How do you spell - enjoyable. Definition, please -The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The revival of the musical at New World Stages, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Tony award-winning show is an enjoyable treat for the audience.

Six lovable, quirky, awkward youngsters (all played by extremely talented adults) plus 4 audience members compete on stage in a spelling bee. Each is representing their own school, hoping to go onto the finals. The ‘kids’ are distinctive in their own way; some are almost stereotypes but they become more individualized as we get to know them. Some even have a unique way of spelling.

There’s the perfectionist, a young woman who speaks several languages and does everything perfectly. (Leana Rae Conception as Marcy Park.)Autumn Best plays Logainne, the child with two dads who pressure her to be a winner. She spells on her hand. Kevin McHale (from TV’s “Glee”) is William Barfee. With countless ailments and allergies, he also possesses a ‘magic foot’ which he uses to dance out the correct spelling. He’s surly and eccentric in a group of misfits. Leaf Coneybear’s siblings have convinced him he’s not smart, so he’s not sure why he’s even there. With a perpetual grin on his face, Justin Cooley as Leaf is endearing and feels sheer joy and astonishment when he spells something correctly.

A latecomer who doesn't have the entrance fee, Olive has parents who neglect her (talented Jasmine Amy Rogers from “Boop”) so she spends hours with her friend, the dictionary. She does adorable plays on words and silent letters. Olive isn’t sure if she even wants to win because then who would chaperone her?

Last year’s winner, Chip ( played by Philippe Arroya) is confident and cocky, but when he gets an erection after noticing Leaf’s pretty sister, it distracts him causing him to make a mistake. Later he is relegated to hawking candy in the theater. The scene is hysterical and the adults in the theater roared with laughter. I’m not sure how the many youngsters in the theater reacted to it. Quite frankly, that scene might make a parent hesitate before bringing a younger child which is a shame since the show is perfect for teens and tweens.

In addition to the six contestants, four randomly-chosen people from the audience competed.They were obviously chosen beforehand since judge Miss Cooper (Rona Lisa Peretti) even had cleverly worded quips in introducing each of them. One of the biggest laughs of the afternoon occurred when the young girl actually spelled a difficult word correctly, stunning the ‘judges’ as well as the audience. Obviously, she was supposed to miss it! Former winner, Miss Cooper and the vice principal ( Brandon L. Armstrong) conduct the competition and deliver a lot of the clever wordplay which adds to the enjoyment of the show.
Many of the issues young people have are reflected in these young contestants. Except each of them can sing and they do! With music and lyrics by William Finn, they get to showcase their talents.

The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee is funny, quick and insightful. There are sharp one-liners and poignant touching moments. When the two judges are off-stage for a moment. Logainne offers a quick political commentary which almost seems ad libbed. Although it worked for many in the audience, a MAGA advocate might not appreciate it.
When each child was eliminated, we cheered for them. You find yourself rooting for almost everyone but yet not disappointed with the winner.
No one laughs at these youngsters especially since they seem to be the types who would be bullied; this is their arena to shine. And we root for them all!

Except for the erection scene, the revival of the musical is a delightful show for families. Some children may be too young to get it; others might ask for an explanation. The songs are tuneful, and the musical is basically delightful.The small New World Stages Theater felt like an actual school auditorium. (Teresa L.Williams - Scenic Design)

With the book by Rachel Sheinkin and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, the show works on several levels, appealing to different age groups.
Directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford, the musical is a most pleasant one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission. We have ten contestants and although only one can win the Bee, we all came out winners.