Superb— (adjective.) “excellent; impressively splendid; marked to the highest degree by grandeur, excellence, brilliance, or competence.” The Collegiate Players, the college-arm of Players On Air, has the most superb production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee appearing on their stage for just four performances, this weekend only! S-U-P-E-R-B. Directed by Justin Patterson, with Musical Direction by Maggie Flynn-Lebischak, and Choreography by Abby Upshaw, this delightfully comical musical, a tried-n-true musical chestnut of the more recent stage vintage, finds a new life with both radiant exuberance and an in-depth examination of the darker elements that lay burbling just below the musical, subtextual surface of this show.
Copacetic— (adjective.) “in excellent order; very satisfactory.” Technical Director Corey Brown (and tech-run crew Brady Bowen, Brandon Dubbs, and Laura Harrison) consistently delivers a copacetic aesthetic all throughout the production when it comes to lighting effects; his sound design is equally impressive. C-O-P-A-C-E-T-I-C. Brown’s use of swirling rainbow specials during “Pandemonium” adds a heightened sense of chaos to the already frenetic action of the scene. The pulsating white lights which morph into slow-motion strobe specials during “The Spelling Montage” is another one of Brown’s sleight of spectacle, which fully captivates the audience.
Stylize— (transitive verb.) “to represent or design according to a style or stylistic pattern rather than according to nature or tradition; causing to conform to a particular style.” Choreographer Abby Upshaw does not hesitate when it is time to stylize her various dance routines throughout the performance, giving each of the musical numbers that features dance a unique flare that compliments the music and showcases the dancing talent of the cast. S-T-Y-L-I-Z-E. Upshaw finds her niche as the show’s choreographer with ease, letting the dance routines mimic the varying musical styles featured in the performance. There’s a snazzy-jazzy kick-line for “Magic Foot” and an all-out chaotic whirlwind during “Pandemonium” as well as a fair bit of ballet moves seen during “I Speak Six Languages.” Upshaw keeps it clean and simple, letting the music speak for itself but still allowing the performers to have a good deal of fun with their movements.
Canorous— (adjective.) “melodious; musical.” Musical Director Maggie Flynn-Lebischak’s canorous achievements would win first place if this were a musical-singing-bee. C-A-N-O-R-O-U-S. Flynn-Lebischak does extraordinary work with a cast of just nine (of which she is included! There’s a lot dual-billing in this show, crossing between the performing and production side of the program.) She creates exceptional harmonies and mellifluous blends during a song most dissonant, “The I Love You Song” (beautiful melody, twisty-dark lyrics.) Flynn-Lebischak is nothing short of a magician with a musical-attuned wand, making a cast of just nine fill the entire auditorium with pitch perfection and gratifying swells of passionate sound. Each of the players has at least one featured solo and everyone sounds stellar thanks to Flynn-Lebischak’s endless efforts.
Multifarious— (adjective.) “many and of various types; having many varied parts or aspects; numerous and varied.” Directed Justin Patterson delivers a multifarious look at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by delving deep below the musical’s blithe and bubbly surface, examining the darker subtext present in the show’s various songs. M-U-L-T-I-F-A-R-I-O-U-S. With perfect players in every role— each actor fitting their part as if it were made for them— it’s no wonder that Patterson can go beyond the more traditional surface approach of this production and unearth some of these taboo elements that all too often accompany child prodigies when it comes to high-end competitions like school spelling bees. Patterson does an exceptional job of finding the balance between the show’s natural comedy and warm-hearted nature and these less savory elements that are tucked skillfully away in the show’s underbelly. “The I Love You” song is one of the triggering moments that Patterson draws attention to (if you listen carefully to lyrics, it’s right there in the wording.) The staging of this number showcases just how much of a release and relief something like spelling can be if you have an abusive parental figure at home. Patterson again draws the audience’s attention to the abominable behavior of parents and family figures, both with Leaf’s triggered flinching whenever his family (hilariously represented by sock-puppets) calls him “Dumb Kid” and with the way one of Logainne Schwartzandgrubenier’s parents storms out of the bee as if it were only ever about him. Patterson is a visionary director, taking the more traditional yellow-and-blue color palette associated with the show and shifting it to something sunnier: yellow-and-orange, which creates a brighter atmosphere for the overall production. There are scrabble letter tile cubes under each speller’s seat and a decorated high-stacked podium atop which the two judges/hosts of the bee sit presiding over it all, rounding out the look and expression of Patterson’s vision.
Daedal— (adjective.) “skillful, artistic; intricate; adorned with many things.” Costume Designer Rachel Jancarek’s imagination knows no bounds when it comes to the character’s daedal wardrobe. D-A-E-D-A-L. Clever and intricately attentive when it comes to the minutia of her sartorial selections, Jancarek finds an outfit in perfect syzygy with each character’s personality. For Rona Lisa Peretti, for example, she’s wearing that gossamer stars and sun and moon skirt. Leaf Coneybear, who makes his clothes himself, has patches all over and a hodgepodge stitched-on T-Rex tail (you know it’s a T-Rex tail because Leaf Coneybear will tell you so!) There’s little bits of whitish-pink lace around Olive’s socks, and Mitch Mahoney appears to be on the road to recovery in his slightly boho chic threads. Jancarek’s costuming completes the overall expressive vision that Director Justin Patterson has put forth for this production.
Glee— (noun) “open delight or pleasure; exultant joy.” The ensemble, as it’s every person’s show with a cast of this size, is nothing but sheer glee to watch on stage as they pass just under two hours’ stage traffic before the audiences’ eyes. G-L-E-E. It’s all the little moments, like when Chip Tolentino starts flirting with Marcy Park, or when they dance together, and all the little improvised responses each of the characters has to one another as the show progresses. It’s difficult to describe (without repeating adjectives) just how wonderfully they all play together, really feeding off of one another to create this incredible, enjoyable performance. And when they’re all busy belting their faces off during numbers like “Pandemonium” it fills your heart with the happiest of joys that live theatre is back in your face for experiences just like this one.
Trenchant— (adjective.) “incisive or keen as language or a person; caustic; cutting; clear cut, sharp or biting.” Parker Arenz doesn’t mince words as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, so much so that one might call his attitude toward the students— particularly when directed at poor William Barfee— trenchant. T-R-E-N-C-H-A-N-T. Arenz finds many little moments throughout the production to give his character laughable moments. When he flips out on the top of the podium— and then blatantly blames ‘being on Keto’ for his ‘HANGRY’ outburst— the audience can’t help but laugh. With articulate enunciation and exponentially waning patience, Arenz’ Vice Principal Panch is a welcome addition to all the humorous elements of the production. He deserves high praises for the slow-motion delivery during “The Spelling Montage.”
Perceptive— (adjective.) “having or showing keenness of insight, understanding or intuition; discerning or astute; having the power of faculty of perceiving.” As a former 3rd Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee champion, Miss Rona Lisa Peretti (Magnolia Flynn-Lebischak) is particularly perceptive when it comes to the nuanced experiences of these young boys and girls at this year’s spelling bee. P-E-R-C-E-P-T-I-V-E. Flynn-Lebischak brings her operatic sound to the performance, which is glorious in all of her solos but particularly in her various reprises of “My Favorite Moment of the Bee” and during “The I Love You Song.” She’s more than just a beautiful voice; Flynn-Lebischak has a relatability factor in play when it comes to bringing Rona Lisa Peretti down to their level (remember, despite being collegiate aged actors and full-grown adults, the characters are still mostly elementary school children!) There’s something welcoming and convivial about the way Flynn-Lebischak plays Rona; it’s heart-warming.
Flabbergasted— (adjective.) “overcome with astonishment; amazed; astounded.” When comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney (Roman Adolfs) is introduced at the beginning of the show, it’s easy to be nonplussed by him but once he starts belting his face off during “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” he leaves the audience absolutely flabbergasted, jaws to the floor with his vocal prowess. F-L-A-B-B-E-R-G-A-S-T-E-D. Adolfs shies away from the limelight and settles almost invisibly into the background (watch to see what word he spells when he stacks up the scrabble tiles of the departed/losing spellers) until his big moment of astonishingly amazing vocal explosion. Adolfs possesses this rip-screaming tenor sound that wails with soul and panache all throughout his solo, featured at the end of the first act; what an unbelievable vocal sustain! It’s miraculous.
Anomalous— (adjective.) “deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; unique.” While the tendency leans towards hyper-caricature, when it comes to portraying Leaf Coneybear, Jake Long delivers a decidedly delightful and anomalous performance. A-N-O-M-A-L-O-U-S. Long follows director Justin Patterson’s pursuit of the ‘deeper layers’ when it comes to unpacking the character Leaf Coneybear. The goofy and off-center quirks that are iconic accompaniments to Leaf are still palpable and present (he rides a bright pink toddler’s Jeep down the house aisle to get to the stage as the student spellers flood the auditorium at the top of the show), Long finds subtle, layered nuances which make the character both more realistic and more human. Rather than play the surface of a caricature of the character, Long really settles into “I’m Not That Smart” giving the opportunity to see his vulnerability and the abuses he suffers from a family who mocks his learning disability. Instead of “trancing out” (the more common approach to the Leaf character’s inexplicable ability to suddenly spell words), Long displays a full-body spasm, like a twitching tick or even a possession of something otherworldly, before booming out— in an Elvish affected vocalization— the correct spelling to his words. Long is also an impressive singer and adds a wonderful sound to the cast of nine.
Vaudevillian— (noun.) “a person who performs in Vaudeville or in a vaudeville-style; campy or melodramatic; over-the-top.” Director Justin Patterson, because he wasn’t doing enough for the production, is nothing short of a vaudevillian in the role of Chip Tolentino, stealing scenes and living up the character’s short-lived existence in the production. V-A-U-D-E-V-I-L-L-I-A-N. Patterson is a downright scream in the role of Chip Tolentino. His physicality when falling apart near the end of Act I is to die for and the hilarious fury which he barrel-rolls into his wailing lament, “Chip’s Lament” will erect profound respect for his ability to emote and sing at the same time. Keep an ear out for his master-belting during “Pandemonium” as well. And his overall scene-stealing shenanigans, mostly in response to or targeted at Marcy Park, are hilarious, well-timed, and perfectly situated into the burgeoning character of one Chip Tolentino. Keep an eye out for Patterson’s appearance in a one-on-one scene with Mary Park later in the production, though he’s more of a savior than a boy scout in that scene.
Protean— (adjective.) “readily assuming different forms or characters; extremely variable; versatile; able to play many kinds of roles.” Rachel Jancarek is not only creating clever costumes for the show, but slaying with protean capabilities in the role of Marcy Parks. P-R-O-T-E-A-N. Much like Leaf Coneybear, the tendency is to play the Marcy Park character as frigid, aloof, and ‘better-than-everyone’ right up until her breaking point, but Jancarek creates a dynamic character which has layers and levels, fitting into director Patterson’s overall vision for the show sublimely. Her voice is stellar for “I Speak Six Languages”, which is not only a showcase of her vocal skills but her demonstrable athletic skills which includes a plethora of actions, not limited to splits, jumps, soccer-foot-work, volleyball movements, and various dance styles. With a sassy attitude and another peek at the disquieted and disturbing homelife of a child prodigy, Jancarek really gives this character refreshing new life. She’s busy living her best life, with her best Elphaba riff-options during “Pandemonium” at the top of the podium (even the heightened staging while she’s riff-belt-wailing mimics the end of “Defying Gravity”), creating one heck of a sound boost for that group number.
Acquiescent— (adjective.) “agreeable; disposed to acquiesce or consent tacitly; submit or comply without protest.” Lillian Stoneberger plays both sides of the Logainne Schwartzandgrubenier coin, tending toward the more acquiescent side of the character in this production, which is well-suited for the deep-layered delving of the darker natures of the show. A-C-Q-U-I-E-S-C-E-N-T. Don’t go thinking that this means Stoneberger is a pushover, a write-off, or washed out; she’s not. But finding that humbling, pitiable creature that so accurately reflects what it’s like having two helicopter-push dads, forcing you forward to the point of brain-breaking anxiety is exactly what Stoneberger does, and that impressive component of this character is rarely if ever actualized on stage. In addition to her superb character balance, and unavoidable character-induced lisp (Logainne has always been played with an overbearing vocal lisping affectation), Stoneberger masterfully delivers her solo feature, “Woe Is Me”, presenting a mercurial exploration of every emotion that song could possibly contain. She sparkles in her rainbow-sequin vest, her bright personality soaring through the mire of the character to create a balance between woe and wonder.
Pusillanimous— (adjective) “lacking courage or resolution; faint-hearted or timid; of a shrinking violet.” Abby Upshaw does an extraordinary job of portraying the pusillanimous nature of dear Olive Ostrovsky, highlighting the troubled home which creates such a shy violet of a character in the first place. P-U-S-I-L-L-A-N-I-M-O-U-S. Upshaw, who has a serene voice and the perfect physical representation for this uncertain, timid character, gives the audience real insight to the trials and tribulations of coming from a cleverly-concealed but nonetheless broken home. From the way she slips across the stage, whispering and mumbling (so when she literally shouts her first spelling word after being told to be louder there’s a comic edge to that delivery) to the way she carries her body, unsure and uncertain, there’s everything to love about Upshaw’s performance. Even in her nervous exchanges with Barfee, we see the desperate yearning to connect to something real and friendly and warm. And when she sings, “My Friend the Dictionary” and later in “The I Love You Song”, that warm, needful voice inspires a world of emotions deep inside, giving the audience a complete expression of just who Olive Ostrovsky is.
Razzmatazz— (noun) “razzle-dazzle; showiness, brilliance, or virtuosity in technique or effect; flashy theatricality.” Cade Macfee is bringing all the razzmatazz to his portrayal of William Barfee. R-A-Z-Z-M-A-T-A-Z-Z. While all the hallmarks of the Barfee character are present in Macfee’s performance— the pinched vocal affectation, the ultra-nerdiness— who knew that William Barfee’s secret calling was to be a Vaudeville-Broadway showstopper? When Macfee lets loose for “Magic Foot” not only is the audience treated to an insanely powerful vocal sound, which harkens back to the true days of Vaudeville (think Eddie Cantor of Boardwalk Empire if you’ve no other modern reference), but there’s vibrantly vivacious dancing and even some vocal scatting as Macfee soars through this number. The open-throated sound is quite impossible to describe and still do it justice; suffice it to say that Macfee stuns and wows with all his razzle-dazzle in this number, which has everyone in the audience hoping he pulls through and wins the Bee, despite his rather flippant and off-handed comments at— well, basically everyone else.
Delight— (noun) “a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy or rapture; something that gives great pleasure.” The Collegiate Players (of Players on Air)’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a sheer delight and not to be missed. D-E-L-I-G-H-T. Do not miss this superb production; it has moments of truth and deep emotional exploration as well as hilarity and uplifting joy. Tickets are selling fast and with just four performances, you won’t want to miss your chance to see this production of S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E.
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with one intermission
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee plays through August 8, 2021 with Players On Air’s The Collegiate Players in the main auditorium of the new Panthers Performing Arts Center— 1400 Panther Drive in Hampstead, MD. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online.
