The Spelling Bee cast with director Dana Shaheen and stage manager Jo Jackson  All photos courtesy of Jamie Foster Photography

This week, I got to be onstage again. I was attending a rehearsal of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE and they chose me as an audience contestant. The last time I acted in a musical was… hmmmm… maybe it was NUNSENSE about 20 years ago?  Yikes. At any rate, I spelled two words right and did the Macarena (badly) before being escorted offstage with my juice box prize. Even in a rehearsal setting with only about six people in the audience, it was a blast!

Director Dana Shaheen has gathered together a talented and energetic cast to take on this delightful tale of teenage overachievers’ angst in the guise of a spelling bee and they are amazing. But don’t be lulled into complacency as you sit in your seat waiting to be entertained. You too might end up being part of the entertainment! A handful of audience members are going to be asked to join the fun onstage every single performance, and whether it’s you, your spouse or your next door neighbor, it’s all part of the fun and you’ll have a blast on or off the stage. I know I did!

Yep. That’s them. The talented cast that can sing, dance, spell and make me laugh. ALOT. Come on out to the Little Theatre this weekend and maybe you’ll get called on to spell a word and do the Macarena too. Even if you don’t, I promise you’ll have a great time. Just ask SLO Tribune writer Debby Nicklas, I think she’ll agree. Or better yet, you can read her story about SPELLING BEE in today’s TICKET right HERE.

Every speller has a unique “technique” to help them spell correctly

I think the rest of today’s BLOG can speak for itself. Enjoy a little taste of the show with these great photos by Jamie Foster Photography and I’ll hope to see you this weekend, or the next, or even the next here at the Little Theatre. But don’t wait too long to reserve your seats, click HERE to get your tickets today !

Chip and Barf “warm-up”

Rona Lisa Peretti introduces the contestants

Marcy gets a “lift” from Rona and Mitch

Leaf Coneybear’s parents offer a little support…sort of.

Every contestant’s exit gets a grand “good-bye”