UW Snowy Range Summer Theatre Season Closes with Hit Musical

The University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance’s 2019 Snowy Range Summer Theatre season closes with “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at 7:30 p.m. July 9-13 in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Thrust Theater.

The winsome hit musical, directed by UW Professor Leigh Selting, features the unlikeliest of heroes -- a quirky group of tweens for whom a spelling bee championship is the only place they can both stand out and fit in at the same time.

Tickets cost $10 for the public and $7 for students, senior citizens and children over age 5. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more people. Tickets are available at the Performing Arts box office and the Wyoming Union information desk, by calling (307) 766-6666 or going online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts.

Based on an original play by Rebecca Feldman and performed by The Farm, a New-York-based improvisational comedy troupe, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was crafted into a full-length musical by Rachel Sheinkin (book) and William Finn (music/lyrics).

Six awkward tweens vie for the coveted spelling championship in the Tony Award-winning musical comedy. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the students spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. As the students fight to stay in the contest, the group ultimately learns that winning -- and losing -- is not everything.

Featuring a funny book, an addictive original score and a hilarious competition complete with audience participation, the production is a fast-paced crowd-pleaser, according to the producers.

For more information, contact Kathy Kirkaldie at (307) 766-2160 or kirisk@uwyo.edu.