The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music & Lyrics by William Finn, Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by Jay Reiss
Directed and Choreographed by Ron Gibbs and Gayle Holsman Seay
Stages St. Louis
June 3, 2026
Cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
Stages St. Louis
Stages St. Louis is starting off their 40th anniversary season with some fresh new branding and an exciting schedule, leading off with a hilariously entertaining, quirkily fun musical. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has some delightful immersive elements, including the inclusion of volunteer spellers from the audience, as well as boasting an excellent, enthusiastic cast and first-rate production values. It’s a small show made big by means of bold, genuinely endearing performances and that professional approach that Stages does so well.
The story is fairly straightforward–it’s a spelling bee, featuring young contestants from various regions of the county, and hosted by a former winner, the perky Rona Lisa Peretti (Jennifer Theby-Quinn). Also assisting are local vice principal Douglas Panch (Christopher Hickey) and “comfort counselor” Mitch Mahoney (Omega Jones), who all have their own stories that will be told as events unfold. The spellers are a collection of disparate personalities, from the young, eager student Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Abigail Isom), to the homeschooled Leaf Coneybear (Matthew Cox), intense parochial school student Marcy Park (Sarah Wilkinson), earnest dictionary lover Olive Ostrovsky (Alexis Kinney), socially awkward William Barfée (Bryce A. Miller)–who has a unique way of spelling out his words–and last year’s winner, the somewhat overconfident Chip Tolentino (Michael Schimmele). The spelling bee plays out in expected format, with revelations along the way as we learn the contestants’ hopes, dreams, fears, trials and tribulations as they navigate social interactions, issues with neglectful and overbearing parents, societal pressures, and more. It’s an ultimately hilarious and heartwarming story featuring a memorable score and insightful portrayals, as well as a lot of good old-fashioned laughs that never seem to belittle the characters, allowing the audience to sympathize with their plights without feeling superior over them.
There’s also a fun element of “audience participation” added in which volunteers from the audience are included in the bee alongside the cast, each getting their moments to spell words and respond to comments from the hosts. The main focus, though, is on the fictional spellers, and each gets their moment to shine. The whole cast is excellent, with Theby-Quinn making an ideal host as the occasionally too-eager Peretti, whose memories as a former champion are still fresh in her mind. Theby-Quinn’s strong vocals are also a highlight, and Hickey and Jones are also strong as the other adult participants who have their own personal reasons for being there. As for the spellers, Kinney’s supremely likable Olive is a standout, as is Miller’s initially overconfident but increasingly struggling Barfée, who forms something of a sweet connection with Olive. Isom’s perky Logainne and Wilkinson’s tough-talking Marcy also have strong moments, as do Cox’s sweet-natured Leaf and Schimmele’s intense Chip. The weaving together of the spelling bee format with the personal issues of the contestants is smooth and easy to follow, and each character is well-defined. All the cast members work together well, with strong vocals and some fun choreographic moments, particularly for Miller on Barfée’s standout number “Magic Foot”.
The technical elements here shine at least as brightly as the cast, with some truly stunning moments provided by lighting designer Sean M. Savoie and sound designer Hankyu Lee in some of the more existential moments of the show. There’s also a fantastically realized set by Rachel Seabaugh, along with marvelously detailed costumes by Cat Lovejoy that suit the characters well. The overall theming and sense of place are especially well-maintained here, adding to the overall locally-focused storytelling of this show, turning the fictional Putnam County into a real, credible place these characters inhabit.
If you’ve ever been in a spelling bee (and I have), or other student competitions, you might remember the pressures and expectations of such a contest, or maybe you just remember how awkward the tween and teen years can be. Whatever audience members’ personal experience, though, there’s a lot to relate to here, and Stages has provided a wonderfully immersive, thoroughly enjoyable production for teens and adults alike–although I would say that the subject matter is essentially PG13. It’s a fun show, ultimately, and an excellent start to a milestone season for Stages St. Louis.
Cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
Stages St. Louis
Stages St. Louis is presenting The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until June 28, 2026