A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a delightful den of comedic genius.

 

Directed by Eric Nelson With Musical Direction by Jason Crosby

Stage Manager: Anika Leven

 

 

Online Submissions Through Tuesday January 31, 2017  

Invited Callbacks Saturday February 4 and Sunday February 5, 2017 By Appointment Only– Sam Bass Community Theatre

 

 

To audition Email PutnamCountySB@SamBassTheatre.org with a video (preferred) or audio recording of 32 or more bars of 1 song from the show and 1 pop song that shows vocal range. 

And Fill out the coordinating audition form located at 

 

 

For more information and questions contact Eric Nelson at PutnamCountySB@SamBassTheatre.org

Phone: 940-367-6865

 

Special Notes!!

 

FIRST ROUND AUDITIONS BY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION ONLY

 

CALL BACKS WILL TAKE PLACE AT

SAM BASS COMMUNITY THEATRE 

600 N. LEE ST.

Round Rock, TX 78681

 

 

Character Breakdowns: 

 

·         Rona Lisa Peretti: The number-one realtor in Putnam County, a former Putnam County Spelling Bee Champion herself, and returning moderator. She is a sweet woman who loves children, but she can be very stern when it comes to dealing with Vice Principal Panch, who has feelings for her that she most likely does not return. It is implied that she sees much of herself in Olive Ostrovsky. Her favorite moment of the Bee is in the minutes before it starts, when all the children are filled with the joy of competition, before they begin to resent each other. She later declares that she likes how everyone has an equal chance of winning, citing as an example that last year's winner can be this year's loser and vice versa. Another favorite moment is when the last winners go head to head for the top spot because it is so suspenseful and filled with hope. Ms. Peretti herself won the Third Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by spelling "syzygy", which she recounts at the very beginning of the opening number.

 

·         Vice Principal Douglas Panch: After five years' absence from the Bee, Panch returns as judge. There was an "incident" at the Twentieth Annual Bee, but he claims to be in "a better place" now (or so we think), thanks to a high-fiber diet and Jungian analysis. He is infatuated with Rona Lisa Peretti, but she does not return his affections.

 

·         Mitch Mahoney: The Official Comfort Counselor. An ex-convict, Mitch is performing his community service with the Bee, and hands out juice boxes to losing students.

 

·         Olive Ostrovsky: A young newcomer to competitive spelling. Her mother is in an ashram in India, and her father is working late, as usual, but he is trying to come sometime during the bee. She made friends with her dictionary at a very young age, helping her to make it to the competition.

 

·         William Morris Barfée: A Putnam County Spelling Bee finalist last year, he was eliminated because of an allergic reaction to peanuts. His famous “Magic Foot” method of spelling has boosted him to spelling glory, even though he only has one working nostril and a touchy personality. He has an often-mispronounced last name: it is Bar-FAY, not BARF-ee ("there's an accent aigu", he explains with some hostility). He develops a crush on Olive. At the end of the play he wins the spelling bee.

 

·         Logainne "Schwarzy" SchwartzandGrubenierre: Logainne is the youngest and most politically aware speller, often making comments about current political figures, with two overbearing gay fathers pushing her to win at any cost. She is somewhat of a neat freak, speaks with a lisp, and knows she'll return to the bee next year.

 

·         Marcy Park: A recent transfer from Virginia, Marcy placed ninth in last year’s nationals. She speaks six languages, is a member of all-American hockey, a championship rugby player, plays Chopin and Mozart on multiple instruments, sleeps only three hours a night, hides in the bathroom cabinet, and is getting very tired of always winning. She is a total over-achiever, and attends a Catholic school called "Our Lady of Intermittent Sorrows." She is also not allowed to cry. She is often portrayed by an Asian actress.

 

·         Leaf Coneybear: A homeschooler and the second runner-up in his district, Leaf gets into the competition on a lark: the winner and first runner-up had to go to the winner’s Bat Mitzvah. Leaf comes from a large family of former hippies and makes his own clothes. He spells words correctly while in a trance. In his song, "I'm Not That Smart", he sings that his family thinks he is "not that smart," but he insinuates that he is merely easily distracted. Most of the words that he is assigned are South American rodents with amusing names.

 

·         Charlito "Chip" Tolentino ("Tripp Barrington" in the original workshop, "Isaac 'Chip' Berkowitz" in the Chicago production): A Boy Scout and champion of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, he returns to defend his title. Relatively social and athletic, as he plays little league, Chip expects things to come easily but he finds puberty hitting at an inopportune moment.

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Audition Requirements: Auditions are being conducted by audio and video submissions for the first round and then invited in-person callbacks for the second round. 

 

 

Rehearsal Schedule: Required meeting/Read Through in early February. Musical rehearsals on a one-on-one basis through February and part of March with group rehearsals starting early March through opening. Most rehearsals are flexible with schedule. Mandatory dates are May 1-12 plus all performances. Please include a complete list of conflicts at auditions.

 

Please be aware that the following rehearsals must be attended by ALL CAST MEMBERS!!  If you cannot ensure this, you will not be cast for the show.  Check calendars now, and make sure you have listed every conflict even if you don’t think it will happen.