Musical comedy ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ opens April 1 at Rice

CONTACT: Franz Brotzen
PHONE: 713-348-6775
E-MAIL: franz.brotzen@rice.edu

Musical comedy ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ opens April 1 at Rice
Houstonian Paul Hope will direct

Rice University Theatre will present the hip musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” April 1-9 at Hamman Hall on the Rice campus, 6100 Main St. For directions go to www.rice.edu/maps/maps.html.

The play follows six young students in the throes of puberty who are overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves. The students learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser.

Each performance will be unique as four audience volunteers will be invited on stage to participate in the bee.

Performances are April 1 and 2 at 8 p.m., April 3 at 3 p.m. and April 7-9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $8 for Rice alumni, faculty, staff and for senior citizens and $10 for general admission. Tickets are available in advance by calling 713-348-PLAY. For more information go to http://arts.rice.edu.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” won two Tony Awards in 2005 — for Best Book of a Musical and for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. It was written by Rachel Sheinkin, with music and lyrics by William Finn and conceived by Rebecca Feldman.

The Rice production will be directed by native Houstonian Paul Hope, who is the artistic director for Bayou City Concert Musicals (BCCM) and a member of the Alley Theatre’s Company of Actors. He has appeared on the Alley Theatre stage for 15 seasons in a wide range of roles — from Miles Gloriosus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” to Malvolio in “Twelfth Night.” As artistic director for BCCM, he has directed concert stagings of “Follies,” “Falsettos,” “A Little Night Music,” “She Loves Me,” “70 Girls 70,” “Assassins,” “Fiorello,” “Secret Garden” and, most recently, “Pal Joey.”

The production’s musical director, Will Hester, is director of choral music at KIPP Houston High School as well as choirmaster at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Heights. While on the faculty of the Kinkaid School, he served as musical director for “The Wizard of Oz” and assistant musical director for “Les Miserables” and “Sweeney Todd.”

The show is recommended for theatergoers ages 13 and over.