Spelling Gets Four Stars

Richard Ouzounian gives The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2008) four stars.

"I must confess I've loved this honey of a show ever since I first saw it on Broadway in 2005. Still, I had my doubts that it would work as well in the Elgin as it did its original, smaller home. But my fears were all unfounded. The touring company on view is a winner and James Lapine's canny staging has been adapted nicely for the larger space.

"Rachel Sheinkin's book is a clever piece of work, making us think we're going to get nothing but jokes, while she's actually laying the groundwork for some considerable pathos.

"And nobody writes the kind of songs you find here as well as William Finn, the Meistersinger of malaise. Finn loves all of these adorable losers and gives them voice in music that has the tang of real feeling and lyrics with the wit of genuine speech turned slightly on its head.

"But all of this wouldn't work as well as it does without the cast, led by our biggest heartbreakers.

"Eric Roediger takes no prisoners as the chubby, nasally congested William Barfee ('pronounced Bar-fait!' he keeps correcting everyone). He spells with his 'magic foot' and keeps the world at bay with his arrogance. Wonderful work.

"And Vanessa Ray captures the essence of every child caught in the crossfire of her parents' wars as the almost painfully gentle Olive Ostrovsky, wanting someone to love her, without realizing she has to love herself first."

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2008) runs until February 10 at the Elgin Theatre as part of the inaugural Dancap season.

Globe Gives Average Grade for Spelling

Critic Paula Citron calls The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2008) "F-L-U-F-F" in her review for the Globe and Mail:

"The show follows the fortunes of six elementary students (and four audience volunteers) in their quest to win the county spelling bee and so become eligible for the national competition in Washington. The three adults are host Rona Lisa Peretti (Roberta Duchak), a real-estate agent and former spelling-bee participant; Douglas Panch (James Kall), the school vice-principal moderator; and Mitch Mahoney (Kevin Smith Kirkwood), a gangsta from the 'hood doing community service. The latter's job is to dispense a hug and a juice box to the losers.

"The trick is to get the audience volunteers [including theatre critic Michael Posner] eliminated on cue with some really difficult words so the show can carry on. These good sports are around long enough to participate in some songs and choreography, which is certainly amusing. Their presence also gives the real actors a chance to improvise with fictional facts about the volunteers' lives.

"The rules allow the spellers to ask for a definition and to hear the word used in a sentence. My favourite part of the show is Mr. Panch reading those sentences, which are bizarre to say the least. 'Put down the phylacteries, Billy, because we're Episcopalian.' Even the romance-obsessed Miss Peretti comes out with a good one that, intoned in a dreamy voice, goes something like, 'I entered the dawn, but it turned out to be crepuscule' (twilight).

"[William] Finn's bouncy songs have serviceable if unmemorable tunes, but his lyrics are quite clever. Unfortunately, not every word was articulated by the cast, which is quite irritating. Dan Knechtges's banal choreography is hindered by Beowulf Boritt's bleacher/table set, the components of which have to be rolled out of the way to make room onstage. Jennifer Caprio's delightful costumes, however, are spot on.

"My problem with [Rachel] Sheinkin's book, despite its obvious entertainment aspects, is that it doesn't know what it wants to be, which makes for a disjointed experience. The slapstick/absurdist humour collides with the more satiric/social-statement side and it's not a good match. Spelling Bee does touch on some serious problems in the youth culture, particularly the treatment of outsiders, pushy and/or indifferent parents, the destructive power of competition and so on. Unfortunately, the Sturm und Drang moments don't ring true amid the general high jinks. Then there are the political and cultural references (with George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton taking the most hits), which seem like random add-ins.

"At best, Spelling Bee is a fun night out performed by an energetic cast, which, after all, isn't such a bad thing."

Paula Citron gives it 3 1/2 stars.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2008) runs until February 10 at the Elgin Theatre as part of the inaugural Dancap season.

Posner in Putnam County Spelling Bee

To get an early look at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2007, tour), which begins in Toronto on Tuesday, January 29, Michael Posner joined the cast as a not-so-unsuspecting audience member in a recent show in Buffalo, New York.

"At every show," he explains, "the producers include a little audience participation, inviting three or four people to come on stage and join the Bee. My 'selection,' of course, was prearranged, and I was accompanied by three local Buffalo residents, including WKBW news anchorwoman Joanna Pasceri.

"I did not do well.

"How unwell did I do? Out on the second round.

"Ouch. Few demands are made of journalists, except the ability to spell.

"Mind you, you are not supposed to do well. If you make it past the third round, you risk interrupting the flow of the show, so they deliberately give you a word that only a genuine spelling-bee champion could be expected to handle. I knew this going in. I was fully prepared for my public humiliation, if not for the speed with which it was delivered."

Posner, who details his humiliation in an article for the Globe and Mail, was contestant #3 (pictured).

"At the theatre, before the opening curtain, the four of us were briefed by a support crew on what to do. Take the right stairs, stand behind the desk, listen to the other cast members and no funny business — no sophomoric attempts at humour, no monologues from Shakespeare. And always ask for a definition of the word and for it to be used in a sentence: These provide set-ups for jokes.

"We were all called up after the opening number and draped with contestant numbers. Then we took seats in the miniature bleachers.

"My first word was 'jihad.' 'Could you use it in a sentence, please.'

"'Khalid made sure the meat was strictly halal at the welcome-new-members jihad barbecue.'

"No problem.

"Jihad: J-i-h-a-d.

"Hey, this is a breeze. I thought.

"Joanna P. got an even easier word — 'cow.' Robert, a retired General Motors car-plant worker, got 'Mexicans.' Only one of us, Mari, a financial secretary, exited on the first round. Joanna's next word was fandango, which she spelled correctly.

"But the one they threw at me threw me: 'kinnikinnick.'

"Yes, my thoughts exactly . . .

"Definition: A preparation made from dried leaves, bark and sometimes tobacco, and smoked especially by certain native-American peoples.

"I gave it a try.

"'I don't know what you spelled,' said vice-principal Douglas Panch (James Kall), 'but that isn't correct.'

"'Goodbye, goodbye,' they serenaded me, while Mitch Mahoney (Kevin Smith Kirkwood), the comfort counsellor, gave me three bear hugs, removed my contestant number and handed me a consolation prize — a juice box (apple).

"I drove home, not exactly jubilant. I went to the dictionary. I looked up kinnikinnick. Otherwise known as bearberry. They couldn't have given me that instead?"

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2007, tour) will run at the Elgin Theatre from January 29 to February 10, in the inaugural season of Dancap Productions. If you're preparing to be a participant, practice your spelling skills on the game featured on the official website.

Dancap Takes Over Toronto Theatre

Not yet two shows under his theatrical belt, and Aubrey Dan is already managing the Canon and Panasonic Theatres in Toronto, and Broadway Across America, which tours in 42 U. S. cities and 20 Canadian cities. Both were part of a $61 million acquisition of Live Nation Inc. by Key Brand Entertainment, in which Dan is a primary investor.

Michael Posner provides the details at the Globe and Mail:

"Mr. Dan, 44, is in the first year of marketing a six-show subscription series in Toronto under the umbrella of Dancap Productions. In an interview, he said that through his investment company, Dancap Private Equity, he is taking an equity position 'north of 10 per cent and south of 15 per cent' in Key Brand, an investment company dedicated to development, production and distribution of live theatre. In return, he will manage its Canadian assets, including Broadway Across Canada, the Canon and Panasonic Theatres, and will sit on Key Brand's board of directors."

What does this mean for Mirvish Productions, which holds a lease at the Canon until 2016?

According to Dan's interview with Richard Ouzounian, there won't be a challenge to the contract. (We Will Rock You [2007] is free to continue its run as scheduled through 2010.)

"'I see this as a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to work together,' [Dan said]. 'I have the greatest respect for the Mirvishes and applaud the chance for synergy. We welcome them with open arms.'

"David Mirvish was similarly optimistic in a statement. 'I, too, think of it as business as usual and I look forward to meeting with Aubrey.'

"The acquisitions won't affect Dan's plans for the renamed Toronto Centre for the Arts in North York, where he'll present My Fair Lady [2008] and Jersey Boys [2008] this summer.

"All in all, it was quite a day for Dan, who on Tuesday opens The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [2008] musical at the Elgin, only his second solo show in Toronto."

"The first was The Drowsy Chaperon[e (2007, tour)] last fall, also at the Elgin.

"'Not bad for a young start-up company,' he laughs."

Not bad at all.