"With splendid direction and choreography by Jim Giancarlo and musical direction by Jennifer Schloming, the Tony Award-winning musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is a surprising and endearing event steeped in laughter. A winning combination of talent and exuberance keeps the show fresh and moving as the ensemble cast delivers a stirring performance. Songs and energetic dance routines are cleverly woven into the dialogue. Volunteer spellers, recruited from the audience each night, bring lots of opportunities for humorous ad-libs as they actually compete in the spelling bee and audience members root for their favorite contestants."
Evalyn Hansen, Daily Tidings
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is funny. And charming. And full of heart. And, like any competition in which the stakes are high, you can't wait to see who wins. Director/choreographer Jim Giancarlo, OCT's artistic director, brings out the humanity in each of the contestants even as we laugh at their idiosyncrasies. All the contestants are played by students from Southern Oregon University. Giancarlo masterfully pulls out the best in them, developing a cast that not only can act and sing but weave tight harmonies and hit comedic overtones right on cue. Sparkling one-liners abound and some of the best are directed at audience members who agree to become contestants on stage. Spelling Bee is a Tony Award-winner and it's easy to see why. We know these kids. We grew up with Miss Perfect, Mr. Clueless, the nerd who's always blowing his nose. And if we're really honest, we see ourselves in them too." Read more >
Cathy
Noah, Mail Tribune
