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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

BUZZ INTO BROADWAY'S LAUGH-OUT-LOUD SHOWDOWN!

OCT 21 - NOV 2, 2025

Info

Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional Materials by Jay Reiss
Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rebecca Feldman
Directed and choreographed by Dan Knechtges

Six Spellers. One Bee. Endless Laughs.

Theatre Under The Stars kicked off the 2025/26 season with a brand-new production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, directed and choreographed by Dan Knechtges—who returned to this hilarious hit after choreographing its original Broadway run!

This fast-paced musical comedy followed six quirky kids (played by adults) as they competed for glory in a cutthroat spelling showdown. Packed with improv, audience participation, and heartfelt surprises, The Bee was both laugh-out-loud funny and unexpectedly touching.

Each night, four audience members joined the cast live onstage for the spelling showdown. The show proved that winning isn’t everything—and that growing up is its own kind of spelling test.

The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 6

CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR SPELLING BEE

“An unforgettable night at the theater and a triumph that deserves a standing ovation.”

— Armando Urdiales, Broadway World

“Spelling Bee uses a simple structure to spell out big laughs and some heartfelt moments that make for a peculiar, and grandly entertaining theater.”

— Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle

“This show is teen spirit on steroids with a grand wash of sweetness.”

— D.L. Groover, Houston Press

“A heartfelt and endearing show – Spelling Bee is a smash!”

— Armando Urdiales, Broadway World

“The strongest ensemble cast I’ve seen in any show this year.”

— Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle

“Everyone shines in this musical, thanks to Knechtges’ prowess and utter theater professionalism.”

— D.L. Groover, Houston Press

CREATIVE TEAM

Dan Knechtges

Director / Choreographer

Stephen W. Jones

Music Director

Courtney Markowitz

Assistant Director

Keith Williams

Assistant Music Director

Colleen Grady

Costume Designer

Andrew Harper

Sound Designer

Amy Ramsdell

Production Stage Manager

CAST

Michael Alonzo Cast Img

Michael Alonzo

Chip Tolentino
Abigail Bensman Cast Img

Abigail Bensman

Logainne SchwartzandGrubenierre
Kevin Cahoon Cast Img

Kevin Cahoon

Vice Principal Douglas Panch
Marco Camacho Cast Img

Marco Camacho

Leaf Coneybear
JD Houston Cast Img

JD Houston

Mitch Mahoney
Mark Ivy Cast Img

Mark Ivy

William Barfee
Julia Krohn Cast Img

Julia Krohn

Rona Lisa Peretti
Gemini Quintos Cast Img

Gemini Quintos

Marcy Park
Adell Ehrhorn Cast Img

Adell Ehrhorn

Olive Ostrovsky
John Ryan Del Bosque Cast Img

John Ryan Del Bosque

Understudy
Rebecca Russell Cast Img

Rebecca Russell

Understudy

Photos

The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 6
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 7
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 8
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 9
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 10
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 11
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 12
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 13
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 1
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 2
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 4
The Cast of the TUTS Production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Photo by Melissa Taylor Img 5
Photo credit: Photos by Melissa Taylor

VIDEOS

PRODUCTION SPONSOR:

Linda Lloyd Hart

BEHIND THE SCENES

Meet the cast of the 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com