Purdue Theatre to present 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue Theatre will bring "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" to the stage beginning April 15 in the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts.
" 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' is not your ordinary musical theatre piece," said director Larry Sommers. "The authors realized that the improvisational feel of the original piece provided much of the fun, so they worked diligently to preserve that in the script. There are topical references, quick 'jump cuts' and character fantasies that seem to spring out of nowhere -- techniques that we often see in film and TV, but are not often seen onstage. But in the midst of the mayhem, music, and laughter, it brings us back to those terrible and wonderful, middle school years and the beginning of the journey to discover who we are."
"In 'Spelling Bee' we bear witness to adolescent trials and tribulations, to turning points and rites of passage in the lives of these misfit acolytes," said Richard Stockton Rand, chair of the department of theatre. "They seek the answers to all of life's mysteries in a book where every word could be found and defined and spelled. But the process of putting all the pieces of oneself in perfect order, of defining oneself, and finding one's place in the universe can never be captured in words. It is a journey that must be lived."
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, with matinees at 2:30 p.m. on April 17 and 23. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $14 for students, and $17 for those 62 and over.
Tickets are available at the Pao Hall, Elliott Hall and Stewart Center Box Offices or by calling 765-494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW. The Nancy T. Hansen Theatre in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts is at 552 W. Wood St.
There will be a special preview performance at 7:30 p.m. April 14, with general admission seating of $6 per person.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" contains adult language and is recommended for ages 13 and over.
Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu
Sources: David Lageveen, director marketing and donor relations for Purdue Theatre, 765-494-3084, lageveen@purdue.edu
Richard Stockton Rand, chair, department of theatre, 765-494-3081, richrand@purdue.edu
Larry Sommers, 765-496-1841, lsommers@purdue.edu
Contact David Lageveen, 765-494-3084, lageveen@purdue.edu