F-U-N-N-Y
by Winnie McCarthy
The Tony Award winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has returned to Chicago for a continuing engagement at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. Although originally slated to close last month, performances have resumed and are scheduled through September 2nd.
Spelling Bee chronicles a day at a local spelling bee and all the stress that comes along with it. Although the characters are all children (played by adult actors), this show is definitely geared toward teens and adults. Some of the songs and jokes are not appropriate for children, but have the grown-ups roaring with laughter. Each of the main six “children” in the show have some sort of quirk that make them lovable. One of the most humorous parts of the show is when audience members are chosen to “participate” in the spelling bee. The words they are given increase in difficulty to the point of ridiculousness, making it all the more funny.
If you are looking for a funny, non-traditional theater experience, this show would be perfect.
Below, courtesy of You Tube is the original cast performance at the 59th Tony Awards, featuring a special appearance by Al Sharpton.
Did You Enjoy this Post? Subscribe to Chicago, IL. It's Free!
April 26th, 2007 at 11:29 am
I love the Bee! I saw it last summer when my dad and sister came to visit, and I was loling for weeks. Of course, I think that part of my appreciation was the fact that I did Scripps-Howard as a kid, so I know those nerds all too well being one myself!