers spinning.
Vocal director Rebecca Pieper keeps the various voices in time, set designer Brett Oliveira has created the look of a believable middle school gymnasium and costumer Brenda McGuire has dressed the cast is some eye-catching outfits befitting the quirky characters.
Lucille Kincaid ably leads the five piece band situated right behind the set.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. April 12; and 2 p.m. April 13.
Tickets are $5.
For information, call 484-484-3412 or visit their WEBSITE.