How well do you know The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee? Test your knowledge of this Tony Award-winning musical, originally inspired by an improv show and known for its unique audience participation. With real-life volunteers spelling unscripted words and a pronouncer who adds comedic touches, every performance brings a fresh twist to the stage. Dive into these intriguing trivia facts and discover what made this quirky show a hit on Broadway and beyond!
Adaptations
- Walt Disney Pictures announced plans for a film adaptation of Spelling Bee, set to be produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with a tentative release for 2021 that has yet to materialize.
International Productions
- The musical had successful international productions, including in Australia where it won the 2006 Helpmann Award for Best Musical.
Musical Composition
- The original Broadway cast recording was released by Ghostlight Records and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
- Words such as 'astrobleme', 'cat', and 'dinosaur' are spelled by characters during performances of Spelling Bee.
Notable Tours
- The musical has seen various special performances, including a 10th anniversary concert in 2015 where the original Broadway cast reunited.
- Julie Andrews, as a guest speller, missed spelling 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' during 'KIDS night on Broadway' in 2007.
Production Facts
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is based on 'C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E', an improvisational play by Rebecca Feldman performed by The Farm, a New York-based improv group.
- The musical won two Tony Awards in 2005, including Best Book for Rachel Sheinkin and Best Featured Actor for Dan Fogler.
- The Broadway production involved audience participation with four real audience members competing in the bee each performance.
- An adult-themed version of the show called 'Parent-Teacher Conferences' features R-rated ad-libs and is intended for audiences over 16.
- During the 2005 Tony Awards, Al Sharpton, a former presidential candidate, participated onstage as one of the spellers.
- The official pronouncer in the show, often an improv comedian, provides humorous and ridiculous usage-in-a-sentence examples for the words.
- Audience volunteers in Spelling Bee spell words that are often unscripted and improvised, adding a unique interactive element to each show.
