New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

There's a Bee at George Street Playhouse


By Karen Nowosad

originally published: 03/26/2023

(L to R) Angel Lin; Lila Coogan; Jordan Matthew Brown; Sumi Yu; & Sammy Pignalosa in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Yes, there’s a bee on the loose at New Brunswick’s George Street Playhouse. Not to worry; it won’t sting you. But it will get you laughing out loud, a lot. The wonderfully funny musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is a show guaranteed to give you a ton of laughs. It is a well produced production that features a fabulous cast and even a few extras from the audience.

The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee opened on Broadway in 2005 and ran for nearly three years. Along the way, it picked up a number of prestigious awards including a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. It continues to be a popular show seen around the country in theaters and school productions. This production at George Street has to be one of the best to be seen as the Playhouse goes all out for this show.

Cover of the official program of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at George Street Playhouse. Photo by K. Nowosad

The large stage in the Arthur Laurents Theater is set up to be a school gymnasium complete with those less than comfortable bleachers and few table to hold materials needed to run the Spelling Bee. Directed by Colin Hanlon, with a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss, the play delves into the world of young adult competition in one of the most popular nonathletic events – a spelling bee.




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



 

(L to R) Sumi Yu; Sammy Pignalosa; Jordan Matthew Brown; Angel Lin; Coleman Cummings; & Lila Coogan in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The show features music and lyrics by Tony Award winner William Finn. Mat Eisenstein provides Musical Direction of songs designed to tell the audience more about the characters in the Bee. Nancy Renee Braun’s design for the choreography adds a lot of interest to the songs and in some of them, it becomes a little chaotic like in the song “Pandemonium.” It does fit because for those involved in a spelling bee, their lives are focused on remembering many words and trying to outlast and in some cases outwit their fellow competitors.

Many Funny Lines

Introductions to the students are given by adult Rona Lisa Perretti (Ally Bonino). Shown here in the photo, she occupies the main control desk with Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Kitty Reidy) who gives the words, definitions, and uses in sentences. There are so many funny ones that come out. If it isn’t in the definition, then count on it being in the sentence.

(L to R) Kilty Reidy & Ally Bonino in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Sometimes referred to as six middle school “misfits” in Putnam County, these students bring a charm all their own as they bravely attempt to win the top prize. Background stories come out about each student with expectations of how they can do. Shown here is Sammy Pignalosa playing the role of Leaf Coneybear. Although he does not win, he does come to realize that there is more to himself than he thought.




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



Sammy Pignalosa in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Coleman Cummings plays contestant Chip Tolentino. In an attempt to stick around after elimination, he poses as a food vendor. Chip moves through the audience tossing wrapped candies. And the audience eats it up!

Coleman Cummings in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Aaron Michael Ray plays a “comfort counselor” who helps get people out of the Bee area when they don’t want to leave. He also gives a soothing box of juice to help ease the transition. He's shown below with contestant Marcy Park played by Sumi Yu.

 

(L to R) Sumi Yu & Aaron Michael Ray in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The other student contestants are Jordan Matthew Brown as William Barfee,  Lila Coogan as Olive Ostrovsky, and Angel Lin plays Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere.

Ticket Information

The show plays through April 9, 2023. For tickets and more information, go to the George Street Playhouse website.

See this show and have a great time doing it. There are plenty of laughs and good natured materials and songs. You can’t miss!


Let's Go to the Theater helps people learn more about about live theater and develop appreciation for this art form. Karen M. Nowosad is the founder of the site. The enjoyment Karen gets from going to the theater is something she wants to share with others.



Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Unravel

Unravel a Mystery with 'Sherlock Holmes' at the Ocean County Library Brick Branch

(BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- A young woman meets an untimely end just before her sister's wedding. The bride-to-be has an uneasy feeling that she knows the culprit. Time to call the world's greatest detective! Don't miss award-winning actor Neill Hartley's solo performance Sherlock Holmes and the Speckled Band at the Ocean County Library Brick Branch on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Showtime is 6:30pm.



Black

Black Box presents Staged Reading of "Three Tall Women" by Edward Albee

(TEANECK, NJ) -- In association with The Estate of Edward Albee, Black Box presents a staged reading of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women (1991) on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Debonair Music Hall. The winner of the 1994 Pulitzer Prize, the play is about a compelling woman more than ninety years old who reflects on her life. The reading is scheduled for 7:30pm.



Bergen

Bergen County Players to Host Special Post-Show Talkback with Tony Nominated Actress Beth Fowler

(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America's longest-running little theater companies, will host a special post-show talkback with Tony nominated actress Beth Fowler, on Friday, May 16, 2025 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell. The talkback will take place immediately following the 8:00pm performance of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, now on stage thru June 1. Beth will discuss her successful career from "BCP to Broadway."



Burlington

Burlington County Footlighters presents "Fiddler on the Roof"

(CINNAMINSON, NJ) -- Burlington County Footlighters presents Fiddler on the Roof across three weekends from May 2-17, 2025. The classic musical is set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia.



The

The Village Playbox presents "Man of La Mancha"

(HADDON HEIGHTS, NJ) -- The Village Playbox presents Man of La Mancha weekends from May 2-17, 2025. This is one of the world's most popular musicals. Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' 17th-century masterwork Don Quixote, it is set during the Spanish Inquisition.



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Meet

Meet the Artist: New Play Reading - "The Patrons" by Nick Gandiello

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Summit Community Center
100 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901
category: theatre


 

George

George Street Playhouse presents "The Shark is Broken"

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
category: theatre


 

Rock

Rock Of Ages

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: theatre


 

Mean

Mean Girls

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Count Basie Center for the Arts
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
category: theatre


 

Primary

Primary Trust

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theater)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
category: theatre