UMD’s Putnam Bee is spelled h-y-s-t-e-r-i-c-a-l
Sheryl Jensen
Duluth News Tribune
October 4, 2019
Can you spell phylactery or crepuscle? How about Weltanschauung, omphaloskepsis or staphylococcus? Hmmm … maybe you are not smarter than a sixth-grader.
Audiences at Thursday’s opening night performance of UMD’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee belly-laughed their way through the spelling, singing, dancing and middle-school antics of the six bee finalists and the four audience volunteers.
The Tony Award Winning musical features composer William Finn’s catchy score. UMD’s talented (and appropriately costumed) five-piece band is led by conductor Thomas Jacobsen.
Creating the adorable sextet of neurotic spellers, the six terrific actors at the heart of the show each have a chance to shine in their vocal numbers and with their distinctive character development and quirky personalities.
The egotistical William Barfée (Brendan Finn) uses his hysterical “magic foot” to help him spell out the words on the floor as he labors to deal with both his mucus membrane disorder and his peanut allergy.
Poor Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) has to deal not only with the ridiculously impossible spelling list, but also an unfortunate and embarrassing physical “manifestation” inspired by a cute girl in the audience.
Logainne Schwartzandgrunenierre (Maddie Schafer) with her adorable lisp and fervent mini-manifestos does everything she can to make her two gay dads proud of her as she stomps her way through the competition.
One of the strongest singers in the show is Brett Burggraff, who also creates a funny Leaf Coneybear who finds his inspiration in timely trances that make the correct spelling just magically pop out of his mouth.
Playing Marcy Park, the anal-retentive “Miss Perfect,” Miranda Neuhaus had one of the evening’s vocal highlights in her “I Speak Six Languages” song. Neuhaus showed her physical humor as well, demonstrating some of the myriad things Marcy could do to perfection while still convincingly belting the song.
“The I Love You Song” gives Anna Matthes, playing the painfully shy and quiet Olive Ostrovsky, a chance to show her full, rich and beautiful voice, with echoes of “Spring Awakening” and the song “Mama Who Bore Me” coming through in a few spots.
Playing the three lead adults in the show, Hayley Rosenthal, Jack Senske and Nick Wright all had great fun with their roles as the grown-ups trying to keep the bee on track and often failing miserably.
Even the audience volunteers had some humorous moments trying to stay in the competition. Not sure, though, how much coaching they had, and if one of the four, the last volunteer standing, was a “ringer” who was part of the show.
Director Jenna Soloe-Shanks keeps the festivities on a crisp pace in this hour-and-40-minute production, performed without an intermission.
ReplyDeleteThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’s opening night was filled with bright vibrant energy that left spectators in pandemonium. The production filled with witty dancing and song created a fun playful setting that reminded audiences of the joys and challenges of being a child. The Tony Award-winning musical is set at the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The musical follows six contestants competing for the chance to go to the National Spelling bee. Each character displays their own personal challenges in their life. Through the spelling bee, each character hilariously finds themselves changed.
The Director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, was able to create a unified production through the actors. Soleo-Shanks choice to distance the hosts from the contestants displayed the actual setting of a spelling bee, but it also symbolizes the isolation that the contestants fear when competing. Soleo-Shanks used the thrust stage to emphasize the stories of the characters. By using the thrust stage during the “I love you Song”, Soleo-Shanks constructed emotional and physical distance that impacts Olive Ostrovsky and her parents. Also, Soleo-Shanks made a powerful image at the end of the song through the blocking of Olive’s parents behind her which emphasizes the harsh reality of her life.
The actors in this production created unique relationships with one another throughout the productions. Through the tense exchange between Chip Tolentino (played by Ben Knowlton) and Marcy Park (played by Miranda Neuhaus) to the light timid conversation between Olive Ostrovsky (played by Anna Matthes) and William Barfeé (played by Brendan Finn), the actors managed to create a competitive setting. The actors interacted with the volunteer audience members. At one point, Neuhaus physically pushed one audience member off the bleachers which created much applause and laughter. Each character displayed each of their struggles in unique ways. Leaf Coneybear (played by Bret Burggraff) showed his struggle of thinking that he is smart through a witty song literally called “I’m not that smart” and how he finds escape through spelling. Matthes managed to pull an emotional testimony through her captivating performance in the “I love you song”. She displayed the conflict she has between her parents and was able to depict the struggles of feeling abandoned by her mother and how she longs for her. Overall, the cast of the 25th Annual Putnam county spelling bee were able to provide powerful harmonized vocals along with breathtaking characterization to enhance the play.
The scene designers were able to construct a believable gymnasium atmosphere. The designers definitely put massive thought into every detail of the stage. From the specific lines on the hardwood floor to the rafters in the ceiling, the stage is almost lifelike and brings a sense of reality in the performance. The costume designers generated outfits that embodied the personalities of the characters. To explain, The character of Marcy Park reflected her stubborn strive for perfection through her dull clean outfit. In addition, the character of Rona Lisa Peretti displays her professional exuberant personality through her bright matching blue skirt and coat. Finally, the use of lighting in the scenes of pandemonium created a more intense mood. Through the vast moving lights and patterns, the production was able to convey the vast pressures that the contestant are under when competing.
Indeed, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a spectacle that generates laughter that reminds people of the struggles they all have when they were children growing up. This production creates a new perspective on the traditional spelling bee and how people judge those contestants. UMD’s Theatre department should be proud of their achievements and continue to be visionary or “C-H-I-M-E-R-I-C-A-L” force in Duluth’s theatre community.
- Kaitlyn Koehler
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a character driven comedy! What makes this play unique, is the way it was written. It is based on an original play, C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, which was written through improvisation by a group of actors known as The Farm. It’s original intention was simply to make people laugh at an improvisational comedy show. It was character-driven in that when it was written, each actor created their character on the spot, which helped to develop the storyline. It attracted attention and was produced as a play on Broadway where it was still intended to be humorous, but now it was also attempting to teach valuable lessons about peer pressure, self-realization, and confidence. This is shown by each character's journey in the play as they overcome modern-day challenges.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soleo-Shanks was the director of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Her task at hand was to manage each character, cast them and mold them into their role in the production. She nailed this task, with each character being well-suited for their role in this play. It was a fun twist to pull audience volunteers to be in the play. This interactive experience kept the audience thoroughly entertained! Her attempt was well worth making as it was a great play.
The actors in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee hilariously play into their characters bizarre characteristics. They needed to show how they don’t succumb to peer pressure and own what makes them different. Several characters stood out in their ability to present a strong character. Brendan Finn made a hilarious William Barfee. Finn was hilarious in his role and kept the audience thoroughly engaged. Leaf Coneybear was a believably energetic, optimistic young boy who realized his potential in spelling. He did his job of showing how his character developed throughout the show. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre’s lisp was slightly overdone. She was hard to understand and took away from her character’s authenticity.
Scenic Charge, Emily Crawford does a spot-on school gymnasium! The stage presentation gave an almost nostalgic feeling. The floor, bleacher seating, detailed wall posters, gym doors, and rafters make an accurate representation of the familiar scene from our childhood.
Costume Design Crew makes some strange choices. The characters personality did enough to show character, without odd costumes needed. Specifically the costumes designed for Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre and Leaf Coneybear were a little too eccentric to make them believable, with their colorful tutu and blanket cape. The rest of the costume choices were more simplified and made more sense for their roles. Lighting design was well produced. The lighting added effects of time and feelings to the show. The red, green and blue colors affected the mood and the swirling lights showed the passing of time. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a successful attempt!
-Haley Evans
The 25th annual putnam spelling bee was a very entertaining production. It included a lot of movement from the characters such as running around, swinging from a rope, hula hooping, spelling in rapid succession, and pandemonium. All the characters involved were fighting to win a chance to go to the national spelling bee and were all going through their own type of troubles along the way. Every character had a changed perspective after the bee.
ReplyDeleteThe director Jenna Soleo-Shanks was able to recreate the typical setting of a spelling bee which brought me back to elementary school when there was a spelling bee at my school. The way that the person spelling was facing toward everyone attending adding to the nervousness of the speller. Also having the setting be a gym also had the same effect because that is where spelling bee’s usually are so that was a good idea,
The actors in the production played their characters very good in my opinion. Chip Tolentino (Played by Ben Knowlton) had a speech impediment that was very prominent throughout which added to the feel of the characters being very young. Leaf Coneybear (played by Bret Burggraff) had a cape that he held on too sometimes and almost flew around with also added to the feel of it being a real spelling bee for young children. Every character in the production learned something valuable through the play which I thought was very important for the viewers.
The scene designers did a great job of creating the feel of a spelling bee. The way the characters all had on a number and sat on the same bench which show that the play is old because the characters sat on a bleacher instead of individual chairs like how it is today at regular spelling bees. I also like that there was live music throughout. The musicians were very good and it was very nice to hear them play. Usually plays have recorded music play and it is okay but after seeing this play I almost feel like I prefer to have a band play instead because I find it really interesting to watch them.
All in all, I really like attending this play and it was really good.
-Derek Rache
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a performance to remember. The energy that was released through song and dance was mesmerizing. Each performer showed true passion and really made the audience feel as if they were in a real childrens’ spelling bee. The play viewed the lives of the contestants at the spelling bee, not just how well they could spell. Jenna Soleo-Shanks, the director of the play, wanted the audience to see each character’s struggles and their way of coping with the struggles they face. Soleo-Shanks did an outstanding job with this. She made the audience feel sorry for the kids, while at the same time making them laugh because of the reality of it. Even though kids are goofy and funny, they have struggles and problems as well, and Soleo-Shanks made the audience understand this through the songs the characters sang. Each character has their own unique way of overcoming the word and spelling it correctly, and Soleo-Shanks used this to show the struggles. Willian Barfeé had the “magic foot” that he would use to draw the word on the floor before he would spell it, Olive Ostrovsky would whisper the word into her hand before spelling it, and Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre would draw the word on her arm with her finger before spelling it. The specific characteristics Soleo-Shanks gave the actors created a more personal and realistic atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteThe character Olive Ostrovsky, played by Anna Matthes, sang the “I Love You Song” about her parents not being there for her. Olive’s mom abandoned her, and her dad is either always late or doesn’t show up to Olive’s events, and Olive is upset by this and sings her song to imagine they are there to love and support her. Also, the song sang by the character Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, made the audience laugh and at the same time showed his struggle with self-confidence in the song “I’m Not Smart.” “I’m Not Smart” was a funny song with jokes, but it highlighted Leaf’s view of himself being dumb and incapable of accomplishing the spelling of the words.
The scene designers and costume designers also played a major role in creating the child-like atmosphere. The gymnasium setting was a good choice because it creates the feeling of being back in school with the bleachers, school staff hosting the spelling bee, and the handing out of juice boxes when the kids were eliminated. Also, the actors’ outfits were well planned because they didn’t match, and they were random. The character Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre wore colorful polka dot socks with a rainbow striped tutu, and Leaf Coneybear had a blanket on his back to simulate the idea of a cape, which is something little kids would do to feel strong and important.
-Emma Koleski
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a production that was funny and thoughtful. The show brings child-like joy to the idea of a spelling bee brought to life through songs and dance. There is this idea of controlled chaos that comes with children, highlighted in the song "Pandemonium" and even in "I Speak Six Languages". The theme of controlled chaos runs through the whole show and also in the characters themselves. The characters were fun to watch in they that had depth, but also they were able to explore the fun and more serious parts of each character.
ReplyDeleteThe director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, does a great job making a strong production and makes these characters seem more grown-up (without losing the child-like qualities). Soleo-Shanks also makes great use of the stage using the thrust stage set up to a distance from the bleacher where the constants sit, where they speak, and where the judges sit. The decision to dress and include the band on stage was fun and added a level of depth to play.
Some characters that seriously stood out were Anna Matthes, who played Olive Ostrovsky, Maddie Schafer, who played Logainne Schwartzandgrubernierre, and Mirana Matthes, who played Marcy Park. Anna Matthes has a particularity heartbreaking song "The I Love You Song" about her and parents it sincerely makes a deep moment that makes Olive seem like a fully fleshed-out character. Maddie Schafer does a great job with Logainne a girl, who is all about social justice and getting love from her dads, is funny and real. Mirana Matthes does a great job with Marcy, an uptight perfectionist, does a wonderful job in the song "I Speak Six Languages" about her letting go and not being so perfect.
The scene designer, Michaela Lochen, also did a great job with attention to detail in the gymnasium with the posters and with the garters, and it adds to the ambiance of the whole production. Lochen did a good job adding a stage for the band to bring back the memories of the auditorium-gym combo. Also, the costume designer, Tascha Balsaitis, did a grand job with fitting these characters with costumes that fit their personality with not only the children but also the adults and the band that appeared in the play.
In Spelling Bee the story of children and the troubles they go through, like parental love and leaning that being perfect is not everything is one that most adults can relate. The entertaining music and bright lights make this production one for rewatchability.
“Can you please spell Syzygy?” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is full of ridiculous humor that is displayed in multiple different ways. From the odd inclusions of adult humor to loosely mocking political topics, Spelling Bee had the entire crowd constantly laughing. Not only was this production a comedy, it is a production full of musical scenes along with flat out “pandemonium”. This play includes seamless cutting in between flashbacks and reality. This is created by the hard work of the actors. Each and every character in Spelling Bee played an important role in intriguing the audience.
ReplyDeleteDirector, Jenna Soleo-Shanks and Scenic Designer, Michaela Lochen do an immaculate job in recreating a gym scene, along with including and auditorium in the gym, also known as a “gymnatorium”. In which is used for the band. Music Director, Thomas Jacobsen does a great job in conducting the band and adding great music to the production.
Hayley Rosenthal plays an impressive spelling bee host in Rona Lisa Peretti. She is passionate about being the host of the show, and also seems to be very knowledgeable in spelling.
Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff creates a funny character and does not display his spelling skills as a normal child would. He goes into what seems like a trance and spells the words without hesitation.
Playing Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, the very passionate speller, was Maddie Schafer. She does a great job in portraying the character as an innocent, happy girl with a slight lisp.
The local juvenile delinquent, Mitch Mahoney, was played by Nick Wright. Wright displayed a very convincing man who did not want to be at the show but had to because of his trouble with the law. The small things like giving each failed contestant a juice box is a nice touch.
One of the most comical scenes included character Chip Tolentino. Tolentino is played by the very profound Ben Knowlton. This scene includes Tolentino dreaming about a good-looking girl in the audience when the unexpected happened. This event then distracted him from the word that needed to be spelled. This setback cost him the spelling bee.
The positive Olive Ostrovsky is played by Anna Matthes. Ovstrovsky is a young girl who shows up to the competition late and without the twenty-five-dollar fee. Matthes does a great job in portraying the innocence of Ostrovsky along with more humor to match the style of the production.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the perfect production to attend if one is looking for a good laugh. The plot of the story is well thought out. As well as the actors. However, some of the musical transitions during the play seem to be drawn out at times. This play is filled with laughter, music, and all out “pandemonium”.
-Jeremy Carter
“25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” has audiences on their feet, left with aching bellies from all the laughter. Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks directs a brilliantly, hysterical play. Soleo-Shanks had a great way of moving the play along in a fluid motion, while still keeping you engaged with all the characters by having them in the background moving, not just sitting there. William Barfee was always stretching his “magic foot” when he had a spare second.
ReplyDeleteNot only did Soleo-Shanks keep the play moving in a fluid motion character wise, the choreography, consulted by Rebecca Karz Harwood, and music, done by Thomas Jacobsen, fit together like a puzzle. The numbers within the play were done in a way that worked. Even with the many different numbers, the characters within the play stuck to their roles by dancing as their character would and having the amount of energy the character they were playing would have. The numbers were appealing to the eye, especially with the spectacular lighting done by Mark Harvey and Andrew Hienz. The lighting kept you engaged and added a touch of humor that the play would have lacked. When Coneybear would spell and the colored lights were pointed at him, these were some of the most ironic, funny moments in the play.
The actors themselves, for the most part, were cast brilliantly by director Soleo-Shanks. William Barfee may have won the actual Bee, but Brendan Finn won at playing the character himself. He dazzled the show with his confident personality and magical foot. Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, was the underdog one would want to root for. He definitely had his moments in the play that brought the laughs and his vibrant personality really showed on stage. Anna Matthes, who played Olive Ostrovsky, had some amazing songs that need to be mentioned, especially the “ I Love You Song”. Beautiful choreography, beautiful voices and a beautiful light show. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, played by Maddie Schafer, had great energy, but was a bit much to handle. The voice was there for a reason, but it seemed a bit overdone and redundant for enjoyment.
Soleo-Shanks had the band on the stage where one could see from the audience. That was a radiant way to show off the musicians. The scenery itself was memorable, not just because it was well done, but because it looked very much like an elementary gym. From the “Jump for Heart” posters to the 3- tier bleachers, scenic director Michaela Lochen was spot on. The props and scenery worked with the play as a whole. The contestants were on the opposite side from the judges table, leaving space in the middle to put on a show.
Costume designer Tascha Balsaitis did a great job bringing back the elementary and middle school styles for most characters. The Uggs with the dress, the collared striped shirt and the tight khaki pants definitely fit the early school years scene. Many of the costumes fit the characters personalities, such as Marcy Park’s serious, be the best attitude. Other costumes, such as Logainne Schwartandgrubenierre’s colorful tutu, was a bit too busy for the eye. Tascha Balsaitis did a great job making characters look younger and making Vice Principal Panch and Rona Lisa Peretti look older, but somehow still made the costumes fit their personalities.
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee set out to entertain audiences, and entertain they did, in this 1 hour and 40 minute musical. B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T-!
- Dylan Flaherty
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a wonderful comedy about, as one would guess from the title, a county spelling bee. Not only did the show feature hilarious words and definitions, but also heartwarming stories about children realizing who they are and coming to terms with it. Based off the book by Rachel Sheinkin, and with music and lyrics by William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee excellently portrayed the different pressures placed on children to succeed. Covering topics ranging from parental neglect to extreme pressure from parents to be perfect, everyone is sure to find a character to relate to. On October 3rd University of Minnesota Duluth opened its own production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks.
ReplyDeleteSoleo-Shanks did an amazing job of making sure the story flowed. There was never a dull moment on the stage. Despite the show mainly taking place in a gymnasium, there were a few times when the characters would either flash back or have an aside. As opposed to changing the entire set to signal a change, Soleo-Shanks geniously, had the actors come down stage instead. As the characters initially entered the stage they came in through a set of gym doors positioned at the back of the set which added to the illusion of the show taking place in a gym. Subtle directions like these truly made the show brilliant.
With a small cast of only nine actors, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee called for its actors to rise to the challenge of playing multiple parts. Bret Burggraff not only played Leaf Coneybear, but also one of Logainne’s fathers. He did an excellent job of changing costumes in a timely manner, and showing a distinct difference between the two characters. Nick Wright had the large task of portraying not two, but three characters. All of which differ greatly in costume and personality. Wright did an outstanding job of bringing his characters to life as well. In addition to the cast, the show included four audience members who were selected beforehand to participate in the spelling bee. Due to the unpredictability of audience members, all the actors had to be ready to improvise depending on the participant’s actions. The cast phenomenally handled everything the audience members threw their way with ease and hilarity and made the show truly enjoyable.
The set, costumes, and lighting of the show truly bring it to life. The stage of the Marshall Performing Arts Center was transformed into a school gymnasium complete with wall pads and motivational posters. It’s obvious that scenic designer Michaela Lochen made sure that every little detail was right. Costume and makeup designer Tascha Balsaitis also paid close attention to detail. All of the costumes perfectly matched the character’s personalities from Leaf’s blanket/cape to Rona’s shiny formal suit. The lighting for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was phenomenal. The fun colors and shapes made by the lights during the song Pandemonium emphasized the craziness that was taking place and made the stage feel alive.
UMD’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee caused joy and tears. It’s not hard to tell how much work went into putting on this show. Everyone involved did their absolute best to make this production as wonderful as it was.
-Sydney Hoglund
The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, bringing far more than ever expected. A small cast, and real life situations, but with a twist. There are a rollercoaster of emotions that are received while watching this musical.
ReplyDeleteJenna Saleo-Shanks helped bring a story to life by turning this musical into something beautiful. This play was not only hysterical, but also found a way to shed light on today’s average teen issues, and today’s political climate. Somehow this play was able to express a million things in less than two hours.
Chip Tolentino, played by Ben Knowlton, created the funniest “typical nerd” character I have seen. Knowlton brought his character to life by showing an almost picture perfect form of what was expected of him. His “incident” brought laugher around the room, and Knowlton played into it with such confidence.
Leaf Coneybear, played by Brett Burgraff, brought his beautiful voice and adorable innocence to the stage. His passion for fashion gave him a quirkiness that made you never want to take his eyes off of him. His energy gleaned from the stage all the way up to the balcony.
The very talented Maddie Schafer, who played Logainne Schwartzandgrunenierre gave a beautiful song, where she portrayed the emotions of not feeling that she measured up. This is a common theme in a lot of students’ day-to-day lives, and Schafer played the role excellently, pulling at the audience’s heart strings.
The portion of the play that I had found that had resided with many people who had seen the play was the role of Olive Ostrovky played by Anna Mathes. Olive, with wonderful hopes of winning the Bee, showed a deeper side of herself in her song “The I Love You Song.” Behind Olive’s shyness and love for spelling, she carries much more.
The relationship between Olive and William Barfee (Brendan Finn) brought a playful twist. Two completely different people, with different backgrounds, found to have more in common than they would have thought.
The bringing in of volunteers from the crowd gave a humorous twist to the performance, creating more spontaneity than seen in many other productions. This brought an extra challenge to the actors as well, and they never seemed to quiver.
This performance, in just under two hours, gave a little bit of everything. The actors played their roles with great confidence, and the people behind the scenes seemed to do an excellent job in giving a fantastic production.
-Calista Walker
Family disappointments, parental pressures, personal expectations, and an unfortunate erection. The University of Minnesota Duluth’s presentation of the Tony award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee was all the buzz as the Spelling Bee finalists celebrate their triumphs and tragedies of adolescence.
ReplyDeleteThis wacky heartfelt musical was originally fabricated through improvisation. The music and lyrics were created by William Finn, book written by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, and additional material included by Jay Reis. Having been developed by actors and directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, this play was promised to be a unique, lovable, character-driven presentation.
The actor Nick Wright’s most credible accomplishment was his differentiation in body posture and voice with each character he played. The parole-abiding character, Mitch Mahoney, sat down in a slumped position, walked with a waddle, had a bored expression, and low voice to convey to viewers he was a degenerate just filling his community service duties. The flamboyant dad role had a high voice and upright, dainty posture. The businessman character had a sauntered, easy going, yet confident walk with a full voice. Wright executed each role superbly and made it very clear what each character’s attitude was toward their situation.
There’s only one word to describe Michaela Lochen’s work on the gymnasium scenery, astounding. Precise basketball court lines, old stage behind the hoop, skeleton bleachers, and colorful handwritten posters all contributed to plopping the audience back in their old prepubescent days of middle school. The angles were dynamic and the colors popped to mirror this heart-warming musical.
What a character wears is crucial to self-expression. Tasha Balsaitis, the costume designer, gave detailed thought to each characters’ outfits. William Barfée, a hilariously cocky boy with a mucus problem, wore a pea green and mustard striped shirt; if those colors don’t scream mucus nothing does! Marcy Park, an intelligent perfectionist, wore an ironed dress with her hair neatly tied back in tight braids. Her put-together appearance resembles her high expectations of herself.
The entire cast came together to create a relatable, joyful play. The production was outstandingly character driven. The show was enjoyable to watch as each role evolved to being comfortable with themselves, a hope many have for themselves. With the work of all those involved, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee was a true celebration of life.
-Cassandra Schwantz
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a musical filled with liveliness, comedy and enlightenment, was a great piece of art. The music and dancing added so much joy and spirit to the performance. At the Putnam County Spelling Bee six contestants are competing to get to the National Spelling Bee. The comical side was each of the characters personalities.
ReplyDeleteEach character had their own unique personality and bringing them all together was a hoot. The idea of having the characters act as children made the performance interesting and displayed child-like qualities. They each had a technique of spelling the words they were given. A few of the cast members included, Anna Matthes, Brendan Finn, Miranda Neuhaus, Maddie Schafer, Bret Burggraff, and Ben Knowlton.
Olive Ostrovsky, played by Anna Matthes, was a quieter girl that was very determined to do well in the spelling bee. Her mother was on a mission trip and she was so worried about her dad coming to watch her. Her song “The I Love You Song” showed how she felt about her parents not being there for her. She just wants to be loved and supported by her parents.
William Barfee, played by Brendan Finn, was very goofy in a unique way. When it was time for him to spell a word, he used his “magic foot” to spell it out first. This technique included him dancing around using his foot to spell out the word on the floor. He also had a severe peanut allergy. He didn’t realize there were peanuts in the brownies and started to have an attack.
Marcy Park, played by Miranda Neuhaus, is strictly business and doesn’t let anything get in her way. She is afraid of messing up a word but then in the scene when Jesus comes and tells her it’s okay to mess up, she feels more free. After messing up a word and being disqualified, Marcy leaves with joy and excitement and says that it is okay to make a mistake.
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, played by Maddie Schafer, was an extra enthusiastic girl with a lisp. She had her high pigtails that she whipped around each time her name was called. When the pronouncer gave her a word, she would first write it out on her arm. She really wanted to make her two gay dads proud of her, she always felt like she never got their attention.
Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, was a ditzy boy who didn’t seem like he fit in at the spelling bee. He would get side tracked and act silly after given a word and then suddenly the letters would come out after staring at a light. It was like he was in the zone and the letters would just come out.
Chip Tolentino, played by Ben Knowlton, had an unfortunate and embarrassing incident that was caused by staring at a cute girl. When his name was called he was caught off guard. He wanted to skip his turn but that wasn’t an option unless agreeing to be disqualified. He went up to spell his word and messed up when spelling it. He tried arguing with the judges but there was no hope.
The director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, did a phenomenal job portraying her work through the cast. The singing and dancing involved brought a lot of energy and attitude. Each cast member was very spunky in their own way. Soleo-Shanks chose the perfect cast members that were well-suited for their roles. Also, the idea of having audience members involved was entertaining. Some of the words were either very hard or very easy, which made it hilarious. Her skills and talents really showed throughout the entirety of the performance.
The stage set fit the spelling bee perfect; a gymnasium, bleachers, rafters, and gym doors. The judges sat at a table distanced from the participants with a bell and there was a microphone at the center of the stage for the contestants to speak the word they were given. It felt exactly like a setting for a spelling bee.
The overall performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was very enjoyable and entertaining. Definitely worth the time to see these talented people. Their hard work and dedication was shown throughout the whole performance.
Grace Gaustad
A spelling bee? A musical? A musical spelling bee! UMD’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee brought all-around laughs and showcased plenty of talented artists.
ReplyDeleteThe director, Jenna Soloe-Shanks does an amazing job with keeping the script up to date with jokes pertaining to sexual identities, climate change, and government administrations. She keeps the production under two-hours and contains no intermission.
Six performers stole the show on Friday night, along with four volunteer audience actors. Each with their own quirky attitudes, amazing voices, and exceptional dancing. The cast was backed by the unparalleled five-part band, led by Thomas Jacobsen, adding to the suspense of every number and scene.
Anna Matthes, playing the role of Olive Ostrovsky, conforms into a young shy girl without supportive parents. Anna possesses a beautiful and clamorous voice, showcasing it in her solo "The I Love You Song."
William Barfée, acted by Brendan Finn, becomes an instant favorite while dealing with a mucus problem and using his “magic foot" to dance/spell out the words on the floor.
Marcy Park, played by Miranda Neuhaus, is the 'perfect' school girl who has always been one step ahead of the best. She exhibited her singing ability in her solo, “I Speak Six Languages." Marcy exits the Bee able to realize that being mediocre is okay.
Chip Tolentino, portrayed by Ben Knowlton as a nerdy school boy. He has trouble understanding why some of the other spellers words are not as difficult as his. His bee tenure ended with an unexpected physical problem "downstairs," endued by a woman from the audience.
Brett Burggraff, playing the role of the comedic Leaf Coneybear. Leaf entails one of the best costumes in this production and gains his motivation from his doubting family. His best moments are the timely spurts that make the correct spelling burst out of his mouth.
Logainne Schwartzandgrunenierre, played by Maddie Schafer, boasts a heavy lisp and a large desire to make her overly-competitive gay parents satisfied of her tenure in the Bee.
Hayley Rosenthal, Jack Senske and Nick Wright played as the adult 'moderators' of the Bee, all failing considerably.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was show worth seeing. For individuals skeptical about the 'musical' aspect of the show, do not fret! The musical acts are very well done and all add to the farce of the show.
Zach Sexe
With varying layers of intended purposes, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee caters to a wide variety of audiences. The younger generations seemed to connect well with the catchy songs shown in the production. Meanwhile, the adults were kept highly entertained by the mature humor that was subtle enough to go over the younger viewers’ heads.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, the production was successful in acknowledging gender stereotypes and the dangers of overzealous expectations. The way the musical is written, the different expectations for boys and girls is shown almost constantly, and directly mentioned once. The cliché of boys being taught to be bold and proud while girls are taught to be kind and humble is timeless. For this reason, that portion of the show needed no updating in order to be appreciated by audiences. Another theme that shared the timeless trait was the pressure put on the characters due to expectations. Throughout the show it became clear that every contestant had their own outside pressure that pushed them to be where they were.
Although the core of the musical was great, the added contributions from the director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, overall enhanced the quality of the production. One such addition was Soleo-Shanks’s inclusion of added lines regarding Duluth, making it feel as though the spelling bee was actually an annual event within the community.
Soleo-Shanks also threw in not only audience inclusion, but also audience participation. Frankly, the inclusion was great, but the actual participation cheapened the overall performance with extras that did not fit the scene and also appeared deeply lost. While it did give the actors a chance to experiment with nonverbal improvisation with the newcomers, that was the only good thing the addition seemed to accomplish.
Thankfully, the high-level acting easily distracted viewers from that bump-in-the-road. Every actor remained in character even when they were merely in the background and could have easily slacked off. The dedication was admirable and allowed for a great performance.
The most entertaining of the cast had to be Chip, played by Ben Knowlton. There were very few lines delivered by Knowlton that did not receive a chorus of laughter from the audience. It was obvious that Knowlton clearly identified who Chip was to him through his purposeful movements and facial expressions. The successful characterization allowed the character to be more believable, which made the embarrassing lines he delivered all the better.
Similar to Knowlton, Brendan Finn (who played William) also had a great handle on his character. From the moment Finn walked onto stage, it was obvious that he was portraying a cliché elementary schoolboy. His blunt attitude combined with his hunched-over posture made for an entertaining child that was somehow confident and unsure all at once. Anyone that knows children knows that Finn’s portrayal accurately reflects the image often pushed on boys at that age.
Behind the scenes, everything was executed beautifully. The scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, created a realistic visual that brought had the ability to bring any small-town kid back in time to their elementary school gymnasium. Tascha Balsaitis, the costume and makeup designer, also did well by creating great personalized outfits for every character to match their personalities.
A lot had to come together to make The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. While not everything was executed perfectly, it all came together by the end. The outcome was an enjoyable production for all of those in attendance.
Jaiden Wuori
UMD’s "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" was a hysterical and touching combination about the struggles of youth that resonated throughout the house. Originally written by Rachel Sheinken with Music by William Finn, Spelling Bee explored the issues of puberty, high expectations, and overbearing parents through the lives of six contestants of Putnam County’s annual Bee. The production was a rollercoaster of laughter and sober reminiscence from start to finish.
ReplyDeleteDirector Jenna Soleo-Shanks brought in extra touches to the play that truly helped bring it out of the woodwork. The added aspect of audience participation was a hit, and not only for the audience’s reaction. The reactions of the cast to some of the words the participants were given were priceless (for example: “Your word is ‘quicksand’.” “What?!”). The improvisation of the actors-and even the participants at times- added a sense of uniqueness to the play. Another choice by the director to add references to local Duluth also made the whole production feel more personal.
The actors delivered brilliant portrayals of their characters. Each actor was able to convey the struggles of the spellers. From Chip’s (Ben Knowlton) misfortune at the hand of his own maturing body to Marcy’s (Miranda Neuhaus) impossibly high standards for herself to Olive’s (Anna Matthes) emotionally and physically absent parents, the actors channeled the relatable feelings of each one. In addition to the spellers, the hosts (Hayley Rosenthal and Jack Senske) brought both passion and sarcasm to life while introducing each contestant and giving the words to be spelt. The comfort counselor, Mitch (Nick Wright), though mostly silent, brought a sense of gentleness and exasperation as he guided (or tried to) disqualified contestants from the stage.
The set and costume design aided in sending home the familiar feel of the show. Scenic designer Michaela Lochen’s realistic “gymatorium” gave the whole setting a nostalgic feel with its climbing ropes and heavy auditorium doors. The costumes for each of the spellers, created by Tascha Balsaitis, represented each speller’s personality and circumstance, such as Leaf’s homemade cape and Marcy’s proper and modest jumper.
Through the combined contributions of the director, actors, and designers, "Spelling Bee" left the audience sore from laughter and spelling out I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.
Laura Samse
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was an event no one should have missed! The original improv aspects of the show were intelligently incorporated into the script by Rachel Sheinkin, playwright. The UMD Theatre production wowed with unique characters and incredible talent. Thanks to dramaturg Kelley Schroeder’s work explaining the backstory of the history of a spelling bee, director Jenna Soleo-Shanks was able to jump right into the action without requiring buildup. Soleo-Shanks created relatable and loveable characters who just want to win. The dancing and, at times, chaos of the scene perfectly showed what being around children is like. Each speller’s quirks and personal backstory, made apparent through Soleo-Shanks’s storytelling choices, allowed for well-rounded characters and development throughout the show.
ReplyDeleteThe six spellers each played out their character’s unique story incredibly well. Beginning with the idea of having college students play adolescent children, the actors each showed such imagination and embodied the roles well. Specifically Maddie Schafer as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, who stomped around the stage and talked with a lisp, and Bret Burggraff as Leaf Coneybear, who zoomed around the stage with his cape and rocked back and forth on his feet with nerves. Their acting was incredibly convincing and brought the characters to life even more. The most incredible growth was shown by Miranda Neuhaus as Marcy Park, choosing to give up her perfectionism and accept herself and her flaws.
Not only the main spellers were the stars of the show. The supporting characters each played such a vital role in making the show enjoyable. Although the casting of the character Rona Lisa Peretti was incredible, Hayley Rosenthal’s voice didn’t match the intensity and belting power of the other cast members, leaving her buried in group numbers. Rosenthal redeemed the role with excellent emotion and acting skill, as well as powerful and beautiful solo singing, however, leaving a great impression as the host of such a competitive event. Nick Wright (Mitch Mahoney, among others) truly held the whole show together. His tender, mature take on someone who had lessons to pass on created intense emotion and empathy. His voice conveyed strength and conviction and was of a Broadway-level quality. As a supporting role, Wright didn’t get much time front and center, but he made the most of the time he had.
With a show that switches from present time to past to inside of a character’s head, without changing the staging, something needs to distinguish these changes. Lighting director Mark Harvey utilized different shades and colors of light to help show the different stages of consciousness. Harvey’s choices eased the stark transitions in time to allow the plot to flow smoothly. Tascha Balsaitis, costume designer, helped suspend the disbelief that there were adolescents on the stage. The vibrant colors of Logainne’s outfit, Leaf’s perfectly childish blanket cape, and Marcy’s very Catholic-school uniform each portrayed parts of their character’s personalities as well as showed their age.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee provided laughter as well as empathy without ever taking a misstep – or rather, a misspell.
-Paige Ramos
The musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee exploded with energy as the characters contended with each other in the intense competition. This production brought the audience back to their childhood days as the characters faced the struggles of middle school. It also revealed the harmful effects of putting immense stress on children to live up to their family’s high expectations.
ReplyDeletePlaywrights Rachel Sheinkin and Rebecca Feldman created an entertaining musical full of hilarious jokes and witty comments. This fast-paced play engaged the audience as each contestant shared a touching story about their life. The playwrights also developed unique characters who were not afraid to show their wacky personalities.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks presented an excellent production that portrayed the chaos of the spelling bee, along with the vulnerability of the contestants. Soleo-Shanks created empathy for the characters by giving them a tough exterior with a sensitive personality. Allowing four audience members to participate in the spelling bee added excitement to the performance since their reactions were candid. The director effectively used the stage to symbolize the divide between Olive and her parents by placing them farther apart at the beginning of the scene to show reality and then ending close together to represent Olive’s dream.
Hayley Rosenthal sensationally played Rona Lisa Peretti as the enthusiastic host of the spelling bee which gave the musical an upbeat feeling. She also impressed the audience with her remarkable singing talent. Brendan Finn as William Barfee demonstrated his entertaining dance skills while he used his “magic foot” to aid him in spelling. He convincingly portrayed a child which added to the humor of the performance.
Lighting designer, Mark Harvey, expertly used a spotlight to focus on Leaf while he spelled words in a trance. The creative use of lighting transformed the scene from the spelling bee to a glimpse into the character’s thoughts. Scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, constructed an authentic school gymnasium by hanging steel looking beams from the ceiling and covering the wall with posters. She also artistically used the fog to create a mysterious atmosphere as Jesus appeared to remind Marcy she controlled her own life. The costumes designed by Tascha Balsaitis left a memorable image in the audience’s mind. The six young characters were quite the mismatched ensemble dressed in costumes that correlated with their personalities, such as a Logainne’s rainbow tutu and Leaf’s blanket cape. This musical reminded the audience to not take the world so seriously and to embrace the pandemonium of life.
-Kiara Anderson
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is an enticing comedy which can apply itself to most any audience. The struggles of six aspiring youth (plus some willing volunteers) is a recognizable and relatable story. It masterfully allows the cast and production crew to convey a message through characters who exemplify a part of all of us.
ReplyDeleteEach character brings so many of their own eccentricities and quirks to the group, that the relatively large number of prominent characters keeps itself diverse and interesting. Their plights read through their comical presentation into actual dilemmas and desires. One of the of the most prominent examples of this is the character of Marcy Park, portrayed wonderfully by actress Miranda Neuhaus. The matter of fact, professional little girl has been groomed for perfection her entire life and had always succeeded at anything she tried. She was the perfect example of a prodigy. During the show, however, her character arc makes a quick turn when she realizes she doesn’t have to be good at everything.
As the show progressed, Bret Burggraff began to stand out as a very talented comedic actor. His portrayal of Leaf Coneybear, the wide eyed and hopeful youth trying to stand out amongst his siblings, was at the same time funny and believable. Adult actors and actresses who harbor the ability to recognize and embody the energy and spontaneity of young children without going over the top into the realm of stereotype are amazingly entertaining to watch.
The set design was another intriguing aspect of the production. I expected the incorporation of the band directly behind the performers to be distracting during the show, but I was pleasantly surprised when I found it hardly noticeable. The asymmetric design of the set fit the comedic tone and allowed the audience to more easily believe the private moments most of the characters have between themselves and the audience. Scenic designer Mihaela Lochen obviously knows how to fit a set to a play.
This production has proven itself to be a hit. Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks has tied together outstanding actors, talented crew, and an entertaining script, making a comedic experience while also delivering on the deep, and personal message especially portrayed through the character Olive Ostrovsky, played by Anna Matthes. In all, it was a success, and I would recommend this show to anyone who enjoys goofy, entertaining, and personal theater.
-Torsten Haugen
University of Minnesota-Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee created a whirlwind of emotions within the audience on opening night! A variety of heartbreaking and hilarious stories, all branching out of a very competitive spelling bee, made for a brilliant performance. The limited number of spellers at the bee allowed for intel to be given on each character’s back story. It went from non-stop laughter while Leaf Coneybear (Bret Burggraff) sang “I’m Not That Smart,” explaining his dilemma of his lack of knowledge to a tear jerker when learning about Olive Ostrovsky’s (Anna Matthes) struggle with her parents, who seemed to have fell out of love with each other causing them to somewhat abandon Olive.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soleo-Shanks held a variety of tasks given her role as the director of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It was very evident Soleo-Shanks put a lot of thought into matching the actors with which character they would represent best. Soleo-Shanks directed the actors to utilize the entire thrust stage making for an action-packed spelling bee! Her choreography was not anything extreme but still cleverly put together. She also added the finest details, such as having Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Maddie Schafer) talk with a lisp, creating for a more memorable production.
Each actor held their own throughout the entire play; each portraying such drastic characters. They were given a rare opportunity of including actual audience members on the stage during the live performance and completely went about it like they rehearsed with those exact audience members. Some performers, such as Mitch Mahoney (Nick Wright), bounced back and forth between two character. The ability to go from being one person to a completely different one just proves how talented each of these actors are!
The lighting designers, Mark Harvey and Andrew Norfolk, chose such uncommon lighting adding a special treat while viewing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Such exclusive lighting would occur throughout the play making each scene even more entertaining. The play took place within a scene that exactly portrayed a gymnasium, but the lighting would cause that to be questioned at times. Tascha Balsaitis, the costume and makeup designer, had such great ideas. By giving Coneybear a bright yellow cape she added to his wackiness, and the same could be said for Ostrovsky’s cute little boots to match her innocent personality. Her personality, along with each of the other characters’, was known by the end of this marvelous production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
What do you get when you mix hilarity with a talented cast that knows how to entertain? The UMD production of The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee. This show put a very talented cast in the spotlight during their run of this Tony award-winning musical.
ReplyDeleteWhen you arrived to the Marshall Performing Arts Center, you were greeted by a wonderful array of lights and scenery, lighting done by Mark Harvey and Andrew Heinz. The lighting even added to the humor throughout the show, thus adding even another layer to this already well put together musical.
This cast had some serious talent when showing off their character development and audience control, each actor adding to the other while making the audience laugh throughout the night. Each character really had depth, which they showed through singing and dancing. It is no easy task to play a child, but each choice was made with precision to show how much they were that character.
William Barfee, played by Brendan Finn, immediately took the audience for a ride with his "magic foot" to help him spell his words, his confidence was unmatched on that stage. Bert Burggraff had lots of fun showing off as the home schooled Leaf Coneybear but also did a wonderful job portraying one of the fathers of Logainne. The talented actress that played Logainne, Maddie Schafer truly gave a great performance of song that night and dazzled the audience with her strong character development.
The direction from Soleo-Shanks was very well done, giving us a well thought out cast, and choreography by a very talented Rebecca Karz Harwood kept our eyes glued to the stage througout the performance. Our ears were kept involved with the one and only Thomas Jacobsen, showing off his musicians right on the stage alongside the cast. Costume designer Tascha Balsaitis really did a remarkable job giving the cast the correct costumes to help give us a depth to each character, momentarily making us forget that these adults were playing children.
This cast and crew grabbed us and held us in the palm of their hands through their 1 hour and 40 minute musical.They gave us humor, drama, and entertainment and we couldn't ask for more!
-Jake Lieder
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee transforms your prior opinions on the prototypical, boring elementary school spelling bee. Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks does an extraordinary job engaging audiences of all ages with the mix of singing, dancing, and comedy, all while being able to throw in serious topics that are relevant in society today. Each character has individual problems and quirks that keep you on your seat to see what surprise each of them has in store.
ReplyDeleteDirector Soleo-Shanks also showed the ability to throw a bunch of information to the audience in a timely matter. Not only do you get a full spelling bee, you get drawn into the backstories of each individual character that allows the audience to grasp the full thoughts and emotions of each character.
The characters, while limited in number, where able to show off their full arsenal of skills, whether it be playing multiple actors or projecting there singing ability to the audience. Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes), portraying the prototypical young, shy girl who is motivated by trying to impress her father, all while not having her mother in her life. Although coming off shy, she shows off her great singing voice in her solo “The I love you song”. You are drawn into the comedic “foot speller” William Barfee (Brendan Finn) not only gets hit with an impossible word list, but a mucous membrane disorder that leads to a hysterical speaking voice.
Leaf Coneybear (Brett Burggraff) and Logainne Schwartzandgrbenierre (Maddie Schafer) did an excellent job putting down the mature attitude expected by college students and portraying the stereotypical, immature aspects of mix matched clothes and uncontrollable talking that brought back the audience to their innocent, younger years.
Nick Wright, Hayley Rosenthal and Jack Senske, playing the three adult roles had the adult audience members feeling empathetic with the measures they had to go to keep the spelling bee from spiraling out of control. Wright showed off wonderful acting skills in his ability to switch the roles between a hoodlum who is only working at the spelling bee to fill out community service time, and Logainnes spiffy, uptight father who overly concerned about the well being of his daughter.
Soleo-Shanks, along with music director Thomas Jacobsen displayed a unique way to implement and use the band. While being set up in the background of the set, clearly in sight, the band was a key part of the performance in its ability to execute the multiple sound effects and musical numbers needed to bring the whole performance together.
The 25ht Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a performance that brought together an audience of all ages to execute a performance that was not only fast paced and filled with wonderful music, but combined the humerus aspects of immature kids with the more serious points with the characters. All in all, this performance gave the audience a light hearted play to ride home with, delivered by characters and a creative team that left nothing out on the stage.
- Riley Sundeen
Can you spell Spectacular, S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R, because that describes The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks. The Musical was wonderfully executed by all involved in the process which made the musical very enjoyable and hilarious.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soleo-Shanks the director did an excellent job producing all aspects of the play from working with the actors to the lighting staff. She did an amazing job with the small changes to the script which made it relate more to Duluth, like when the prize was sponsored by a local hotel and referencing the construction. Also, by including some improv with the volunteers from the audience. She worked well with the characters and their positioning on stage during certain scenes. This was accomplished by using the thrust stage when the actors were singing solos, especially during the “I Love You” song. Lastly, Jenna did an amazing job casting as each of the actors, as they fit their character well.
The Cast was filled by nine amazing actors, two judges, a comfort counselor, and six contestants. They were joined by a few wonderful audience volunteers. All the actors did a beautiful job portraying their characters by acting like kids, using accents/lisps, and more, everyone had their own special personality. The volunteers added to the play because they were having to improv on the spot not knowing what was going on, this helped make the musical even funnier. Hayley Rosenthal who played Rona Lisa Peretti did an excellent job with the audience volunteers as she had to come up with facts about them on the spot. She also did well at portraying multiple characters as she also played Olive’s mom in the “I Love You Song”. Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, did a fabulous job playing both himself and Logainne’s Father. He was able to do this through his quick costume changes and the way he held himself and talked. All the actors used good facial expressions, movements, and tone to express their emotions. Overall the actors did a tremendous job which brought the musical together.
Another major part of this performance was the set which was designed by Michaela Lochen. When you stepped into the theater you felt as you had entered a gymnasium. The stage was made into a gym by adding basketball court lines to the floor and having bleachers, and more. The backdrop was made to look like a wall of a gym and had mats, paintings, and posters as a school would. There was even a door that could open and close to make it seem as you entered from a hallway. With such a detailed set it made the whole performance better as it felt as if you were watching in an actual gymnasium were the musical takes place.
All the people used to produce this performance did great but the final one I would like to highlight is the lighting designer, Mark Harvey. The lighting used in this play was phenomenal and added a lot. There would be times when the lights dimmed to show a flashback to a previous event that happened which led up to The Bee. Another cool lighting style used was when the actors were singing their solos a color would shine on the stage which helped depict their emotion. When they were angry a red light was shown, blue for sadness, green for joy and so on. It was very cool and a nice add on to make the musical even better.
It was directed and produced so well that you will fall for all the characters. The show is filled with joy, sadness, and all-out pandemonium. It’s an hour and forty minutes that will entertain and excite you no doubt.
-Samantha Dean
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is not only a historical comedy filled with silly musical numbers but also portrays real struggles of younger children. This performance tells the story of six adolescents striving to be the next spelling bee champion. The story may be simple, but the six goofy children bring joy and laughter to the whole auditorium. Each competitor has their own heart wrenching story. Each story is able to speak to the audience as they remember their middle school years and their awkward childhood days.
ReplyDeleteDirector, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, was able to put together an all around outstanding performance. From picking all the right actors to nailing the lighting at specific moments like during the “I Love You Song”. The production flowed well, Soleo-Shanks made the right decisions, like putting the microphone center stage so it feels as if the audience is truly at a middle school spelling bee.
The stage was designed to look like a middle school gym, and that it did. From the ground being painting like a gym floor, including little details like the colored court lines, all the way to the ceiling having the typical “gym rafters”. It was a great choice to add in the small details such as “School Dance” flyers behind the doors in the gym. This added a sense of depth to the stage and brought everything together. Just by sitting in the auditorium, the audience was able to feel as if the production was in a real middle school.
The six children actors were able to blend well. Being a college-student acting like a middle schooler is quite the challenge but these actors seemed to have no problem stepping into a 13 year old’s shoes. Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, was a standout. Burggraff went from playing a child, to switching over to portraying a father role in just seconds. When Burggraff was portraying Leaf, he was able to truly put himself in Leaf’s shoes. Not only did he sound just like a child but he had the perfect body movements. He was a little clumsy, constantly moving and playing around with his “cape”.
The overall storyline of the musical was very well put together. Everyone got to see the struggles that the students went through from the anguish of losing the bee to having troubles at home. One of the main heart wrenching parts of the musical is with Olive, played by Anna Matthes, and her family. In the “I Love You Song” it is implied that Olive goes through some domestic violence at home. The smaller storylines within the whole production bring together each character. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has a range of emotions that the audience is put through. Each person in the auditorium gets to laugh, feel sad, and feel happy when watching the musical while the cast brings the whole production together.
-Allie Steinmetz
The best way to describe The Tony Award winning 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee would be A-s-t-o-u-n-d-i-n-g. The production filled with singing, dancing and spelling words of course.
ReplyDeleteTen spellers took stage to battle out the spelling bee competition.The differences in all of the spellers personalities spiced up the performance.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks choose a thrust stage set up to allow the actors to feel like they were apart of a real spelling bee. With the use of props she made the audience feel like they were sitting in the bleachers of a gymnasium. Soleo-Shanks persuaded the actors to think and act how real spelling bee participants would act along with that, comes nerves and freezing up under pressure. Soleo-Shanks pushed her performers to be as engaging with the audience as possible. She made the production short and sweet with a pace of an hour and forty minutes.
Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes) the shy and quiet constant sings “The I love You Song” this broke her out of her shell and displayed her lovely voice.
Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) had a speech impediment, this added to the realness of the production because many young kids struggle with their speech.
Leaf Coneybear (Bret Burggaff) was like a real like superhero his spunky personality lit up the stage with his goal of being the winner of the bee.
Poor Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Maddie Shafer) is a sweet and innocent character that has a mild lisp but that doesn't stop her from spelling the words correctly.
Costume designer (Tascha Balsaitis) is very talented with, picking each costume to fit the characters personality. Balsaitis put special touches on costumes that made the actor stand out. Shafer's outfit stood out with a multi-colored tutu, this choice brought the child spirit to the production.
The Scenic Designer was very thoughtful, including posters on the wall and even a gymnasium door with brick behind it resembling the inside of a school. The basketball hoop and three pointer lines on the court added a special touch to make the gymnasium feel like a multi functional area. All of these scenic designs are credited to Michaela Lochen.
Mark Harvey the Lighting Designer focused on the actors individually by using a spotlight to follow them in their shining moments such as a solo or a story.
Director Soleo-Shanks created a crowd pleasing experience. The decisions she made for the cast, musicians and creative team were all for the best interest of the audience.
-Abbey Smits
If someone were just given the title “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” without any context, that possibly sounds like an immensely dull show. However proven by the caliber of acting and directing, such a play as this can do a great deal more than just put on a show, it leaves the audience laughing, crying, spelling and everything in between. The musical is played out by six contestants battling head to head, brain to brain, to prove who is the right canidate to go on to the National Spelling Bee. Beyond each contestant, there is more that meets the eye, and diving into all of these characters’ backgrounds is what made this show a must-see.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s stands out about this show is that each character has their own story to tell, it’s what drives them to win, or what to do with their lives. Not one character’s story is less important than the others. Each character has their own little quirk and the actors use these to the best of their abilities and it plays off extremely well. What makes this show so good is that for how funny each character is, they all also have their own issues and they deal with them in different ways. So when audiences watch Leaf Coneybear (played by Bret Burggraff) sing “I’m Not That Smart,” people might relate to him, or at least sympathize with him and his internal struggle and self validation. On the other side of the spectrum, characters like Chip Tolentino (played by Ben Knowlton) sing about the embarrassing misfortune he goes through in the show. His tragic fate of the spelling bee is done hilariously and leaves the audience cackling all along the way. These just some of the few examples of fantastic, comical, and moving character arcs seen throughout the show, perfectly capitalized by the top notch acting given by the cast.
The set of this show was done fantastically to bring so much realism into the show. Such an intricate yet simple set, such as the gymnasium, says so much and at the same time adds more to the storytelling to this play. The better the set is, the less noticeable it is to the audience. The set is meant to take the audience to where the story takes place, almost tearing down the invisible curtain and make the stage and audience one. Other elements such as the lighting and costumes all accumulate to bring a believable and accurate atmosphere for the show to take place in. Each costume complimented the character’s attributes in subtle, yet effective ways. The way the lights hit these characters accurately shows the stress, and anxieties of being in a spelling bee. All of this brought together really pays off for the overall experience the audience gets.
With so many characteristics of a good show, to take them all into consideration and somehow make something as great as this is truly impressive. Without director Jenna Soleo-Shanks, this play would not have the guidance and direction this show portrayed. The vision Soleo-Shanks had for this play pays off extremely well, and can be seen in every attribute of the show. The blocking, whether it was the actors ideas or the directors always had purpose. Sometimes, certain blocking can seem without a drive but not once did I feel that was prevalent in this show.
Without a doubt, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is one of those shows that will always be memorable. Between the witty comedy and real life stories portrayed by such a talented cast, supported by a top notch crew, every attribute of this show accumulates to an experience hard to forget. UMD’s talent shines bright with this show.
- Camden Mast
The University of Minnesota- Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee last Thursday was h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s! This wacky tale of young spellers with complicated home lives kept the audience belly-laughing throughout the entire production.
ReplyDeleteRona Lisa Peretti, played by Hayley Rosenthal, is a rather bland character. A past spelling bee winner who is enthusiastic about this tradition just didn’t enhance the plot. It was Rosenthal’s singing that made her stand out. “My Favorite Moment of the Bee” was only noteworthy due to her smooth but powerful sound.
Logainne Schwarzandgrubenierre (Maddie Schafer) was endearing as any outspoken elementary-aged child. However, the politically-charged monologues were a bit too preachy.
Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes) brought the house down with her powerhouse belt and emotional acting. “The I Love You Song,” was a tear-jerker that sent an important message about familial relationships.
Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) and his unfortunate erection stole the laughs of the whole audience. This much-needed adult humor was a particularly clever plot point. Knowlton’s performance, though brief, was an absolute showstopper.
“Little Miss Perfect” Marcy Park played by Miranda Neuhaus was a standout among her more playful counterparts. Her voice took the audience’s breath away as she sang “I Speak Six Languages.” Her eventual breakaway from her reputation was a hilarious breath of fresh air for everyone.
The “Magic Foot” William Barfee (Brett Burggraff) stole the show with his comical dances to spell out words and obvious distaste for anything that he didn’t like.
“Pandemonium” was the pinnacle of the whole show. Hilarious and chaotic, this scene had so many moving parts it was sometimes hard to know where to look. Each character had their own mess and it was clearly a fun scene to be a part of.
Tasha Balsaitis’s costume designs were perfectly reflective of their characters. Leaf Coneybear’s blanket cape displayed his adorable personality and goofy demeanor. Logainne Scchwarzandgrubenierre’s rainbow skirt demonstrated her playful age and stance on marriage equality. Even Rona Lisa Peretti’s outfit was beautifully made and a testament to her colorful character.
Audience participation helped this show stand apart from other musicals. A few audience members were selected to participate in the bee. It turned out to be a brilliant way of keeping the audience engaged, especially when it became clear that one audience speller was doing a little too well, so he was given multiple words until he seemingly purposely failed. This was a clever tactic on the part of the director.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks picked her cast perfectly. Her show was tremendous and well-executed. She made all the right choices. This show was absolutely worth the hour and 40 minutes of stage time.
-Kenzie Carrane
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hilarious and very entertaining play. The play does a good job of blending humor and telling story without the humor getting in the way of the story. This play tells the story of kids competing against each other in order to become the 25th winner of the spelling bee. This play made something that is usually stressful and somewhat boring into fun, interesting and very entertaining.
ReplyDeleteThe director (Jenna Soleo-Shanks) incorporated locate Duluth elements that add a nice element of humor to the play to make it feel as if an actual spelling bee was happening. The play is kept entertaining by a very talented cast of actors. All the actors stayed in character at all times, such as when one person was up at the microphone some of the characters sitting one bleachers were moving around or make faces at each other. One actor that stood to me was Bret Burggraff who played Leaf Coneybear. He was able to play two very different characters as one was a child and the other was an adult. He had such a child energy to him, for example when he swung across the stage on a rope. Burggraff was able to tap into his childhood in order to excel in this role. Hayley Rosenthal, who played Rona Lisa Peretti, was also a standout with her amazing singing voice. The light of the play was a very nice element. When the actors were having their solo songs the lights turn to a color that would represent the emotion of what was trying to be portrayed, such as red for angry and blue for sadness.
The timing of this play is perfect. There is never a part that gets boring. From the humor to all the great singing makes this a very good play. If you want to go have a good laugh, good time and go home feeling good this is a great play for all of that.
- Brady Garcia
The University of Minnesota- Duluth production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, provides a variety of emotions and reflections back to a younger time. The comedy and innocence of the script has an effervescent and lightheartedness to the viewers. The playwright Rachel Sheinkin, uses The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for a subject of positivity and has a genuine nostalgic connection. Shinkin’s use of having no intermission makes the play feel more like an actual spelling contest. The tactic is unique and makes sense, yet sometimes felt long even if every joke, song, and line were landing perfectly. Shinkin also adds a unique characteristic the differs from most Broadway shows. This being, audience participation. With adding audience participation, it generates such a great amount of improve and talent from all the cast and crew to think on their feet. Alongside this, it creates a unique connection with the audience and the performers. Making The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee special and out of the box for a concept.
ReplyDeleteThe director of the production, Jenna Soleo-Shanks adaptation provided such wit and cleverness while creating the show. The use of blocking and staging of scenes were captivating and done cleverly. The staging allowed for all the audience to see the use of the whole stage for each joke that was intended. Especially noted, the exits and entrances for the cast provided realism and increased connection with audience and cast as if it were an actual bee.
With in the show, the actors’ portrayal of the characters were fully realized. Assumed with countless hours of research or life experience, all of their characters had each distinguished and realized understanding to reflect a child with a much simpler time. Especially noted, was Anna Matthes. Alongside her eerily accurate costume done by Tascha Balaitis, Matthes showed such a shyness yet confidence in her character that translated her full understanding of Olive Ostrovsky. Another vivid character was Leaf Coneybear played by Bret Burggraff. Burggraffs innocence and inability to sit still and continuous smiling radiated pure joy and entertainment. A standout scene in the whole show was the number, “Pandemonium”. All the actors and the use of choreography done by Rebecca Katz Harwood, deemed perfect for the song at hand. It was absolute chaos. The perfect chaos that was organized and done and shown with so much practice and rehearsal and did not go unnoticed. It created a scene with so much attention and precision and proved itself to be a standout scene.
The scenic designer Michaela Lochen, had a creative and full concept for creating the space for the bee. From having the orchestra on the miniature stage to the poster for “jump rope for heart”, it catered to a time for everyone, especially towards young adults. Incredibly clever, Lochen uses all key aspects of a gym and auditorium to always have something to look at and to have the story be portrayed even with more conviction. The lighting designer, Mark Harvey took great time to have the light become a central focus onto the story. A major point of notability is during any individual solos or internal thoughts with any of the contestants. He pulls the attention of the audience only onto the most important part of the story, the actors who convey the children and their issues that they face during the bee.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee had such a great amount of wit and cleverness that is attractive to an audience of any age. With jokes both so crude, naive and innocent it was a heartfelt story that was relatable to any participants who attended.
- Joseph O'Connell
UMD’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee brings the audience to their feet with yet another spell-tacular performance! Held in the Marshall Performing Arts center on October 6th, this family friendly version of the musical came with laughter and tears as each song and story journeyed through characters’ self-acceptance, success, and failure.
ReplyDeleteA compelling comedy written by Rachel Sheinkin, this lively musical centers on a group of young spelling bee winners competing for the Putnam County title. Throughout the storyline each child battles their own personal adolescence whilst the bee occurring, going on a road of self-discovery in hopes that winning would give them a chance to prove themselves to the world. In this adaption, characters produced a slightly different script for the children in the audience; with the original version, numerous adult references are made to increase its comedic flair.
During the show, director Jenna Soleo-Shanks and her cast created a heartfelt ambiance through character; each actor and actress fit to their role quite naturally, being personable with the audience as well as maintaining a sense of individual performance. They stayed engaged within the story while also showing the uniqueness of their childish persona despite not always having the main focus in the story. For all of their own life story songs, true character was revealed making the play touching and relatable.
Looking at the overall design, lighting and sound throughout the production, Michaela Lochen and Mark Harvey did an incredible job bringing the musical to life; the booming gym with a small auditorium which held the pit orchestra created childhood reminiscence and completed the space. Alongside individual character’s stories, the sound and lighting added onto the emotions of scenes and made the environment especially hyper realistic in the song “Pandemonium”. The set played an integral component in captivating the audience and reeling them in.
In all, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee spelled out success and captured our hearts with UMD’s fantastic performance.
-Miah Bloom
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling bee was a play to remember. It was filled with comedy that made everyone laugh, from audience members being contestants, to the words being spelled and their definitions that made slight jabs at certain political topics. This was a multi-faceted play that could make anyone want to know more about a simple spelling bee. The director Jenna Soleo-Shanks did an incredible job making the play into her own. From connections to Duluth, to perfect choices in casting, the play was something to be proud of. The entire cast of the play did an incredible job. Brenden Finn who played the astonishingly unique but lovable William Barfèe, who had a magic foot and superiority complex that was eventually broken down, but not destroyed, made that character into something incredible. Bret Burggraff did an incredible job as Leaf Coneybear, he made that character into one that everyone in the audience could see as a kid that might have been too young to be in the Bee, but still could shine on stage. One performance that can’t be forgotten thought is Nick Wright, Nick played Mitch Mahoney, who we quickly learn is only there because it was required as community service for whatever crime he committed. Nick did an incredible job at making this a character someone who we gravitate to. From the simplicity of his consoling to the added excitement he gets as it gets closer and closer to the winner, we see a young man being changed by the events around him and this is all due to the great performance by Nick Wright.
ReplyDeleteNot only were the performances great, but the stage and costumes were amazing as well. The stage had the littlest details that made you believe you were in your old elementary schools’ gymnasium, from the climbing ropes, to the rafters hanging from above. The scenic designer Micheala Lochen did an incredible job at making sure the details were done and the audience could believe they were truly in the gym with the kids. The costumes designed by Tascha Balsaitis fit every character perfectly. Maybe the best was Rona Lisa Peretti’s, the costume captured what everyone has in their heads as what a top realtor would wear. Each of the contestant had their own unique costume that complimented there personality perfectly.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a play that everyone that was a part of it should be proud of. It caught the audience’s attention at every part and made them laugh right up till the end. No detail was missed by the entire production crew. This is a play that made spelling bees interesting and one that everyone will remember.
- Davis Rondeau
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical by Rachel Sheinkin. It perfectly encapsulates pure pandemonium with it’s many musical numbers and clever characters who help the audience remember what it was like to be a child, embarrassments and all. What started as an improv comedy show quickly turned into a Tony Award-winning musical. The musical follows six contestants who each struggle with their own inner turmoil.
ReplyDeleteDirected by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is not your average middle school spelling bee. Soleo-Shanks creates each character as an individual. They have their own hopes and their own dreams. The one thing they all have in common is winning the spelling bee. Soleo-Shanks choice in allowing audience participation enabled for true unexpected comedy to shine through.
Every character was memorable, from Rona Lisa Peretti, played by Hayley Rosenthal to Mitch Mahony, played by Nick Wright. Each character had their own goals and unique backstories which is what makes Spelling Bee so special. A character that stood out the most was Olive Ostrovsky, who was played by Anna Matthes. Olive had one of the most saddening family circumstances. Her parents were never around to see her achievements because they didn’t get along. A situation many viewers can relate to. Olive worked through this by performing “The I Love You Song” with her parents. She showed the audience that she had felt so alone since her mom left and her dad was busy working. By the end of the play, Olive isn’t as alone anymore because she forms a friendship with the winning contestant William Barfee, played by Brendan Finn. Olive then goes on to tell the audience that as an adult, she has a radio talk show where she interviews the runner up of the spelling bee. From all the characters, we see such growth and development that audience members can connect with as they remember their childhood.
The scenery was designed by Michaela Lochen. Lochen did an excellent job of imitating a middle school gymnasium. There were posters reminiscent of activities and sayings that were seen around real middle schools as many people would tell you. Characters also interacted with props on the set. The song “Pandemonium” utilized jump ropes, hula hoops, and climbing ropes. Above the stage were green crossed styrofoam bars representing gym rafters. There was tape on the floor of the “gymnatorium” that many remember to be on their middle school gym. The scenery brought back memories of middle school, the good and the bad.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a gentle reminder of how one acted when they were in middle school, crazy, weird, and confused. Everyone was sure to get a kick out of the wacky things each character was put through.
-Raelynn Schuety
Filled with hysterical events throughout, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee kept the entire audience captivated and fully engaged throughout the performance. The play was about, as the title says, a county spelling bee. Throughout the duration of the showing, a humorous aspect stayed consistent, although there was also multiple scenes that were meaningful and heartening. This performance was all based on a book that was written by author, Rachel Sheinkin. The music and lyrics came from a man by the name of William Finn. With six contestants, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee covered topics regarding expectations, going through puberty, and dealing with oppressive parents. The play was absolutely hilarious, all the way from start to finish.
ReplyDeleteA woman by the name of Jenna Soleo-Shanks was assigned the role of directing the performance, and she did a tremendous job doing so. Soleo-Shanks was able to reproduce almost every aspect of a real spelling bee. For example, the setting of the gymnatorium seemed unquestionably authentic, as well as the lines and roles of the performers. With the running time of the production just shy of two hours, Soleo-Shanks was able to successfully put together a unified, well paced performance.
The performances of each and every actor exceeded expectations. It was quite humorous to see adults play the roles of the children in the spelling bee. The play expressed and promoted diversity, as each contestant had their own unique aspects and personalities. Some of the significant performers include; Bret Burggraff, Brendan Finn, Ben Knowlton, Maddie Schafer, Miranda Neuhas, and Anna Matthes.
Bret Burggraff played the role of Leaf Coneybear. Leaf was somewhat of a foolish child who didn’t seem as if he belonged in the setting of a spelling bee. During the competition, he seemed to struggle with maintaining focus and would often stare into the distance while spelling out the words provided by the word judge. In a song called “I’m not that smart”, Leaf expressed his true passion for spelling. William Barfee was responsible for playing the role of Brendan Finn, and he absolutely killed it. With the humor of his mucus problem and the use of the “magic foot” while spelling out words, Brendan Finn instantly became a fan favorite. Ben Knowlton played the unfortunate role of Chip Tolentino. In the competition, Chip faced adversity with being given some incredibly difficult words to spell. Knowlton did an exceptional job at playing his role with confidence, while also making the audience laugh at the same time.
With strategic planning and lots of practice, everybody involved with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee came together and created an exquisite performance. From start to finish, the play was both humorous and touching. Overall, it was a complete success and attending this performance is definitely worth the time.
- Danny Benson
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, an unconventional show with high energy and more moments for humor than there are grains of sand. After seeing this show on opening night I feel that the energy levels being delivered by the actors on stage were highly varied. On the other hand the technical elements of the show were stellar from beginning to end
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that can happen to any show after weeks of rehearsal is that the actors can become used to what is happening on stage and reactions and lines can start to feel canned. I think this is something that several actors struggled with specifically Anna Matthes who played Olive Ostrovsky. While the character of Olive Ostrovsky is certainly not the most high energy character on stage and is in fact one of the most “normal” characters in this show. Despite this the energy felt flat at times like Ms. Matthes was simply saying the lines without much feeling behind them. It is important to say that there were moments when Ms. Matthes shined, for example The I Love You Song was a moment that, as an audience member, Ms. Matthes really tapped into the essence of the character of Olive Ostrovsky.
At the same time Mr. Bret Burggraff was delivering an amazing performance from minute one. The character of Leaf Coneybear can be hard to grasp as an individual and it can be even harder to find the right way to play him. I believe that Mr. Burggraff did an excellent job with both. From the beginning Mr. Burggraff painted, for me, a very clear picture of the elementary school kid who can’t sit still and whose peers deride them for being “not that smart”. Mr. Burggraff’s additional portrayal of Carl Grubennierre was just as impressive. The ability to switch so seamlessly between such radically different characters is something that many actors would be jealous of and Mr. Burggraff seemed to not struggle with it at all, a testament both to director Jenna Soleo-Shanks and Mr. Burggraff himself.
The technical elements of any show can be daunting, from lighting design to sound and set design the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee shined. Of particular note was the lighting design. Lighting designers Mark Harvey and Andrew Norfolk outdid themselves, one of the best examples of this was during the song Pandemonium. The use of swirling lights projected onto the stage floor made excellent use of the raked seating of the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The lighting during this number helped to elevate what the performers were saying on stage, that you can’t count on anything exemplified in the line “the best spellers don’t necessarily win” and in this case seemingly even the floor staying still under your feet.
Overall The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a success on all fronts and every person who was on stage or off of it should feel incredibly proud of what they did.
-David Butts
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was one for the books. Keeping the audience entertained and engaged throughout the entire performance. The performance made everyones Thursday Night better with the hysterical Dancing and singing. It even gave the audience a little flashback of middle school.
ReplyDeleteThe performance consisted of many comedic acts and some romantic or meaningful scenes as well. The playwright all comes from a Novel written by Rachel Sheinkin. William Finn, a Tony award winning musical composer, is the man behind the phenomenal music and lyric production. The gifted band that performed during the performance was led by Thomas Jacobsen. The cast of the play consisted of incredible actors that really generated the fun-loving notion of the performance with their hysterical comedy, beautiful singing, and outstanding improv. All of the actors exceeded expectations. The fact that it was adults playing the roles of children was quite humorous on its on, but these actors took it to a whole new level of comedy.
Directing the play is a woman named Jenna Soleo-Shanks. She did a wonderful job and was able to create a scenery that almost nearly perfected what the environment of spelling bee would consist of. She also did an outstanding job of keeping the audience engaged throughout the entire 1 hour and 40 minute play with no intermission. Which might not have been the best idea because most of the audience laughed so hard they nearly Wet themselves!
The child with the "magic foot" known as William Barfée played by Brendan Finn spells out his words with his foot on the ground to help him spell the words correctly. His very mucus like tone is extremely funny. The unlucky Chip Tolentino was played by actor Ben Knowlton. Chip struggles in the spelling bee because he is faced with arduous words. Chip also has an extremely embarrassing moment in the performance when he notices another contestants sister in the audience and gets an erection. Ben did an exceptional job and performed with confidence that most likely motivated the other actors as well.
The most childish character in the performance, Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff was very out of it during the competition and even performed a song called "I'm not that smart". Bret did a wonderful job of portraying this character especially when had to randomly spell out a word in 2 seconds everyone in awhile. Brett was also a very talented singer. Logainee Schwartzandgrunenierre in a very admirable character that has two homosexual fathers that support her efforts in the competition. Logainne's role is played by Maddie Schafer who does a wonderful job of singing and even perfecting the lisp that Logainne posses. Olive Ostrovsky, a very shy character, is played by Anna Mathews. Throughout the play Olive is waiting for her dad to make It to the spelling bee. Olive performs the song "I love you" and nails it. Her beautiful voice and outstanding acting played a very large role in the production of the performance.
Marcy Park is a girl who is "STRICTLY BUSINESS", and is a perfect child that can speak 6 languages. Her bossy attitude is portrayed perfectly by Miranda Neuhaus. who does a wonderful job of improv throughout the performance. Nick Wright, Jack Senske, and Haley Rosenthal were the adults in charge of the spelling bee who had to keep the contestants in line and provide them with definitions of words and using them in sentences which usually led to many hysterical moments throughout the play. The volunteers involved in the play even did a wonderful job of spelling and going along with what was happening in the play even though they had little to no instructions.
The performance of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee consisted of a hardworking cast that possess a talent that led to an outstanding production. From the little things such as sound effects or lighting designs to the larger things such as the actual acting and singing in the performance everything involved in the play was perfected.
Every audience member belly-laughed through Wednesday’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the University of Minnesota, Duluth’s Marshall Performing Center. Set in a realistic middle school gymnasium, six eccentric spelling bee participants, as well as a few audience members, battle for first place. This Tony Award-winning musical greatly resembles the well-known musical A Chorus Line with the friendly, yet passionate, head-to-head battle to the top.
ReplyDeleteThough all six participants had about equal in stage time, the second Anne Matthes, playing shy Olive Ostrovsky, and Brenden Finn, playing William Barfée, stepped on stage, they proved to be the true stars of the show. Brenden Finn gave a showstopping performance of “Magic Foot” as he spelled out each of his words through dance. Anne Matthes’ sentimental performance of “The I Love You Song” resembling Yentl’s “Papa Can You Hear Me” evoked emotion as character Olive Ostrovsky cried out for her parents’ attention. Anne Matthe’s, with her undoubtably musically trained voice, created an unforgettable ballad.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks kept the play moving swiftly. Each character had their own unique personality which was constant throughout the whole production. Some characters, like Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff, also played support characters like one of Logainne Schwartandgrubenierre’s dads. His ability to swiftly change between two characters with completely different personalities showcased his impeccable acting ability. In Loagainne Schwartandgrubenierre’s (Maddie Schafer’s) case, her unique personality came with a strong speech impediment. Maddie Schafer’s character choices, like the strong lisp, sometimes proved to be overwhelming and rather incomprehensible to the audience. But in no way did any of the audiences’ critiques take away from the overall production. Each actor brought an individual personality as well as extreme vocal talent creating an imaginary world for the audience to get lost in.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is far from a well-known show but proved itself to be unforgettable. The eccentric musical mirrored the reality of growing up as well the difficulties accompanied with growing up. The University of Minnesota, Duluth’s Theater program, especially the cast of this production, needs to be proud of the unforgettable production they have produced.
Madelyn Schumacher
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was an all-around diverse production, from the characters, scenery and plot. This musical was a well thought out comedy that incorporated more weighty real life scenarios and struggles. Through song and comedy this musical was able to tackle meaningful topics like puberty, family and social relationships, self-identity and steering one’s way through life as an adolescent. Experiencing each character’s journey was an experience to never forget.
ReplyDeleteThe writer of this musical, Rachel Sheinkin did a wonderful job of writing diverse characters with many different stories. Each of the characters came from various backgrounds and had different stories to tell. An important part of this musical was the families of the characters. Each character had a diverse family background whether it was Logainne Shwartzabdgrubenierres gay parents or Olive Ostrovsky’s mother who had traveled abroad to India in search of a spiritual awakening. Sheinkin’s addition of young romance between Olive and William and Chip’s journey through puberty was a great example of the struggles that prepubescents face in real life today. The characters were written impeccably for their story.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks did a great job of keeping the musical interesting every step of the way. The musical flowed smoothly with transitioning between scene and song and had a clear message. She did an excellent job making sure each character was portrayed in a unique way with their own personalities and their own journeys. Her directing and choice of using various props like jump ropes, hula hoops and the hilarious apple juice juice boxes awarded to each contestant once they had been eliminated from the spelling bee, was a genius contribution to the musical. Her choice of characters, scenery and props made the entire musical come full circle.
Every character was acted out the best way possible. Hayley Rosenthal who played Rona Lisa Peretti did a swell job of being the spelling bee judge yet having a motherly influence for each of the contestants. Her fellow judge Vice Principal Panch, played by Jack Senske however had quite a different persona in this production. The younger contestants brought to the table an interesting story. Marcy Park played by Miranda Neuhaus, Logainne Shwartzabdgrubenierre played by Maddie Schafer and Leaf Coneybear played by Bret Burggraff brought younger characters who were discovering themselves and learning life lessons throughout the spelling bee. Schafer and Burgraff’s characters were the two most quirky of the musical while Park’s character had a hard exterior. Ben Knowlton’s portrayal of Chip Tolentino and his journey through puberty was hilarious and a nice comedic addition to the musical. Olive Ostrovsky play by Anna Matthes had a somber story. Her parents were fighting, and her mother had left her and her father to travel to a different country to experience a spiritual awakening. Her hopes for her father to attend the spelling bee left the audience in a heart wrenching state. Things start to look up for Olivia as she develops a crush for fellow contestant William Barfée played by Brendan Finn. Barfée was an interesting and oddball character that had a breathing problem and spelled with his magic foot! Barfée shared a similar personality as Marcy Park. He had a hard exterior and was a little grumpy. Just like Marcy, Williams hard exterior melted as he became better friends with Olive.
Costume and makeup designer, Tascha Balsaitis did a magnificent job making each character come to life. Each character’s costume matched their personality almost perfectly. You could anticipate each character’s qualities and personality based on their costumes which was a huge part of this play. Not to mention every character had very different costumes and a very different look to them.
If you’re looking for a musical that teaches important life lessons, characters with diverse backgrounds and very different journey’s than The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the musical for you!
Jenna Brumm
The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee
ReplyDeleteThe 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee had audiences laughing the whole way through. A well produced work by Director Jenna Soloe-Shanks, the play was as entertaining as it was funny. From the witty back-and-forth of William Barfée (Brendan Finn) and the Vice Principal from a town over, arguing over the pronunciation of William’s last name, to the goofy antics of Leaf Coneybear (Brett Burggraff), the show never stopped until the lights went up.
Soloe-Shanks used lighting in a very creative way, creating a spinning image as the cast slowly fell into a slow motion set, then again fast forwarding through the latter part of the “Bee.” The humor in the advertising of the Holiday Inn was a well-placed break of the fourth wall, and acted as a mini intermission from the play. The set was well designed, and Soloe-Shanks made it clear that this play was meant to be taken lightly, choosing costumes that said “spelling bee contestant,” and expressed the personality of each character very well. The concise time frame for the play was enough to tell the story, yet short enough to keep the audience’s attention.
The actors were very well rehearsed, and new exactly what they were doing. Choreography and song alike, they had it down. The interaction with the audience participants was well crafted, and they were incorporated with the other actors like they were meant to be there. Quality singing made for easy listening and an enjoyable experience. Anna Matthes, playing Olive Ostrovsky, gave a great performance in her solo song, and made the audience empathize with the fictional, yet so real illustration of Olive’s character. Douglas Panch was perfectly outfitted in the classic vice principal get up, and Jack Senske did a great job of portraying a troubled academic.
Playwright Jenna Sheinkin did a great job of creating a very diverse cast of kids who are going through things that most people went through during that time in school, yet who all had one goal, just for different reasons. From the insecurities of puberty to the hardships of wanting success, everyone has experienced something in the real world that this play portrays.
The music itself was a production, with the band dressed in typical highschool attire, fitting right in with the band kids of every public school in the nation. The theatrical orchestral songs of the play made for easy listening as well as the singing, something to be proud of.
Lastly, remember the Holiday Inn in Duluth, and “when you sleep with us, you sleep with the best.”
The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee was a great performance put on by the UMD Theatre. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks it was a hilarious musical about a group of students who are not ashamed of who they are. This fun, joy filled musical is a great way to spend an evening out with the family!
ReplyDeleteEverything about this musical was very well put together. The lighting cues were very good and helped set the mood when this comedy had a more serious scene. The choreography was also good, although there were some parts that could’ve been more creative. For example, when they were dancing around in a circle is was okay for a little bit, it seemed to go on for a longer time than necessary.
The scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, did a great job recreating the look of a gymnasium. It brought me back to me I was in middle school with the hula hoops and jump ropes. She really made it look like an actual gymnasium if I wasn’t sitting in the theatre seats I would’ve thought I was actually in one.
Ben Knowlton did a wonderful job playing Chip Tolentino. He played a boy struggling through puberty and he did a great job playing this character. He represented the struggles of puberty very well and the song he performed, Chip’s Lament, was a very funny and good performance.
Miranda Neuhaus did a great job performing Marcy Parks in the spelling bee musical. She played the Christian girl, Marcy, who had a strict upbringing and in the middle of the musical she realized she didn’t want to be so stuck up and perfect. Miranda made playing this role look very easy and her performance in the song, I Speak Six Languages, showed a girl realizing that she didn’t want to be perfect. She did a good job showing the turning of Marcy’s life.
William Barfee, played by Brendan Finn, was a very unique and interesting character. In this musical they all have different ways to help them spell a word and William’s is he dances and writes the word with his “magic foot”. Brendan was a fantastic dancer in this musical and really brought this character to life as well. The song, Magic Foot, was a great performance, and it was very well choreographed.
The musical 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee is a great comedy to bring the whole family to! It is filled with laughter, joy, and the characters realizing who they want to be. It’s a great musical to show your kids that its good to embrace who you are because that’s what these characters do.
I found the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to be I guess you could say a s-i-l-l-y comedy. It was filled with most perfect songs to go along with the hysterical aura of the show. The show held my interest throughout the entire performance with its quirky and touching story. The perfect balance of being funny while adding a touching back-story can let the audience get close to the six characters while making it humorous, this keeps the musical tart with the seriousness but with some sweet with comedy. Rachel Sheinkin and Rebecca Feldman wrote a wonderful, quick-paced but very enjoyable piece that is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
ReplyDeleteMusic is important in musical, hence the word music in musical. The music sets the tone and aura of a musical. In this case William Finn, the writer of the music, had set the tone for this piece perfectly. His music gave off mostly a comical aura, which ended being the main tone for the entire musical.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks, in my opinion did a great job picking the actors for each of the characters that performed in the performance. They looked, spoke, and sang like they truly belonged to their part. The musical was also very well coordinated and I give props to Jenna Soleo-Shanks for having such a well directed musical and I’m sure she spent a lot of time with rehearsals and preparing for this performance and I respect that.
An actor that I was intrigued by was Nick Wright who played Mitch Mahoney. His background of being an ex-convict is interesting to me because in a way he is kind of out of place but not in a sense because there is already a lot of diversity in the character pool. Nick Wright did a great job in acting as Mitch. Nick showed the audience how Mitch didn’t really know what he was doing. But at the end of it all Nick proved to us that Mitch actually did end up finding himself wanting to help the losing kids feel better.
Scenic designer Michaela Lochen, I would have to say did a great job in bringing the setting of the musical to the eye of the audience. From small auditorium to a big gymnasium. You can really feel the musical’s sound and scene around you even from your seat. This wouldn’t be done as well without the placement and action of the lights that were directed by Mark Harvey, this really gave the full experience of the musical, emotional and physical.
-Wyatt Carlson
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks was a rendition of the Tony award winning performance directed by James Lapine. The cast is a mix of actors and audience which creates a very interactive performance. As the quirky characters race around the stage and through their words the audience is taken back to their elementary/middle school years.
ReplyDeleteThe humor in this performance was typically easy to get without much thought, this did cause some confusions. I found it hard to grasp the age of which the kids were supposed to be and some sexual innuendos, although entertaining they contradicted the realities of the portrayed age. It was dictated clearly that Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre was in elementary but after an unexpected attraction to an “audience” member Chip Tolentino had an unrealistic reaction for the typical elementary aged students. This was only an example but such humor was used throughout the play.
Having adult actors play children can be difficult to master. Children are electric and unpredictable and all the actors were able to capture these behaviors very well. The actors also projected the attention spans of elementary aged kids which helped convince the audience otherwise of their true ages. The childlike behavior carried easily and light heartedly through the acts.
The lighting designed by Mark Harvey was very effective in changing the setting from a gymnasium to elsewhere when it was necessary. Since the set didn’t change throughout the play, lighting was used to infer that the setting was no longer the gymnasium. The use of lighting to also infer a flashback was also very clever; it made a smooth, easily understood transition through time.
Costume design by Tascha Balsaitis further helped the actors pursue their childlike characters. All costumes were very specific to the character. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre who was a loud agressive character wore a rainbow tutu and mismatched pigtails. This compared to Marcy Park who was more calm and collected (in the beginning) and wore a muted colored, clean pressed dress. Balsaitis did a phenomenal job at turning these adults to appear childlike and accurately match their personalities.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks chose to make some very interesting choices. One in particular was the changing of characters sometimes on stage. Although the audience was aware of the same actors playing multiple characters, the flow of the story worked very well, Soleo-Shanks did a very good part on this especially.
The set design for The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee by, Michaela Lochen convincingly made a simple stage into an elementary gymnasium. This set contained so many details that anybody could relate back to elementary days. From the Jump Rope For Heart posters on the walls to the rafters on the ceiling that volleyballs would always get stuck in Lochen nailed it.
The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee brought a fun spunk to the Marshal Performing Arts center. The bright colors and quirky characters made the show engaging and entertaining. As the curtains draw on the last performance all of the actors, directors and designers should feel proud of a show well done.
-Caitlin Tschida
Can you spell sayonara? Well, if you were a character in the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, you just might have had to. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was absolutely phenomenal. It was excellent, even if one only viewed as a play, and after taking into account the music and choreography, it is so much better.
ReplyDeleteOne excellent aspect of the play was the light design. Although one might think the lighting isn’t very important, they’d be wrong. The lighting completely changes the focus and mood in a play or musical, and Light Designer Mark Harvey did an excellent job with this musical. Even people who didn’t know much about lighting could experience the differences between what was a flashback, what was present, what was supposed to be serious, and just the mood that the light provided.
Another great aspect of the play was myriad of conventions that were used in the musical. One such convention was that all the cast are adults, and most of them are playing kids, which by itself lends more humor to the show. What makes this even better is the fact that they all played the children WELL, and all the bits in the show meant to illicit laughter succeeded, and then some.
Speaking of characters, the director Jenna Soleo-Shanks did an excellent job of casting characters. You almost believe they’re actually kids, that’s how well the characters cast. Every character’s casting was incredibly believable, and only strengthened the show as a whole. Bot only that, but the actors did a great job of fleshing out their characters so that the audience felt like they knew each character personally. For example, when Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) had his “problem downstairs”, the fallout of it and how he reacts is so believable, its easy to forget that he was an actor playing a role, and not a tween going through puberty.
One of the best aspects though was the set design. The set actually looked like it was pulled straight out of an elementary school, and the thrust theatre was well used as people would sometimes walk down towards the audience, and even interact with them occasionally. For this play, only focusing on one location really works, and all-in-all, it’s very entertaining to watch. The pit Orchestra did an excellent job playing, and if you didn’t see this musical, that is truly unfortunate.
-Jonathan Soelle
P.S. I couldn't delete the first one I posted
Undeniably funny, honest, and heartwarming The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee surprises its viewers at every turn. Born out of improvisation, this play was able to dig deep into each character’s backstory. The collaborative efforts of William Finn and Rebecca Feldman turned these impromptu characters into a hit musical.
ReplyDeleteDirector Jenna Soleo-Shanks made some really fun changes to the script. There were several references in the musical that are relevant to today. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre is one character in particular that had some lines that ended up being on the more political side of comedy. In this case it worked really well, but there are times where it can be too much. Another thing that made this show really stand out was the organized chaos of it. During the songs it was hard to pick just one place to look because every character was doing something fun and uniquely their own.
Anna Matthes who played Olive Ostrovsky did a phenomenal job of pulling at the audience’s heartstrings. Olive’s character is so sweet and innocent that you just can’t help but love her. “The I Love You Song,” was the song that really took the show to the next level. It dug deep into her family dynamic, and Matthes’s way of navigating the emotions plus the choreography of the piece took viewers to a place they didn’t expect from this seemingly light-hearted production.
Brendan Finn who played William Barfee kept the audience laughing, but also slightly disgusted at the same time. This character starts out as kind of a jerk who doesn’t want to be friends with anybody, but by the end he has a handshake with Coneybear and a friend in Olive. This was great because while he had come a long way from where he started, he still had his limitations.
Tascha Balsaitis definitely had her hands full with this show. Each character had their own distinct and pretty out there look. Each costume fit the character’s personality and purpose. Logainne and Coneybear’s stuck out a bit more because of how colorful and wild they were.
Mark Harvey and Andrew Norfolk who did the lighting for the show did an outstanding job of separating the dream sequences and normal life. The lighting really helped to transport the audience to each place even though they never left the gymatorium. During the songs they had to keep track of who had the spotlight, and when to change the mood of the scene. There was so much going on during the play that they must have put a lot of work into making sure the lighting cues were just right.
For a play originally written entirely on improvisation, the ending result is even more impressive than one could imagine. The University of Minnesota Duluth’s Stagedoor production, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, was equally full of political statements as comedy.
ReplyDeleteWith an extremely talented cast of eight, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee went off without a hitch. Brendan Finn’s interpretation of character William Barfee was mind boggling and perfectly imitated the persona of a grade schooler. With his magic foot, he wowed audiences with his niche for slapstick comedy and the portrayal of the weird kid inside us all.
His love interest, Olive Ostrovsky, played by Anna Mathes, was a kindred spirit that expressed herself through dramatic singing and hilarious comments. In a slow-motion scene, the most underrated moment was when she was itching her butt while heading to the bleachers during the contest. The scene where she sang with her mother and father was perhaps one of the most heart wrenching and beautifully written parts of the play.
The many other actors such as Bret Burggraff, Ben Knowlton, Miranda Neuhaus, Hayley Rosenthal, Maddie Schafer, and Nick Wright were equally as talented. Certain moments such as the unwanted erection, the counselor (played by Mitch Mahoney) giving out juice boxes when the kids lost, and the unique musical numbers all made this performance unforgettable.
Audience participation was truly what set this play apart from any others. Four audience members participated in the play as spelling bee contestants and were just as much apart of the performance as the actors.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks created the most picturesque, comedic, and heartfelt adaptation of this play. From unique lighting to exciting musical numbers and choreography, this play did not lack any aspect of a professional theater. The set was extremely imitative of a grade school gymnasium from the bleachers to the hanging posters on the wall that encouraged integrity and cheered on the basketball team.
The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee was a knee slapping experience. The actors amazingly took on the role of children and sang their hearts out. This play was truly coruscating. That’s C-O-R-U-S-C-A-T-I-N-G. Meaning, brilliant and striking in content or style.
University of Minnesota Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a show like no other! The combination of comedy and heartfelt moments created an atmosphere that had the audience hooked and wanting more.
ReplyDeleteThe director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, accomplished great success in creating a realistic gymnasium/auditorium, forming a terrific cast, and achieving humor like no other. She directed the show smoothly and in a way that kept the audience engaged. The way she added comments about current themes pertaining to climate change and gender identities was very intriguing. The audience was also brought back to a time when they were a child, remembering their own struggles, happy times, and embarrassments.
Maddie Shafer brought to life the jovial, most rambunctious, and quirky Logainne Schwartzandgrunenierre. This speech impaired, politic driven girl had her heart set on making her two dads proud.
The hysterical, flamboyant, foot dancing character William Barfée is played perfectly by Brendan Finn. He kept the audience laughing out loud thanks to his snotty comments and egotistical attitude.
Anna Matthes played the timid and sweet Olive Ostrovsky. Her character was portrayed so emotionally, yet powerful, leaving the audience in awe and inspiration. “The I Love You Song” brought chills and even some tears to those witnessing the touching moment between Olive and her parents.
The loveable and silly Leaf Coneybear could not have been played any better thanks to Brett Burggraff. With his cape strapped to his back, he could confidently tackle the task of spelling the words his family believed he couldn’t. Brett’s ability to switch from playing such a convincing kid to a grown man in a father role was very impressive as well.
Ben Knowlton, acting the role of Chip Tolentino, did a spectacular job performing with confidence. This poor kid was dealt an unlucky hand during the spelling bee; given onerous words to spell and having an embarrassing, unfortunate erection.
Marcy Park, the pretentious “know-it-all”, was flawlessly played by Miranda Neuhaus. This little girl strived for success and never let anyone doubt her abilities when it came to her spelling. It was good to eventually see her stray from her standards and realize she doesn’t need to be perfect at everything.
All in all, this production was enjoyable and very well executed. The lighting designed by Mark Harvey brought the scenes to life. The use of colors and motion with the light during a flashback or monologue was fascinating and eye-catching. Director Thomas Jacobsen led the five talented band members playing live music, giving the show character and additional talent. It is clear that hard work and a great amount of talent was put into this outstanding production.
Hope Olson
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was my first college play. I can honestly say I was extremely impressed. I thought theatre productions would be tedious based on my high school theatre experiences. I am glad I
ReplyDeletewas wrong because this play did not disappoint.
I like how director Jenna Soleo-Shanks made the script center around the Duluth area. By doing this made the experience feel authentic as if we were at an actual spelling bee. I enjoyed how the performers would subtly reference topics that are being discussed in today’s news, connecting theatre and society. I especially like how they included audience members. It made you feel apart of the show.
The songs and dance numbers were always upbeat and it never felt like a dull moment. The lighting, let's talk about the lighting by Lighting Director Mark Harvey.. I never knew how much of an impact the lighting can make. The bright colorful lights brought personality to the production. The stage was lit up with bright lights during dance numbers which contributed to the cheerful theme.
Costume Designer Tascha Balsaitis did wonderful job dressing up the actors and making them look like children. What’s more childlike than tutus and capes.
The characters were so fun and energetic. How could not anyone love them? By far my favorite character was Leaf Coneybear played by Bret Burggraff. He seemed to be the most authentic to me. It felt like I was watching an actual child. Leaf was so quirky, funny and he was just such a likable character. Not only did Burggraff do an excellent job of portraying him but his singing was outstanding for someone who is not a professional. Again all the characters did very well but Burgrraff's performance is what stuck out to me.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the play. I highly recommend going to watch the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Trust me it will be worth every penny.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee had the entire audience gasping for air! With multiple laugh out loud moments the play was a comedic masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteDirector Jenna Soleo-Shanks did a phenomenal job of picking an exceptional cast that really fell into their roles. On top of playing their roles well, the six actors did a fantastic job singing as a group and performing their solo’s.
Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) played the role of a stereotypical nerd with his high pants, tucked in shirt, and glasses. Unfortunately he didn't follow the rules carefully enough and got out even though he spelled his word correctly.
The boastful and very easily annoyed William Barfée (Brendan Finn) took on the challenge of the spelling bee with his “magic foot” which he used to spell out words on the floor.
Shy but dictionary smart Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes) stole the show with her heartwarming voice in the “I Love You Song.” With not even showing up with the entry fee, it was a surprise that Olive was even able to participate in the bee, but she sure put up a fight.
The most eccentric person in the show, Leaf Coneybear (Bret Burggraff), was always laughing and just having a good time. Somehow always getting the spelling correct when a light shined on him and he fell into a trance.
Showing what a great voice she has with her “I Speak Six Languages” song was Marcy Park (Miranda Neuhaus). The talented singer was definitely one of the more serious contestants, but opened up more as the show went on.
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Maddie Schafer) who had a lisp and a cheery attitude was taught to be a winner. She tried her best to make her two dads proud while also having a good time.
All six actors did a tremendous job with line memorization and just an overall smooth performance.
The actors weren’t the only people who played an important role. Scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, put on a very realistic setting of the play that was very well done. With the gym wall pads and even a basketball rim hanging off of the ceiling, it really felt like the play took place in a gymnasium. Music director Thomas Jacobsen also played a huge role in the play by conducting/leading the band. The addition of the live, on-stage band made the sound quality incredible. The band also created more dramatic tension throughout the play, especially when somebody misspelled a word.
Overall the play was a huge success. With the comedy, music, and singing all adding up to make a great performance, the audience loved it. Encore to director Jenna Soleo-Shanks and everyone else who made The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee possible.
-Dmitry Christensen
From its roots as an improv sketch to being a fully fledged musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has proven to be an outstanding, energetic work which captivates crowds. Relating to the hardships of finding yourself amongst an ever-changing world, every person can feel a connection to the characters. Reminiscence and nostalgia is a large part of what the show brings. These elements give actors and designers alike the ability to relate very strongly to the audience making for a very amazing and colorful production.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that first catches everyone's eyes as they walk into the theater is the set. Perfectly replicating the image of an elementary school cafetorinasium to the point of there being a 'jump rope for heart' poster on one of the walls. Instantly transporting many back to fourth grade before the performance had even begun. Painted stripes along the walls, exposed rafters, the set design was very well done. All of those elements allowed the audience, especially those who attended elementary school in the early 2000's, connect almost instantly with the environment on stage. Placing the band on stage as well was a risky move because of the distraction factor, but given the dim lighting on that smaller stage it turned out very well. Intricacy and personal detail made this set the exemplary elementary stage that it was.
The characters were very well done as well. From William Barfee to Leaf Coneybear, everyone was colorful and energetic on stage, mimicking the behaviors of children while showing off talent as only seen in adults. I was extremely impressed by the character choices of each actor on stage, the commitment was astounding. Coneybear's energy to the subtleties of repression shown by Marcy Park each character definitely had work put into them.
Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes) proved to be a spectacular performer as she showed off the power of her pipes and her ability to elicit empathy from the audience. Starting off she seemed to be more subtle of a character in Spelling Bee but as the show progressed she showed great prowess as a comical actor in the way she maneuvered every which wrong way around a microphone and demonstrated such emotion in during the song I Love You. She truly embodied the spirit of the show and demonstrated the true skill of a thespian.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks, in other words, nailed it. Her imagining along with scenic designer Michaela Lochen’s envisioning of elementary educational architecture, made for some fantastic work.
-Dryden Schoepel
“The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee” is one of the most hysterical plays that has been put on by UMD. This play was filled with a bunch of different kinds of adult humor and small pokes at different political topics. This humor was further enhanced from the simple fact that all of the characters are supposed to be children, but they are played by adults. When one of the characters would become upset it was very entertaining to watch an adult get angry while also trying to act like a child.
ReplyDeleteThe setting and atmosphere of this play really make it feel like a real spelling bee, and made you feel like you weren't in a theater. One of the best contributing factors to this was the improvised parts were the audience members were able to participate in the spelling bee. During these parts to it did not feel like they were just trying to rush them along then continue with the story, because they actually let the people keep spelling until they got a word wrong. The stage equipment and set were also very beautiful and added to this feeling of being at a spelling bee.
The director Jenna Soleo-Shanks and cast did an outstanding job at giving the characters and plot life. Even when the characters were off to the side you still felt connected to them with subtle things such as a certain movement of the foot. It became very easy to be very involved with each character and to understand them. One of the best characters I believe was Mitch Mahoney played by Nick Wright. Nick did a very great job at conveying the emotions and background of this character as a juvenile delinquent that does not want to be at the spelling bee.
The music that was sung during this play was very tasteful and well done, that gave a lot more background about each character. The song that stuck out the most was the “I love you'' song Sang by The character Olive Ostrovsky, and played by Anna Matthes. Anna did an amazing job at putting a lot of emotion into this song about how her parents neglect her between her tone, body language, and facial expressions. This song adds a serious and connecting feeling to the character.
“The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee” is a must see event that will have you laughing and falling in love with the characters, and is beautifully done by the UMD theater company.
-Kevin Keely
The University of Minnesota Duluth’s performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee had the audience laughing throughout the entire performance, but also lost their attention! The contagious energy throughout the performance was infectious to the audience. This musical was performed beyond all expectations, the actor’s ability to sing and the music that they sung was better than any audience member could have expected. The timing of the climax made it difficult for the audience to maintain focused throughout the play.
ReplyDeleteThe playwright, Rachel Sheinkin, of The Spelling Bee constructed the play well. However; the climax was not portrayed effectively. It was not beneficial for the climax to be presented near the end of the performance, because it brought confusion to the audience. There were moments in the play that could have been considered the climax, but were not, which made the play confusing. Throughout the performance, audience members were becoming restless and losing interest because the plot was confusing and there wasn’t a climax until the near end of the performance. The use of mocking Jesus was not necessary to the success of the production. This minor, and random, addition could have been offensive to audience members. This addition was not relevant to the story line, and the performance would have been more successful without it.
The musical director, Thomas Jacobsen, did fantastic job choosing and composing music that portrayed the specific emotions in the performance well. The songs that were repeated by the band did not become repetitious because the music was enjoyable. The songs chosen for the characters to sing were outstanding. The director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks, casted wonderful actors. She casted individuals that fulfilled the description of the characters, which was beneficial to the performance.
Depressing family situations, unfortunate bodily functions, lack of knowledge, and competitive fathers; these actors portrayed their character’s story well. Brendan Finn, who played William Barfee, had the audience laughing throughout the entire performance. He did a wonderful job using his body to fulfill his character’s role. Anna Matthes, who played Olive Ostrovsky, surprised the audience with her ability to portray her emotions. She had the ability to captivate the audience’s emotions which benefit the entire play.
Mark Harvey, the light designer, amazed the audience with all of the different combinations of light choices. He added to the performances dynamics and brought depth to the emotions felt by the characters. He used a slur of lights to portray that the setting had shifted to the past, or that it was a memory of the character’s. This was majorly effective because it brought the audience with the character and allowed the audience’s imagination to travel back in time. He used lights to portray the character’s emotions as well. When a character was sad, the lights turned blue. This was helpful because the audience did not have to question the character’s feelings.
The scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, did a fantastic job creating and designing a space that fulfilled the purpose. The setting was in a cafenasium, a hybrid of a cafeteria and a gymnasium. There were mobile bleachers, which portrayed that it was not a regular gymnasium, but that it was a cafeteria. There were lines for a basketball court on the floor that showed it was a gymnasium. There was a door that was designed wonderfully, with a background that looked as if it was a hallway. The Spelling Bee was written poorly, performed wonderfully, and designed perfectly.
-Mardi Ehrmantraut
Sure, you can spell ‘cow’ and ‘gerbil,’ but how about ‘staphylococcus’ and ‘crepuscule’?
ReplyDeleteThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ran for the past two weekends at University of Minnesota Duluth’s Mainstage Theatre. The show reminds audiences of the trials of being a child through fast paced humor with a slice of reality showcasing familial situations resonated with lots of audience members, including high expectations from parents, the tropes of going through puberty, a grade school romance, and the struggle of finding a belonging. Adding to the fun, in UMD’s performance the cast called audience members onstage to be apart of the spelling bee.
The music and lyrics for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee were done by William Finn, the composer for Falsettos, so it’s no wonder the actors keep the audience in laughter throughout the night. Actors Bret Burggraff and Brendan Finn’s solo musical numbers gave any musical theatre a parallel to Falsettos with their outstanding belts and timbre. On the other hand, the book was written by Rachel Sheinkin who provided dim and predictable characters and bland script. The writing of a majority of the characters made them feel more like stock characters rather than quintessential. The writing for this play was below average and it was actors and music that made this show worth seeing.
Hayley Rosenthal playing Rona Lisa Peretti, kicks off the show with her striking vocal performance of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” After this number, spellers of the show were slowly introduced so the audience could take in their over pronounced cliche children’s personality. Some of the actors appeared to have taken their character to a new plane with interesting acting choices, others however, seemed as if they put little work into their time developing the character. Brendan Finn’s performance was vocally brilliant and jaw dropping, however the actor seemed more like himself on the stage rather than his character William Barfée. UMD Senior Anna Matthes plays the timid and eclectic Olive Ostrovsky, and had the best vocal performance out of the cast with her high belts in “The I Love You Song.”
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks drafted a fantastic creative team for this show, with professional lighting designers, and a Broadway-esque set design. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee seemed like a somber choice of the UMD theatre department to start off their Mainstage season with. However, even with a below average script Soleo-Shanks never fails to prove her brilliance and fantastic vision she has for theatre. Performed without an intermission, this show left a lot to be desired and seen in the future for UMD actors.
- Sarah Marie Phillips
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was an engaging musical and comical production that was character-driven, with unique, quirky, entertaining actors. The play was written by actors whom created it through improvisation, causing it to be much more comical.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soloe-Shanks was the director of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It was obvious that Soloe-Shanks excelled at her job as the director due to how well each actor portrayed their individual quirky character. Each actor was strongly typecast into the roles. She also created a unique aspect to the play by adding four audience volunteers which made it much more interactive with the crowd along with character Chip Tolentino throwing candy to the audience. Soloe-Shanks included 21st century issues, political issues, and teenage issues while also including adult humor which provided realism in the play.
The musical director, Thomas Jacobsen excelled at his job of composing and choosing the right type and pace of music to correlate with the overall production. The music was effective when it followed the pace of the characters. As each actor started to run around in circles, quickly spelling the words the music was so fast making it just as chaotic and intense and then was slowed down when the actors started spelling in slow motion.
Bret Burggraff played the hilarious sweet character of Leaf Coneybear. Burggraff portrayed his character as if he was actually a child. His quirky energetic self performed a song called “I’m Not That Smart” where he expressed his feeling that he did not belong in a spelling bee but further found himself spelling words correctly and stating that maybe he is smarter than he thought. Burggraff was also impressive with completely switching to another character that was quite the opposite. He played one of Logainee Schwartzandgrunenierre gay fathers going from child to adult, he was spot on with the transition.
Tascha Balsaitis was the costume/makeup designer which played a significant role in fitting the actors into their roles. The character Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre was wearing a bright rainbow tutu and high polka dot socks with her hair high up in pony tails which expressed her character of being a bold outspoken elementary girl with a childish lisp as well as mannerisms. Balsaitis also provided Leaf Coneybear with a costume that added to his character. The cape he wore further proved his energetic personality and flew with him as he was constantly moving and not quite paying his full attention to the spelling bee. Each actor had a much different costume than one another that fit their character exceptionally with credit to Balsaitis.
The production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was an all around well put together play making it worthwhile. The adult actors portrayed the characters as young kids hilariously yet brought an emotional element through singing that created emotions not only for the characters but also the audience.
-Eme Erickson
University of Minnesota-Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnman County Spelling Bee created a whirlwind of emotions within the audience on opening night! A variety of heartbreaking and hilarious stories, all branching out of a very competitive spelling bee, made for a brilliant performance. The limited number of spellers at the bee allowed for intel to be given on each character’s back story. It went from non-stop laughter while Leaf Coneybear (Bret Burggraff) sang “I’m Not That Smart,” explaining his dilemma of his lack of knowledge to a tear jerker when learning about Olive Ostrovsky’s (Anna Matthes) struggle with her parents, who seemed to have fell out of love with each other causing them to somewhat abandon Olive.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soleo-Shanks held a variety of tasks given her role as the director of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It was very evident Soleo-Shanks put a lot of thought into matching the actors with which character they would represent best. Soleo-Shanks directed the actors to utilize the entire thrust stage making for an action-packed spelling bee! Her choreography was not anything extreme but still cleverly put together. She also added the finest details, such as having Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Maddie Schafer) talk with a lisp, creating for a more memorable production.
Each actor held their own throughout the entire play; each portraying such drastic characters. They were given a rare opportunity of including actual audience members on the stage during the live performance and completely went about it like they rehearsed with those exact audience members. Some performers, such as Mitch Mahoney (Nick Wright), bounced back and forth between two character. The ability to go from being one person to a completely different one just proves how talented each of these actors are!
The lighting designers, Mark Harvey and Andrew Norfolk, chose such uncommon lighting adding a special treat while viewing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Such exclusive lighting would occur throughout the play making each scene even more entertaining. The play took place within a scene that exactly portrayed a gymnasium, but the lighting would cause that to be questioned at times. Tascha Balsaitis, the costume and makeup designer, had such great ideas. By giving Coneybear a bright yellow cape she added to his wackiness, and the same could be said for Ostrovsky’s cute little boots to match her innocent personality. Her personality, along with each of the other characters’, was known by the end of this marvelous production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
-Marianna Pavlis
ReplyDeleteThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee had a great atmosphere and exciting energy from the moment the audience came into the theater, up until they left.
The flow of each characters' stories coming all together to help bring the play along was engaging and exciting. When each character would tell the audience their back story, sweet or sorrow filled, each tail brought the audience closer to the plot of the play. This kept the audience engaged and personally connected to the play.
Anna Matthes, acted as the adorable and lovable Olive Ostrovsky in the play. Her story of distant parents and the love and longing she has for them, was well portrayed through her acting and ora on the sage. She has a serious, and realistic narrative that the audience can sympathize with.
The symbolism with their blocking on stage with the I Love You song created a sensation of hope and longing for one another. The symbolism in the distance between Olive and her parents on stage showed the real physical distance between them, but also the emotional distance she felt.
Brett Burgraff plays the adorable and heroic Leaf Coneybear, as well as the serious and determined dad of Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre. Brett did an amazing job of acting the giddy and lovable Leaf. He also did an outstanding job of quickly switch roles to a strict and aggressive father.
The use of lighting in the play brought an eccentric and deeper meaning to the characters. When a character like the gentel Olive was talking, the light on her was light blue, then gently faded and reappeared when she moved. Whereas, the lighting for the chipper and exhilarated Leaf, the light was white, crisp and moved suddenly with him. This aspect helped set the mood and emotion change with each character.
Director Jenna Soloe-Shanks did a successful job casting the talented actors into their roles. Blocking and spacing was done in an exquisite manner, along with the usage of props bringing the gym-like structure to life. The unification of the production and the symbolism helped engage and bring along the story. Real time events in the jokes told helped create a realistic feel; making the production more relatable and enjoyable.
The convention of adding members from the audience in the show formed another exciting factor. The audience was literally brought into the play. This added a connection between the actors and audience relationship that made everyone feel more involved. The scene when the candy was being thrown, the audience got excited and giggling looking at one another and the actors, bringing everyone closer to the play and actors themselves.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee production brought many elements together creating an amazing, engaging show that exhilarating the audience and was beautiful amenity in Duluth's theater community.
-Breah R Friede
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was my first college play. I can honestly say I was extremely impressed. I thought theatre productions would be tedious based on my high school theatre experiences. I am glad I
ReplyDeletewas wrong because this play did not disappoint.
I like how director Jenna Soleo-Shanks made the script center around the Duluth area. By doing this made the experience feel authentic as if we were at an actual spelling bee. I enjoyed how the performers would subtly reference topics that are being discussed in today’s news, connecting theatre and society. I especially like how they included audience members. It made you feel apart of the show.
The songs and dance numbers were always upbeat and it never felt like a dull moment. The lighting, let's talk about the lighting by Lighting Director Mark Harvey.. I never knew how much of an impact the lighting can make. The bright colorful lights brought personality to the production. The stage was lit up with bright lights during dance numbers which contributed to the cheerful theme.
Costume Designer Tascha Balsaitis did wonderful job dressing up the actors and making them look like children. What’s more childlike than tutus and capes.
The characters were so fun and energetic. How could not anyone love them? By far my favorite character was Leaf Coneybear played by Bret Burggraff. He seemed to be the most authentic to me. It felt like I was watching an actual child. Leaf was so quirky, funny and he was just such a likable character. Not only did Burggraff do an excellent job of portraying him but his singing was outstanding for someone who is not a professional. Again all the characters did very well but Burgrraff's performance is what stuck out to me.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the play. I highly recommend going to watch the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Trust me it will be worth every penny.
-Maggie Harms
University of Minnesota Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee simply spells out F-U-N-NY. The Tony Award winning musical by playwright Rachel Sheinkin with music composed by William Finn express the childlike wonder of being in a spelling bee, while adding in some, let’s just say “adult humor”. The musical itself is sure to be a success but with added help from UMDs talented student actors and director Jenna Soleo-Shanks, this show went above and beyond expectations. Every piece of the show stepped out of the box for anyone who thought they knew musical theater, from the on the spot improvisations, to the unbelievable singing, right down to the playful jabs they made at their audience participators.
ReplyDeleteBen Knowlten portrayed Chip Tolentino, the stuck-up winner of last year's spelling bee. Wasting no time getting into character, Knowlten walked on stage in a snotty manner that let you know that he's better than all the other spellers. From calling the onstage volunteers "losers" to telling you that he could've spelled your word faster, he embodied everything about a stuck up child. Not to mention the pure embarrassment he put into his solo number talking about his.. well..unfortunate part of growing up.
Bret Burggraff hypnotized audiences as Leaf Coneybear, the youngest contestant in the bee. Not only did Burggraff show off exactly what it means to be in the prime of creativity in childhood, he did it all while exhibiting incredibly impressive singing skills. With a knack for letting the audiences become part of his childlike, whimsical world, Burggraff made it impossible not to root for the underdog in the bee, just so you could keep watching his performance.
Anna Matthes played the heart-stealing Olive Ostrovsky, the shy, quiet newby, who cares more about her dad showing up to the than she does about winning. Matthes gave a show that made it nearly impossible not to fall in love with her character, from her pure, unadulterated excitement to just be there, down to the way she shows that she cares for her fellow competitors. Not to mention, this girl has some pipes on her. The heart-wrenching ballad “The I Love You Song” juxtaposes the hushed personality of Olive with the incredibly powerful and rich voice of Matthes. She beautifully took the show from just another comedy musical, to a multi-dimensional piece of art that hits all the emotions on the spectrum.
With a cast and crew that was anything but afraid of looking silly, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee broke boundaries set from traditional theater, and left the audience dying laughing.
-Sophie Druckrey
The University of Minnesota Duluths production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was of expectations, enjoyable and worth taking the time to go to for some inexpensive entertainment although nothing was really jaw dropping about the act. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was creatively adjusted to fit into the current status of Duluth. The inclusion of some audience members was refreshing compared to some plays where there is a strict barrier between the two, although the audience members participating as spellers could have been a little more well versed in their role as it was clear the cast was attempting to get one of the audience spellers off the stage, repeatedly calling him up to spell, giving him ridiculous words that he still managed to spell correctly. The stage design was well thought out, the gymnatorium idea was thoroughly evident. The costumes, made a clear delineation between children spellers and adults running the show, although some of the costumes seemed a bit more amatuer than even I expected, hinting at the rainbow tulle skirt. The cast was perfectly chosen, each actor completely engulfing their characters and all the nervous tendencies they could have. Perhaps the most well created character being Coneybear, the costume made clear that he was the youngest spelling contestant and the actor, Bret Burggraff, easily portraying a boisterous young boy hardly containing energy and enthusiasm. Another actor that portrayed his character incredibly well was Brendan Finn playing William Barfée, picking up the many mannerisms that a young confident and frustrated boy would show.. The lighting design of the show was creative, playing between the spotlight on spellers and artificial lighting of a gym as well as making a smooth transition into something more creative and lively during many of the songs performed. Overall the University of Minnesota Duluths production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, was well thought out and a well produced show that solicited many emotions from the audience.
ReplyDelete-Denaya Gross
Can you spell WOW?
ReplyDeleteUniversity of Minnesota Duluth’s comical production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee wowed audiences with its vibrant colors and upbeat songs!
This production, directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, tells the stories of six little kids competing to go to the national spelling bee. Each character tells their own tale of the joys and hardships of being a little kid. In the end, all of the children’s lives are changed by this one spelling bee.
Soleo-Shanks does a fantastic job of including the audience, but still keeping enough aesthetic distance. Soleo-Shanks used a thrust stage. Not only does this configuration allows the audience to feel more engaged, but it also creates symbolism in some scenes. For example, one of the children, Olive Ostrovsky sings a song about her hardships with her parents, the thrust stage creates distance between her and her parents. This leaves the audience with great imagery by the end of the song when Olive’s parents are standing behind her.
The casting for this musical was done very well. Having adults playing these little kids was hilarious, especially when the actors knew how to perfectly play these children. Each character got to sing a song about their hardships. Leaf Coneybear (Bret Burggraff) sings a song called “I’m not that smart” where he shares his struggle of thinking that he is smart and how spelling is his way to cope and get through. Two characters who worked very well together were Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Matthes) and William Barfeé (Brendan Finn.) Matthes and Finn did a great job of creating this competitive atmosphere. They provided the audience with great entertainment and many laughs, and on top of it all, they had incredible vocals. Finn’s song “Magic Foot” left the audience applauding and cheering like crazy.
The production team for this show was marvelous! Scenic designer, Michaela Lochen, created an amazing school gymnasium! It made the musical feel more modern and realistic. Costume designer, Tascha Balsaitis, made the costumes just enough over the top that it added to the comical aspects in the show. For example, one of the kids was wearing a rainbow tutu and a superhero cape. This was one of my favorite costumes because it helped portray this grown adult as a child.
This production was overall one of the most fun and entertaining musicals I have seen at UMD. From the actors to the production team, this musical was polished, exciting, and hilarious. It truly displayed the raw talent of the actors at UMD.
-Kelsey Strand
The 25th Annual Spelling Bee encapsulates the audience in a bright, lively evening full of laughter. The Tony Award-winning production follows six young contestants as they remind spectators what it means to be a kid. The individual musical numbers that every character performs highlight the unique aspects that bring a different perspective to the “Bee.” Throughout the entire performance, each character shows great development that inspires people to embrace the characteristics that make them one-of-a-kind.
ReplyDeleteThe Director, Jenna Soleo-Shanks constructs a seamless production through the placement of the actors. During flashbacks instead of changing the whole scene she blocked the actors to move down stage. Another smart artistic choice Soleo-Shanks had made was creating emotional distance between Olive and her parents by placing her parents behind her when she was performing her “I Love You Song.” Soleo-Shanks used UMD’s thrust stage to her advantage in this production.
Each actor was faced with challenges that were unique to their character but somehow every person casted managed to shape a very believable performance. Highlights of the evening include Haley Rosenthal, who played Rona Lisa Peretti. She opened the show with a musical performance (My Favorite Moment At the Bee) that was engaging and a great exposition to lead into the rest of the show. Her emotions of excitement and nostalgia developed an energy that was extremely contagious. Another exceptionally executed character was Leaf Coneybear, played by Bret Burggraff. Burggraff’s simple choices of how he was flailing his cape around or prancing around on stage during his number, “I’m not that smart” really contributed to this underlying concept of embracing the unique parts of ourselves. Buggraff also played Logainne’s father and created a very distinct difference between the two. He faced this challenge of putting effort into two contrasting characters and represented both consistently with the needs of the production.
The scene designer Michela Lochen designed a gym that was so incredibly done, it delivered instant nostalgia. The green raptors that hung above the stage, or back of the stage being an auditorium wall with posters, even having the cast sit on bleachers, developed such a sense of setting that it made it easy to be enraptured in this charming grade school story. Tascha Balsaitis, the costume designer produced a set of costumes that accurately embodied each character. The costumes were so vital to making the characters seem like children, Coneybear with his cape, Olive with her pink dress and uggs, Barfee with his striped polo shirt. Marcy Parks costume was a huge part of the perfectionist character delivery. These vital aspects of the show delivered a heartwarming production that intertwines six unique characters in such a way that it reminds us of the embarrassment, joy, and wonder of being a child.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was one that won’t soon be forgotten. The Marshall Performing Arts Center was full of laughter and fun, and gave the audience a night it won’t soon forget. With composer William Finn’s wonderfully crafted score, the creative team and cast were set up for success in this fun-filled musical.
ReplyDeleteEach of the six middle-schoolers worked together wonderfully to create the heart of the show, and each got their moment in the spotlight for their songs. Olive Ostrovsky (Anna Mathes) had the perfect opportunity to showcase her beautiful voice in “The I Love You Song”, and Chip Tolentino (Ben Knowlton) did a wonderful job creating a moment that the audience could sympathize with. Leaf Coneybear (Brett Burggraff), while being the youngest character in the show, was one of the most believable characters onstage. William Barfee (Brendan Finn) had such wonderfully animated mannerisms onstage, making his magic foot appear to come alive. Marcy Park (Miranda Neuhaus) had one of the most physically impressive performances, singing “I Speak Six Languages” while showing off her many skills and talents.
All of the actors onstage created an environment that not only was believable, but that the audience could easily interact with. Some of the most fun moments onstage were created by the audience members, and it was very clear that everyone was having a good time. The adults in the spelling bee did a wonderful job pacing the show, while still leaving plenty of room for fun and laughter.
Director Jenna Soleo-Shanks’ vision was inspired and well-presented in this production. She retained all the nostalgia and humor of the script, while using state-of-the-art technology to create fun effects, like Mark Harvey’s lighting design during the song “Pandemonium.” Scenic designer Emily Crawford created an accurate yet artistic space that while feeling like a gymnasium, also felt truly intimate. The costume design was pleasing to the eye, and also managed to eliminate any doubt that the characters were the age they were supposed to be. All of the bright colored elements of the theatrical design in general made the show engaging and entertaining, even when there wasn’t climactic action occurring within the script.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a show that changes every time it is performed. It is a show that can’t be missed, and it was well done by the creative team.
-Emma Craig
The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee
ReplyDeleteThe 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee had audiences laughing the whole way through. A well produced work by Director Jenna Soloe-Shanks, the play was as entertaining as it was funny. From the witty back-and-forth of William Barfée (Brendan Finn) and the Vice Principal from a town over, arguing over the pronunciation of William’s last name, to the goofy antics of Leaf Coneybear (Brett Burggraff), the show never stopped until the lights went up.
Soloe-Shanks used lighting in a very creative way, creating a spinning image as the cast slowly fell into a slow motion set, then again fast forwarding through the latter part of the “Bee.” The humor in the advertising of the Holiday Inn was a well-placed break of the fourth wall, and acted as a mini intermission from the play. The set was well designed, and Soloe-Shanks made it clear that this play was meant to be taken lightly, choosing costumes that said “spelling bee contestant,” and expressed the personality of each character very well. The concise time frame for the play was enough to tell the story, yet short enough to keep the audience’s attention.
The actors were very well rehearsed, and new exactly what they were doing. Choreography and song alike, they had it down. The interaction with the audience participants was well crafted, and they were incorporated with the other actors like they were meant to be there. Quality singing made for easy listening and an enjoyable experience. Anna Matthes, playing Olive Ostrovsky, gave a great performance in her solo song, and made the audience empathize with the fictional, yet so real illustration of Olive’s character. Douglas Panch was perfectly outfitted in the classic vice principal get up, and Jack Senske did a great job of portraying a troubled academic.
Playwright Jenna Sheinkin did a great job of creating a very diverse cast of kids who are going through things that most people went through during that time in school, yet who all had one goal, just for different reasons. From the insecurities of puberty to the hardships of wanting success, everyone has experienced something in the real world that this play portrays.
The music itself was a production, with the band dressed in typical highschool attire, fitting right in with the band kids of every public school in the nation. The theatrical orchestral songs of the play made for easy listening as well as the singing, something to be proud of.
Lastly, remember the Holiday Inn in Duluth, and “when you sleep with us, you sleep with the best.”
-Ethan Wade
The University of Minnesota-Duluth’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee pasted my expectations by a mile. The comedic and musical production was the funniest I have ever seen. The play goes in depth in the characters experience during the spelling bee and they show the joyful but yet stressful times of being a kid.
ReplyDeleteJenna Soleo-Shanks was the great director in this production and her ability to make the audience feel apart of the story made it very easy to feel as you are back in middle school. The way the college actors were able to portray young school kids was very believable says lines that showed some characters immaturity. The way that some of the characters were able to have a flashback scene without changing the stage was a great job.
The scenic director Michaela Lochen did an amazing job of creating the gym stage where the spelling bee was taking place. The stage made it easy for me to relate it to my old style middle school gym which was very nostalgic.
Thomas Jacobsen was the musical director for this production and his work was amazing. The way that Jacobsen was able to connect the music to the emotions that were felt throughout the play made it easy to get sucked into the story. By composing music he brought his own personal touch to the musical that was felt by the audience.
Mark Harvery did a great job at lighting for the play. His use of a spotlight was used to show when the character or characters during the play left the gym and gave a side. This helped the audience understand the story more and was crucial in the play.
Rona Lisa Peretti who was played by Hayley Rosenthal had a huge role in the production. Playing the host of the spelling bee required a lot of energy and character which she brought in this play.
Brendan Finn played William Barfee portrayed a very difficult character did an amazing job. Finn had to play a character that wasn't liked by many and did like anyone in return. The difficult and stubborn kid throughout was the focus of many scenes and this work was inspiring.
The show was very well put together from beginning to end. The group effect shown made this play really stand out to the viewers and must have been just as rewarding to the cast. The amazing singing and acting of the actors was one of the best I have seen and The play is a must see!
-Matt Garrity
UMD Theatre’s production of William Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee entertained a wide array of audiences. Between energetic acting, a well fleshed-out set, and strong lighting, Spelling Bee was a great show to attend and forget about the outside world for a couple hours.
ReplyDeleteThe whimsical nature of the show was unique in a way that’s difficult to describe. It gave the viewer a number of insights into the innocent minds of children learning about the world. One of the primary difficulties of performing Spelling Bee is realistically portraying such whimsy. This challenge was tackled wondrously by the cast. For example, starry-eyed youngster Leaf Coneybear (played by Brett Burggraff) has a number of odd ticks and fidgeting. Burgraff did a great job at portraying these childish oddities , and ended up being one of the most fun cast members to watch. Another character that stuck out to me was the wistful Olive Ostrovsky (played by Anna Matthes). The character of Olive has a deep sense of longing for a number of things she’s too young to understand, and the song that exemplified this longing for me was “The I Love You Song.” Matthis’ chemistry with Nick Wright and Hayley Rosenthal, who played Olive’s parents during the song, was absolutely wonderful. Their voices blended perfectly and the onstage blocking mesmerized the audience with its weaving symmetry, all centered around the “chimerical” longings that cloud Olive’s mind.
The lighting for the show was immersive and overall made good use of the space. For example, in the song “Life is Pandemonium,” the erratic and wild lighting added a sense of unbridled fun and playful urgency to the show. The song’s lighting centered around one character while the rest whirled around the stage, which helped the audience know where to direct their attention without forcibly guiding their eyes to a specific point. This type of lighting happened a number of times throughout the show, and each time added something slightly different to mix it up a bit.
The show’s music was on point. The cast’s onstage chemistry was through the roof, and they were able to interact extremely comfortably with the audience participants. They made funny quips at the unpredictable actions of the volunteers, and never broke character, even when everyone in the whole auditorium was cracking up.
Overall, Spelling Bee was a massive success, and a hilarious two hours for anyone with the time to see it.
-Billy Booth
“25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is in so many words an entertaining, exciting modern creation filled with laughter and intrigue. Directed by Jenna Soleo-Shanks, this hilarious play moves with a constant engaging pace by not only drawing the audience's attention to the center of the stage, but by keeping the energy of the play alive by having characters in the background active and moving. Without fail, one such character could be noticed stretching his “magical foot” whenever he could regardless of if he was directly involved in the scene at the moment!
ReplyDeleteThough pitted against each other in the spelling bee, each character was able to grow as a person right before our very eyes. Through character building and storytelling that seemed to never stop even while moving the plot of the play forward, Soleo-Shanks masterfully allowed each character to show growth without overtaking each other’s individual stories.
With the nearly perfect casting of the actors themselves for their character roles, by director Soleo-Shanks, the lines seemed to nearly blur between actor and character. With each person on the stage by the end of the play it seemed that they where these characters in their own lives! With little to know leap it seemed Brendan Finn, William Barfee, would be the person in the middle of an interview would get up to dance out his answers to perfection! With the curious case of Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, played by Maddie Schafer, an eccentric character in her own right. While over exaggerated with her voice at times, she led us to believe that the base traits of her real personality build her character, as she flawlessly filled the role her character held in the play.
With the choice to have the band up on stage and behind the ongoing chaotic play, Soleo-Shanks opened new ways for the characters to use props such as a piano during a certain scene, to the looks and feel that the band wasn’t only playing music for the play but were actually a part and integral part of the characters themselves while showing off the skills and faces of the entire band for the audience to appreciate.
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee clearly was created to entertain the audience, which it did to an amazing degree! Two thumbs up for Jenna Soleo-Shanks recreation!
-Nathan Bowman