Review: Spelling Bee the Musical
Review of the Award-Winning Off-Broadway Musical Comedy.
The official web site explains ``The Bee`` by simply saying: ``In the musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.``
This description barely does the play justice. Caught on tour at The Orpheum in Memphis, The Bee had the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter, and hanging off every note. Based on C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm, and directed by James Lapine; this show is currently on an Off-Broadway Tour, working it's way through major metropolitan cities across the United States.
With a fairly typical musical opening, the first skits are relatively deceiving. About the time you consider going to grab concessions, a plot rife with borderline raunchy adult humor and truly touching life lessons unfolds to draw the audience into a mesmerizing whirlwind that doesn't let go until the curtains close. Not necessarily suitable for children due to the occasional erection joke and one scene involving popcorn to symbolize an orgasm, the script is perfect for teens and adults of any age.
The Award Winning Cast
Elsa Carmona, from New York titles such as Les Misérables and Campaign of the Century, and who also contributes a voice to Wally the Rocket Monkey on Saturday morning promos for Fox Kids, did an outstanding job as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, the slightly confused overachieving daughter of two gay men.
Kevin Smith Kirkwood, known for multiple Off-Broadway titles, did an outstanding job playing multiple roles, but most notably as Mitch Mahoney the "Comfort Councilor" on parole who is always handy with a juicebox for losing contestants in the Spelling Bee. While just listed as an understudy, in this particular performance, Jeffrey James Binney a recent graduate of Missouri State University, did an amazing job portraying William Barfee; an overweight quasi-ballet dancer with an habitual sinus leak.
The true show stealer is Vanessa Ray of Disney's High School Musical fame, known as the title character in Disney's Finding Nemo the Musical. Cast as Olive Ostrovsky in The Bee, Ray plays a young girl with questionable parents who is in desperate need of some love. Heart moving and funny, Ray hits the high notes that can bring you to tears and move an audience to its feet.
The rest of the cast, also boasting impressive resumes, worked together to pull off a flawless production that flowed smoothly enough between script and song to convert even the staunchest anti-musical advocate.
An Absolute Must See
This is an excellent entertainment choice to take "non-theatre" friends to. Upcoming tour dates are posted on the website. If you've already missed the opportunity to catch The Bee, take comfort; you can be certain it won't be the last time you see this production on the road.
