The College of the Siskiyous Theatre and Music Departments are collaborating to produce the Tony Award-winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This is the first time the Theatre and Music departments have collaborated on a musical in many years.
While a musical is all ‘fun and games’ to watch, the reality is that it is a lot of work and an artistic collaboration between many people. COS’ production team is headed by director, Neil Carpentier-Alting, assistant director, Mette Kolding, music director, Elaine Schaefer and Rick and Peggy Nixon as the choreographers. Behind the scenes, the COS Theatre Department’s lighting class has worked on the lighting for the show and work-study students assisted the set and costume designers.
A small orchestra has rehearsed all semester and will perform live backstage. This is not to mention, as they call in the movie business, the “talent.” Their thirteen cast members are all seasoned actors and singers. These are students with Theatre, Music or Musical Theatre as their major. Putting all the pieces together to fit in the making of a show is just short of miraculous and director Carpentier-Alting loves the process of seeing it happen, “This has been a tough show to put together, but well worth it. I think our community is going to love this show.”
It helps to have a great story and Bee is just that—it celebrates the triumph of doing the best you can. It harkens the Taoist saying “The journey is the reward,” because for most of Bee’s contestants, the destination is not to win. Bee opened on Broadway in 2005 and enjoyed rave reviews. Writers of this disarming musical include music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and the story was conceived by Rebecca Feldman. The musical director, Elaine Schaffer, put it simply, “Fun songs and fun characters!” What more could you ask of a musical. The story chronicles the experience of six adolescent outsiders competing for a spelling championship. It is a quirky yet charming cast of characters for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can standout and fit in at the same time. An exciting part of this show is that it calls for nightly audience volunteers to participate as on-stage guest spelling bee contestants. With new “cast members” each night, there will be a new set of hilarious and unexpected experiences. Theatre goers will want to see more that one performance!
The show opens April 13th at 7 PM with a reception to follow. (Please note the new show times.) It also plays April 14th, 20th, and 21st, at 7 PM and April 22nd at 2 PM in the COS Kenneth W. Ford Theater. Tickets are $5.00 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission. For more information or tickets, please call the COS Public Relations Office at 530.938.5373. For more information on our Theatre or Music programs either visit www.siskiyous.edu/theatre or www.siskiyous.edu/class/music , or call the Theatre Department head, Neil Carpentier-Alting at 530-938-5206 or Music Department head, Elaine Schaefer at 530-938-5315.
Synopsis: Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his kids against prejudice.Play will run July 14th- August 11thParts
