Spellers wait to be called to the stage. Anna Catherine Morgan as Marcy Park, Mischel Johnson as Scwarzy, Nathan Toepfer as Leaf Coneybear, and Gavin Parmley as Chip.
Pensacola Little Theatre presents its first Mainstage musical since COVID hit with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. A riotous ride, complete with audience participation and all the malfunctions we adults try to forget from our own spelling bee days, Spelling Bee is a delightful den of comedic genius suitable for M-A-T-U-R-E audiences. PLT’s Education Director, Jay Bixler, directs this laugh-a-minute parody with music directed by Tina Buran.
Show dates are April 30th – May 16th.
The show opens this weekend! Click here to see show times.
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents 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 words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Audiences continue to fall in love, both with the show itself and its “perspicacious,” “jocular,” and “effervescent” spellers.
While spending the majority of his time instructing students of all ages in the PLT arts education department, the show’s director, Jay Bixler, says that he chose to direct this show for its heart and humor for adults – not for kids.
“It’s ridiculously funny to me on a personal level, and I wanted to be able to share this all-star cast with an audience,” says Bixler. “The heart comes from the journey the characters take, bringing the audience along and making them remember what it feels like to be a kid.” Bixler goes on to explain that the show is a small musical with a big message – a message that is meant to be seen by a more mature audience.
Robbie Gonzalez as Douglas Panch
“The show is about a child’s activity, yes, but more than that, it's about the audience remembering how awkward and uncomfortable it was to be a kid. The cast of spellers all portray pre-teens – the most cumbersome and frightening of ages – and the show's themes emphasize that emotional journey on the edge of maturity,” says Bixler. “You’ll laugh – trust me.”
Tickets are available online at PensacolaLittleTheatre.com and through the Box Office at 850-432-2042 on weekdays from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Masks are required at this event until seated, and the audience will be socially distant in the auditorium.
Full Cast List
RONA - Annette Remitera
MITCH - Joseph Garnett
PANCH - Robbie Gonzalez
CHIP - Gavin Parmley
OLIVE - Hannah Vogel
LEAF - Nathan Toepfer
MARCY - Anna Catherine Morgan
BARFEE - Anthony Broughton
SCHWARTZY - Mischel Johnson