Benton Consolidated High School will present its spring musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 15 and 16, at the Rend Lake College Theatre.
Tickets are now on sale for $10 and can be reserved by calling the high school at 439-3103 or by contacting a cast member.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is a relatively new Broadway musical, performed in this area for the very first time by BCHS, director Pam Kimball said. The audience watches several Putnam County students compete in the spelling bee, along with four volunteers chosen from the audience.
The audience will laugh, cry and cheer on the spellers, Kimball said.
“I first saw this musical in Chicago and loved it! It is hilarious and the characters are wonderful," Kimball said. "I especially loved the audience interaction, as well as the message that sometimes winning is not the only thing that really matters.
"Each of these brilliant spellers has a unique personality and problems that they face as they struggle to be the champion," she added. "Also, the music is great! I really hope everyone will come out and watch it. I know they will love it. It is fun for the entire family."
The spellers include Chris Lowery as Barfee (who spells with his magic foot), Josh Kimball as Coneybear (who no one believes is smart), Ryan Knight as Chip (the Boy Scout who is distracted by Coneybear’s beautiful sister), Tyler Koski as Logan (whose stepfathers push him to be a winner at any cost), Alison Webster as Marcy (the overachiever), and Abbie Price as Olive (whose parents are never around for her).
Sara Barnett is Rona, hostess of the bee and former spelling bee champion, and Christian Hoffman plays the vice-principal Panch.
Other cast members form the onstage audience and play various roles. Cast members include Joe King, Reid Dyel, Troy Stickel, George Workman, Caitlin Spiller, Ashley Zinzilieta, Dara Wilson, Joelle Keener, Amelia Richey, Emily Nolen, Lauren Lollis, Curtis Galloway, Steven Crawford, Aaron Lay, Margaret Kandal, Sarah Bettenhausen, Kayla Erwin, Courtney Knight, Abbie Jerrells, Alison Blair, Brittony Britton, Cyndi Garrett, Danyelle Hoover, Stuart Thomas, Nathaniel Ahfeld, Henry Pickett, Jama Dunbar, Kaitlyn Talley and Zac Thomason.
“If you want to be considered for the four people that get to participate in the spelling bee (you don’t have to spell well!), come at 7 p.m. and be interviewed by Rona and Panch. My son got to be a part of the Chicago production, and it made the whole show even more fun to watch,” Pam Kimball added.
