Bangkok Community Theatre stages Tony-winning show

Bangkok Community Theatre (BCT) is staging five rounds of the tuneful Broadway show, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, at Creative Industries at M Theatre, New Phetchaburi Road. Showtime is 7.30pm on Sept 29-30 and Oct 6-7, plus a 2pm matinee on Oct 7.

The show centres on a fictional spelling bee contest set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the bee, run by three equally quirky grown-ups. The ensemble cast consists of the spellers — Jay Pangilinan, Tara Savage, Chad Beegle, Ric Hizon, Emily Clarke, Kerry Donovan and the grown-ups — Celia Barthman, Nico Torio and Kristoffer Cabuyao.

Back at the helm of this two-time Tony winning show will be Michael J. Allman, who directed the musical Nunsense for the English-language community theatre group five years ago.

This time around he will be sharing the platform with Preeyakit Buranasin as musical director.

The production is choreographed by Thanyathorn Thaicharoen. Under the leadership of stage manager Prashanti Subramaniam, the show moves along and keeps the audience laughing and humming catchy tunes.

The musical comedy is based on Rebecca Feldman’s original improvisational play C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, with music and lyrics by William Finn, and a book by Rachel Sheinkin, which earned her a Tony Award.

The show is produced by Don Harrelson, marking his 14th production for the BCT and the third show that he and Allman have worked together on.

Tickets cost 850 baht. Visit bangkokcommunitytheatre.com.