REVIEW: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Compass Rose Theatre)

Two! Two language-themed plays in as many days! Ah-ah-aH!

This time we’re sentenced (😉) to an out-of-state jaunt to Annapolis to check out Compass Rose’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the 2005 Tony-winning word circus by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin. This is one I’ve always wanted to check out but never got a chance to, narrowly missing out on Howard’s production last summer. This is my third show in three days, and the seventh in ten, so after this I get to have a nice nap. That is, if the lingering virulent energy of this mounting doesn’t keep me awake.

Book/Music

William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain) shows off his range as a composer with exuberant silliness. Lyrics bounce between stanza with the energy only an energized child could provide, with optimistic instrumentation and the occasional slowdown in pacing to prevent an aural arrest. This results in a set list with less “listenable” songs, since they work best within the real-world context (this excludes some earworms like the title song, “Pandemonium”, and “I Speak Six Languages”), but an enjoyable experience overall, as we follow the proceedings of the Bee. In Sheinkin’s book, we focus on six elementary-middle schoolers competing for a spot at the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. Each one is instantly memorable and have detailed, even sympathetic personalities that creates the argument to root for some kids over another (even if “it’s not a soccer game”, as the moderator Rona Lisa reminds us). Each production also dictates that a handful of audience members participate in the spelling bee — of course, I was one of them — which adds an even deeper element of improv to an already improv-heavy show. And we’re not just spelling, either: I had to get up and dance, talk to the other spellers, and even heckled by the moderators. It’s an extremely fun piece of interactive theatre that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the result is a jubilant exercise in what makes theatre fun: performing, letting loose, and letting your spirit go. 9/10

Acting

The strength of this piece rests upon the improvisational skills of its spellers and adults. Each personality is so illustrated that the acting needs to match, or exceed, what‘s written to maximize the enjoyment. And though Compass Rose isn’t exactly a huge, well-known equity house, it’s attracting talent and passion far beyond its humble stature to create synergy that had the room teeming with giddiness. The entire ensemble were, simply put, having fun with it. (Paying attention to the spellers and adults who aren’t in focus is a highly-suggested activity.) The morphing of adults into children’s roles can be hit-or-miss for me, but this cast knocks it out with aplomb. 10/10

Production

Maryland Hall is a winding complex of corridors and classrooms, nestled at the top being a condensed ballroom where Compass Rose performs. The space is intimate and inoffensive. Staging by Sammy Jungwirth is delightfully colorful and elementary, an arched wooden threshold with public school positivity and stapled-on letters frames a rudimentary platform. Stage right, a desk with juice boxes and a bell. Stage left, hastily constructed indigo bleachers. For a nondescript primary-level spelling bee in [redacted] USA, this feels about right. It carefully treads the line between “feeling” low-budget and “being” low-budget, thanks to energetic direction by Tommy Malek. Careful choreography feels barely contained within the confines of the set, which again is close enough to rope you in. 9/10

Viz

Lackluster external presence is basically the only true shortcoming — their website clunky, and not easy to find key information about the production. From a professional theater, this seemed surprising to me. If they could pull off some indication that this show is as fun, energetic, or well-built as it is like Monumental has in its small size, then we’d be cooking; I want people to know there’s quality theater afoot! 3/10

Verdict

Spelling Bee is acutely directed with radiant ability, creating a two-hour congregation of fun that’s worth the drive to Annapolis. 31/40