If you go ...
■ What: Performances of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
■ When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
■ Where: Monroe High School Performing Arts Center
■ Tickets: Available for purchase at MHS office during school hours
MONROE - A war of words will be drawn out at the Monroe High School Performing Arts Center as the cast of the spring musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," take the stage while trying to fit in during the trying time of adolescence.
Director Jennifer Moehn said she chose the show because of its message.
"The reason I was attracted to the show was that notion that everybody has value, we should accept other people different than we are," Moehn said. "It's kind of one of our school goals of empathy toward somebody who - you don't know what their home life is about, and how they are at school -may be totally different than what they are in their real heart and their real head."
Perfect student Marcy Park, played by Maddison Markham, just wants to realize her potential to fail at something. Chip Tolentino, a Boy Scout played by Jahir Valentin, returns to claim his title from the previous year at the 2014 Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. William Barfee was a finalist last year. Played by Daniel Sniff, Barfee returns to prove himself after being kicked out of the previous competition due to an allergic reaction to peanuts.
"It's about the relationship of the kids and finding out that even though they're kind of misfits in their own way, they all have something in common," Moehn said.
A boy in a tie-dye shirt steals the show at one point, sure to announce the quality of his hair and the fact that he can't really spell, with a solo examining his life as one of several children in a family of homeschooled kids. Leaf Coneybear makes his own clothes, and as he steps up to the microphone to sing about his lack of intelligence, his bright yellow cape bears a large leaf.
The character is played by Garret Schroeder, a newcomer to performing, who could have been found playing an instrument for shows in previous years. But this time, it was important for him to entertain as a character. He made a promise he would last year, Moehn said, when the school was warming up for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" at the beginning of February.
"The cool thing about Garret is that he's played in the pit the last couple of years," Moehn said. "His best friend was Gage Noble. Gage made him promise he was going to do the show this year, so he is fulfilling that. He has had a blast this year. He's very comfortable on stage."
Noble was slated to play Mr. Bucket in the Wonka performance, but the show was delayed after he and two other Monroe students died in a car crash Feb. 10, the day it was set to premiere. According to the Green County Sheriff's Department, Noble died at the scene after a sedan driving west on Melvin Road failed to stop at an intersection and collided with a truck driving northbound on Clarno Road south of Monroe. Fellow students Joseph Wyss and Anya Teasdale later died in the hospital as a result of their injuries.
The spelling bee musical was created by a nine-person improvisational comedy group, eventually making its way to Broadway in 2005 with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell Pritchett in the television show "Modern Family," as one of its stars.
Moehn said the show may be lesser known than previous performances as of late, including classic shows like "Christmas Carol" and "Guys and Dolls," but the more contemporary musical brings a refreshing storyline to the stage. It is especially enthralling, she said, because spectators get to stay in the same room with the competitors throughout the show and will even get to see a guest-starring teacher who will try to win as well.
"It's got a great message to it and it's a very entertaining show," Moehn said.
Performances of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" will be 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the MHS arts center. Tickets can be purchased at the high school office during school hours.
Director Jennifer Moehn said she chose the show because of its message.
"The reason I was attracted to the show was that notion that everybody has value, we should accept other people different than we are," Moehn said. "It's kind of one of our school goals of empathy toward somebody who - you don't know what their home life is about, and how they are at school -may be totally different than what they are in their real heart and their real head."
Perfect student Marcy Park, played by Maddison Markham, just wants to realize her potential to fail at something. Chip Tolentino, a Boy Scout played by Jahir Valentin, returns to claim his title from the previous year at the 2014 Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. William Barfee was a finalist last year. Played by Daniel Sniff, Barfee returns to prove himself after being kicked out of the previous competition due to an allergic reaction to peanuts.
"It's about the relationship of the kids and finding out that even though they're kind of misfits in their own way, they all have something in common," Moehn said.
A boy in a tie-dye shirt steals the show at one point, sure to announce the quality of his hair and the fact that he can't really spell, with a solo examining his life as one of several children in a family of homeschooled kids. Leaf Coneybear makes his own clothes, and as he steps up to the microphone to sing about his lack of intelligence, his bright yellow cape bears a large leaf.
The character is played by Garret Schroeder, a newcomer to performing, who could have been found playing an instrument for shows in previous years. But this time, it was important for him to entertain as a character. He made a promise he would last year, Moehn said, when the school was warming up for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" at the beginning of February.
"The cool thing about Garret is that he's played in the pit the last couple of years," Moehn said. "His best friend was Gage Noble. Gage made him promise he was going to do the show this year, so he is fulfilling that. He has had a blast this year. He's very comfortable on stage."
Noble was slated to play Mr. Bucket in the Wonka performance, but the show was delayed after he and two other Monroe students died in a car crash Feb. 10, the day it was set to premiere. According to the Green County Sheriff's Department, Noble died at the scene after a sedan driving west on Melvin Road failed to stop at an intersection and collided with a truck driving northbound on Clarno Road south of Monroe. Fellow students Joseph Wyss and Anya Teasdale later died in the hospital as a result of their injuries.
The spelling bee musical was created by a nine-person improvisational comedy group, eventually making its way to Broadway in 2005 with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell Pritchett in the television show "Modern Family," as one of its stars.
Moehn said the show may be lesser known than previous performances as of late, including classic shows like "Christmas Carol" and "Guys and Dolls," but the more contemporary musical brings a refreshing storyline to the stage. It is especially enthralling, she said, because spectators get to stay in the same room with the competitors throughout the show and will even get to see a guest-starring teacher who will try to win as well.
"It's got a great message to it and it's a very entertaining show," Moehn said.
Performances of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" will be 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the MHS arts center. Tickets can be purchased at the high school office during school hours.