Refreshing— (adjective.) ‘Welcome or stimulating because new or different; reinvigorating; to restore by renewing supply.’ Street Lamp Community Theatre’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was thoroughly refreshing because of all the intricate little quirks included to make the production uniquely their own. R-E-F-R-E-S-H-I-N-G. Directed by Jamie DiMaio and Andrew DiMaio, with Musical Direction by LaShelle Bray, and Choreography by Jamie DiMaio, this heartwarming production is absolutely charming, humorous, and the most revitalizing production of Spelling Bee you could ever hope to encounter.
Minimalism— (noun.) ‘a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme sparseness and simplicity.’ The overall approach to the show’s aesthetic and creative design elements would be considered an exercise in minimalism. M-I-N-I-M-A-L-I-S-M. But don’t let that fool you, Spelling Bee is definitely a show that not only works well under the ‘less is more’ mantle; it thrives in that simplistic space of not overcomplicating the set, lighting cues, or props. The black box space of Street Lamp Community Theatre is perfect for this production; a simple marker-drawn poster to announce that you’re at the bee, risers in the corner for the spellers to sit in, a judge’s table, a microphone and a few select but important props on the judge’s table make for the perfect aesthetic accoutrements to augment the story without dominating it. This is a solid choice from the directorial team for this production.
Omnific— (adjective.) ‘being all-creating.’ The omnific presence layered intrinsically into this production by Co-Directors Jamie & Andrew DiMaio is impressive and thoroughly showcases their skillset in creativity.’ O-M-N-I-F-I-C. It’s a tried and true show— Spelling Bee— so to keep it pure and simple while simultaneously adding revitalizing components that are unique to their production in a fashion that only enhances the experience rather than mutates it or transitions it too far away from its origins is an impressive feat, one that DiMaio and DiMaio achieve with flying colors. The various words used for ‘guest spellers’ including a particularly hilarious ‘gaslighting’ incident, or the absolutely heartwarming and joyous choice to give Leaf Coneybear toys to hand out to each of the participants and the ‘adults’ as he exits the Bee in his own special goodbye, or adding a break-table for Marcy Park to karate chop at the end of her “Six Languages” number, all of these little very carefully nuanced details just adds to the delight of these talented nine performers on stage. DiMaio and DiMaio keep the show swiftly clipping along too and the keep the simple joys and earnest heart of innocent children at a spelling bee as the central focus of the performance. There’s a lot to be said for how they balance the show’s humor— particularly in giving Panch more kindness and humor and way less cringy-creepy motives and the way they carefully slot-in some tasteful post-pandemic-Covid humor because we all need a laugh after surviving all of that. They’re definitely a dream-team directorship and their production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is nothing short of delightful.
Perspicacious— (adjective.) ‘having a ready insight into and understanding of things.’ Musical Director LaShelle Bray puts her perspicacious talents to maximum effect in this production, particularly when it comes to showcasing harmonies. P-E-R-S-P-I-C-A-C-I-O-U-S. Bray adroit approach to the music of Spelling Bee gives the audience the most enjoyable experience one could hope for. With a small cast of only nine in an intimate black-box space, there is no hiding mistakes or disguising sounds with larger swells from a massive ensemble. Bray brings exquisite harmonies to the forefront of the production, especially true during “The I Love You Song”, which is a tragically pretty number on its own, but under Bray’s fine guidance it becomes beautiful and haunting. The volume balance, the perfect blends, the incredible belts and sustains that Bray coaxes from the cast are all equally impressive, resulting in a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable aural experience for everyone in attendance.
Charged— (adjective.) ‘having an electric charge; filled with excitement, tension, or emotion.’ Jamie DiMaio’s choreography is certainly charged with a level of invigorating energy that really keeps the show bouncing along, encouraging the audience to wiggle and tap along in their seats. C-H-A-R-G-E-D. DiMaio, as in with her directorial approach to the show, finds a balance with the show’s choreography. There aren’t a whole lot of ‘big splashy dance numbers’ in Spelling Bee; it’s not that type of show. But there are a great many moments that require precision of movement— particularly during the circular warp-to-slow-and-back spin-ring of spellers— and there are definitely opportunities to have the cast up on their toes and dancing around. DiMaio makes the sensible choice not to over-choreograph the show, leaving just enough razzle-dazzle in “Magic Foot”— complete with solo-standing kick-outs and jazz hands— so that you feel like you’re still attending a musical and her perfectly executed chaos during ‘Pandemonium’ lives up to its namesake.
Engaging— (verb.) ‘To occupy, attract, or involve someone’s interest or attention.’ The company of Street Lamp Community Theatre’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee does a stupendous job of engaging the audience with their stories and their singing on an almost immersive level. E-N-G-A-G-I-N-G. Even if you aren’t participating in the ‘Bee’ (and yes, if you want to volunteer as a guest speller, you could find yourself as an actively engaged member of the performance too!) this company of nine performers is bringing you’re their story and their songs at a one-on-one level that makes you feel invested, particularly as each of the characters shares moments of their experiences, past and present, about being at the ‘Bee’ and what it means to them. You’ll find yourself swept up in the magic that is theatre both readily and easily with this bunch, there is no doubt.
Prodigious— (adjective.) ‘causing amazement or wonder; extraordinary in degree; resembling or befitting a prodigy.’ Kalea Bray’s prodigious performance in the role of ‘comfort-counselor’ Mitch Mahoney will blow you away to the point where you’ll wonder why the role hasn’t always been cast this way. P-R-O-D-I-G-I-O-U-S. Bray’s stage presence is extremely well-balanced; there is a pitfall with the Mitch Mahoney character to play it at a ceiling-shattering level of anger or ‘rage-for-humor’ and Bray steers clear of that, giving the character subtly and relatable human emotions while still landing those scripted hilarious lines about wanting to beat up the little munchkins. And Bray’s belt during “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” is second to none. There is a genuine intensity when she’s singing directly at the speller who is eliminated just before intermission; it’s soul-searing and strikingly moving.
Equilibrium— (noun.) ‘A state of intellectual or emotional balance; a state of adjustment between opposing or diverging influences.’ In the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Eliyahu Kheel finds a satisfying equilibrium in the character’s overall inertia and general demeanor which makes the character both amusing and entertaining whilst maintaining some empathy for his current situation from the audience. E-Q-U-I-L-I-B-R-I-U-M. Kheel has fantastic facial expressions right from jump-street and he delicately toes the line of being exasperated in a way that never prematurely explodes. This is a noteworthy praise for this particular character because there is a moment where the Panch character does finally lose his cool and by restraining the other potential outbursts of the character, Kheel’s mega-eruption is much more potent. He’s also managed to find the balance in the humor of the character. Scripted to be cringy and creepy, Kheel takes a more humanized and subtle approach, which beelines away from that toxic charisma often effused into Panch. And his interaction with both the in-production and guest spellers are totally cackle-worthy.
Propitious— (adjective.) ‘As in promising— having qualities which inspire hope; favorably disposed; being a good omen.’ The genuine enthusiasm, propitious nature, and nurturing qualities that Jamie DiMaio brings to the role Rona Lisa Peretti is endearing and what all educators should strive to be. P-R-O-P-I-T-I-O-U-S. DiMaio is another performer who brings an extreme sense of balance to her character; there is this perfect (wait for it) syzygy with the encouraging and almost maternal side of the character and the disciplinarian side, resulting in the educator/school-facilitator-person we all wish we had in elementary school (and some of us were extremely lucky to actually have had someone just like the character DiMaio is creating with Rona.) Not to mention, DiMaio has a stellar voice, perfectly suited for sweeping through “Rona Moments” (previously called “Favorite Moment of the Bee.”) She burbles with honest delight, a thrill to be there, a thrill to be the harbinger of hope for these kids. Watch the adorable antics that arise as she tries to coach Olive to speak up, and get her back to the microphone for one of her turns, it’s absolutely adorable.
Gumption— (noun.) ‘Spirited initiative and resourcefulness.’ Marcy Park, as played by KP, has immeasurable gumption even if the character is at her mental breaking point with being the “am all, be all, do all.” G-U-M-P-T-I-O-N. After the pandemic, lots of people finally acknowledged that burnout was real, in a whole variety of ways. And when KP takes Marcy Park on her whirlwind journey of ‘perfect and here to win…to…it’s okay maybe not to’ there is something deeply satisfying about watching her bring the character to that conclusion. KP’s facial expressions— particularly the intentional, demonstrative eye-twitch when she goes on a tear at the microphone before her big number— are animated and expressive. And she knuckles down into a routine during “I Speak Six Languages” that will give you second-hand exhaustion just from watching her. It’s a kaleidoscope of extra-curricular activities and KP doesn’t falter while singing, dancing, parading, and doing gymnastic moves with kicks and karate chops. KP’s voice is perfect for the range of the song and blends divinely when she’s harmonizing with others throughout the production. And the overall emphatic glee that explodes from within her right after her encounter with Jesus (Mikey Floyd) is exquisite and infectious!
Exuberant— (adjective.) ‘Joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic; extreme or excessive in degree or extent; filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement.’ Mikey Floyd’s exuberant nature as Chip Tolentino makes the character thoroughly enjoyable. E-X-U-B-E-R-A-N-T. I don’t know what’s more hilarious and supercharged when it comes to Floyd’s portrayal of the character— the dash-n-chase all around the risers as he bounds around trying to escape the grip of Mitch Mahoney, which looks like something straight out of an old-school Looney Tunes cartoon, or the outright, floor-pounding tantrum that Floyd delivers when he’s forced to leave the ‘Bee’ after being disqualified. There is energy and glee flying out of Floyd for miles. Even his big number at the top of Act II, “Chip’s Lament” has an unruly ‘exuberance’ to it. And if you decide to participate as a speller, take the seat between him and Olive Ostrovsky because hearing him up-close-and-personal, especially right before he has to take the mic to spell a certain word, is just wild. Floyd can hold his own and belt to the rafters as well, and you get to hear some of that in “Pandemonium.”
Pollyanna— (noun.) ‘A person who is constantly or excessively optimistic; a person of unwavering hopefulness.’ Emily Caplan turns Olive Ostrovsky into a pure Pollyanna with her perpetual penchant for positivity and optimism. P-O-L-L-Y-A-N-N-A. Caplan rolls with the flow in this production, as the overarching guidelines seem to be along the lines of joy, enlightened glee, and positivity. And you see her adapting this almost Charlie-Brown-like quality of determination in a sweet and hopeful fashion. Watch her face carefully during the “I Love You Song” as she plays eyeball-ping-pong back and forth with her Mother (Jamie DiMaio) and her Father (Jordan Baumiller), face just waiting for that glee to land, despite the innumerable times she’s had the proverbial football yanked out from under her. There’s a beautiful innocence to Caplan’s portrayal and she have a lovely voice, which is perfectly situated for singing “My Friend The Dictionary” and her parts of the epitome of three-part harmony during “The I Love You Song.” Her interactions with William Barfee are also simply adorable.
Enigma— (noun.) ‘Something hard to understand or explain; a mysterious person; a person that is mysterious or puzzling.’ Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, as played delightfully by Natalie Giovan, is one heck of an enigma. E-N-I-G-M-A With LGBTQ+ support pins on her blazer and a clearly-woke-mindset, the kid shows up in bright republican red, looking like a mini politician ready to slay the world. But it’s more than just the contrarian aesthetic that makes Giovan an enigmatic darling in the role; there is something completely blended about her approach to the character— sweet yet barely restrained, emotionally exhausted yet desperate to please, miles of confidence with deep inner doubt— that all comes blurting out in a cacophony of emotions and wonderfully tuned notes, particularly during “Woe Is Me.” There’s some spunk and some saccharinity to Caplan’s portrayal as well. There’s lots of different components to her performance, making her a perfect candidate to wear the epitaph of an enigma.
Winsome— (adjective.) ‘generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence; cheerful; lighthearted.’ Jordan Baumiller’s winsome portrayal of Leaf Coneybear makes him the most adorable and sentimentally liked character in the production. W-I-N-S-O-M-E. There is this utterly indescribably beautiful thing happening with Baumiller’s portrayal of Leaf Coneybear. The trap and easy way out is to play him as dumb. (There’s even a whole song about how he’s not that smart.) But Baumiller takes a different avenue. It’s less ‘dumb kid’ and more ‘credulous enthusiasm’ that lends itself to the age old adage of ignorance is bliss. Baumiller is definitely delivering bliss as Leaf Coneybear. What’s wild is the sturdy belt and sustain you get from Baumiller at the end of “I’m Not That Smart” and the raised range option he hits at the end. There is a childlike wonder about this Leaf; Baumiller engages with the character on a wholesome level— everything from having something like seven extra siblings in his ‘flashback moment’ so that everyone on stage is left standing to handing out little toys from his sack of special goodies to everyone on stage and saying things like, “Marcy, you get the genie because you’re magical.”— it’s just so utterly endearing!
Mercurial— (adjective.) ‘characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood.’ Lucky Marino delivers a surprisingly mercurial performance as William Barfee, giving multiple, dynamic layers to the character, which stretches Barfee beyond the static stereotype of a swotty, snotty, super nerd. M-E-R-C-U-R-I-A-L. Not in the frantic-manic sense but subtly mercurial, Marino has this outer layer of Barfee, the textbook portrayal of the nerd-kid at the ‘Bee’, and this fascinating human and vulnerable series of inner layers, which arise largely when he interacts with Olive. And the switches between those moments happen in the blink of an eye, with the latter lingering for about a blink of an eye. Marino has this almost ‘turtle-like’ gesture where he withdraws his physicality ever so slightly, as if shocked into this more vulnerable state, quickly blinking out of it and becomes the slightly abrasive and absolutely awkward kid with the sinus issues who can spell really well. Like everything with this production, it’s all about the little moments and in addition to these tender and sweet moments share with Olive, Marino has a hysterical— possibly show-stealing— moment where he discards a used tissue right on the table in front of Vice Principal Panch. And it is uproarious. His voice and overall command of his body during “Magic Foot” is phenomenal; Marino is a superb addition to the cast and really fleshes out the role of William Barfee in an intriguing, dynamic fashion.
Charming— (adjective.) ‘Extremely pleasing or delightful. Entrancing; pleasant or attractive.’ There is no question that Street Lamp Community Theatre’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is utterly charming, completely refreshing, and stupendously performed with sensational talent. C-H-A-R-M-I-N-G. It’s got so much heart and sincerity, it’s the feel-good show of this seemingly unending winter. Don’t delay— get your t-i-c-k-e-t-s today!
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with one intermission
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee plays through March 19, 2023 at Street Lamp Community Theatre at Street Lamp Productions— 5 Valley View Drive in Rising Sun, MD. For tickets call the box office at (410) 658-5088 or purchase them online.
