The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts is currently in rehearsals for the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
This Tony and Drama Desk award-winning production will take place Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Fellers Family Auditorium in Herod Hall on the Alva campus.
The department advises this musical is PG-13.
General admission is $15, university employees are $10, and students with a current ID are $5. Advance tickets are available at nwosufinearts.ludus.com/index.php.
Musical Theatre International describes “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” as a riotous ride, complete with audience participation that has charmed theatre patrons across the country with its effortless wit and humor.
The production follows an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents as they vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the disqualification bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter, one speller leaves a champion. At least the losers get a juice box.
The musical’s cast includes:
Lena Aguilar, a sophomore vocal music major from Chanute, Kansas; Bella Anguino, a freshman speech and theatre major from Glenpool (understudy); Alan Garcia, a senior criminal justice major from Beaver; Jameson Hale, a senior music major from Elk City; Jadyn Hendrickson, a freshman speech and theatre major from Waukee, Iowa; Jack Mahoney, a sophomore vocal music major from Enid; Alexander Marshall, a freshman undecided major from Alva; Jaden Matthews, a junior speech and theatre major from Hennessey; Rylee Ott, a sophomore biology major from Forgan; and Lucas Wood, a freshman vocal music major from Enid.
Crew members include:
Gabriel Bussinger, a junior speech and theatre major from Woodward; Dawson Defoor, a freshman speech and theatre major from Erick; Lilith Ferrero, a senior speech and theatre major from Cordell; John Hillman, a sophomore computer science major from Cheyenne; Maegan Holson, a senior psychology major from Waynoka; Lily Post, a freshman speech and theatre major from Ponca City; Gail Schroeder, a freshman speech and theatre major from Okeene; and Riley Shires, a sophomore English major from Waynoka.
Orchestra members include:
Celeste Alvarado, a sophomore instrumental music major from Woodward; Jade Campbell, a junior instrumental music major from Woodward; Dalton Ebert, a freshman instrumental music major from Medford; Kacie Penner, a junior instrumental music major from Fairview; and Chris Perez, a junior instrumental music major from Laverne.
Other members of the production team include Derrick Bready, instructor of music and director of choral studies, as music director; Mickey Jordan, director of technical theatre, and Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre arts and Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts chair, as co-directors; and Lisa Turner of Alva as stage manager.
For more information on theatre performances and courses in the Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts at Northwestern, contact Weast at kkweast@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8462 or see more info at www.www.nwosu.edu/fine-arts.
-NW-
CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
sjdoherty@nwosu.edu | (580) 327-8480