Reasons Why "the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" Caught Me Off Guard

Last winter, I had the pleasure of playing in the pit band of a local theater's production of "the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." The show was part of what the theater called its Mentorship Program. In other words: the production was entirely student-led down to the choreographers, set designer, conductor, and director.

And maybe it's just because I walked into the first rehearsal with very little expectations, but the entire experience caught me off guard.

If you haven't seen the musical yet, some of the opinions I'm about to share might not resonate, and some of the show's best moments might get spoiled. But that's all the more reason for you to watch it yourself!

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My first introduction to the Spelling Bee was actually a couple years ago, from the audience of a friend's high school production. By the time I was seated in the auditorium with my program, staring at the set and waiting for the lights to dim, I had already formulated an opinion. I mean, the promotional art alone paints the show as a juvenile, surface-level story for kids.

And sure, superficially that's exactly what it is. The story follows Putnam County Middle School's six quirky spelling bee competitors as they strive for first place in the highly esteemed competition.

The Spelling Bee is a comedy show, and it's loaded with hilarious one-liners and witty jokes- some of which my family still find ourselves quoting months later. Douglas Panch, the official 'word pronouncer' is typically played by an improv comedian, and comes up with ridiculous examples whenever contestants ask for their words to be used in a sentence (one of my favourites being: 'Mexican': someone from Mexico, OR an American slang term for anyone from Puerto Rico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, or Spain.")

I also love how the show plays around with the choreography. Actors were hiding under tables, throwing cookies at each other, and walking in s l o o o o w   m o t i o n. Each character felt so animated and alive which, along with the minimal use of props, small cast, and admittedly simple story-line, established a fun, light-hearted tone.

But the Spelling Bee is so much more profound than the frivolous adventures of a class of competitive 12 year olds.

Don't get me wrong- if you want to walk away with a free juice box and a couple of laughs, you'll definitely be satisfied. But sitting through dozens of late night rehearsals gave me plenty of time to really dive deeper into what the Spelling Bee is all about.

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One of the most defining (and catchiest) songs in the Spelling Bee is "Pandemonium." While certain contestants get asked to spell words like "staphylococcus" and "antediluvian," others get "crayon" or "cow." And the students express their frustration in the most appropriate way: an aggressive 3-minute dance number with retaliatory choreography.

Now, the word "pandemonium" literally means "chaos." It comes from John Milton's Paradise Lost, and is the capital of Hell, where demons dwell and wreck havoc on the world. And while the thought of prepubescent spelling bee contestants arguing over the injustice of their contest is certainly engaging, the lyrics of "Pandemonium" raise an interesting question: is life actually pandemonium?

The bee is an allegory for life. Everyday, we face injustices of our own. From the moment we first open our eyes, life just doesn't seem fair.

I mean, some people are born into well-off families in safe countries with loving parents. But others are born into war. Others are born with incurable disease. And still others die before they even get the chance to be born.

Some get asked to spell "staphylococcus." Others get asked to spell "cow."

Or as the refrain of "Pandemonium" puts it: "the best speller won't necessarily win."

The rules of the bee are very clearly laid out at the beginning of the musical, and are constantly being repeated throughout. "Once you start to spell a word, you may start over but the sequences of letters already spoken may not be changed."

The contestants memorize these rules. They live by them. They cling to them. In the introductory song, they chant the rules word-for-word as if in a daze.

"Onceyoustarttospellawordyoumaystartoverbutthesequencesoflettersalreadyspokenmaynotbechanged."

These rules are what give the contestants' chaotic lives order and logic. They're bullied at school for being too nerdy. They don't have nurturing parents or supportive families. Even the words they're asked to spell are unpredictable. But the bee's rules are a way of navigating the confusion and havoc of their lives.

And if life really is pandemonium, what are our spelling bee rules? What do we cling onto to make sense of the nonsense going on around us?

Well, I don't know if that's what Rachel Sheinkin was wondering when she wrote the script for the Spelling Bee. But something that perfectly illustrates that question is the audience participation element of the musical.

During the first half of the show, three or four audience members are asked on stage as 'guest spellers.' Watching them stumble through the word onomatopoeia (especially when they're twice the age of the other competitors) is a fun gag, but it also manifests that theme of life's pandemonium by creating a situation where no one- not the guest spellers, not the actors, not the audience- knows what to expect.

I've seen the Spelling Bee as an audience member, a guest speller, and a pit musician. I've seen it performed by professional actors, and by high school amateurs. I've had the privilege of experiencing the show from all angles.

And I know that it isn't the most popular or world-renowned musical, but the best musicals aren't necessarily the most successful. Or, in the words of Chip Tolentino "the best speller won't necessarily win."

So, just like how life's pandemonious moments can catch us by surprise, that's why the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee caught me off guard.