Raven’s ‘Spelling Bee’ stirs up laughs

Tribune staff writer takes a look at the Raven’s season-opener
Much preferable to flipping through an old yearbook or attending a dreaded high school reunion, the Raven Performing Arts Theater may have hit upon one of the least painful ways to relive adolescent awkwardness: viewing their production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
The season-opening musical follows six overachieving youths as they compete in the Putnam County “Bee.” Through the competition, they come to terms with their limitations and strengths, all the while interacting with adults who may still have some growing up to do themselves.
At its heart, “Spelling Bee” proves light, frothy fare – a good way to round out the week with a smile. While the musical is not afraid to broach dramatic tensions between its characters, conflicts are kept to relatively common tropes: disengaged parents, feelings of inadequacy and being pushed to achieve too much, too soon.
And like the dramatic aspects of the musical, its songs prove entertaining in context, but don’t necessarily stick around after exiting the theater. After seeing “Spelling Bee,” you may not find yourself unconsciously humming its tunes.    
But the musical possesses staying power in the form of its powerful comedic performances. Adult actors are cast to play the adolescents, and nail children’s body language and mannerisms, from the baton-twirling Marcy Park (played by Rebecca Allington) to the wide-eyed Olive Ostrovsky (Nicole Thordsen) and free-spirited Leaf Coneybear (Shelly Proschold).
Some of the brightest moments stem from the young people’s interactions with Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Tim Shippey), who reads the (mostly) obscure words and provides hilariously offbeat definitions when asked. Memorable antics include the protestation that occurs when an audience participant feigns trouble spelling “cow,” or the look of disbelief that registers on Leaf’s face when she is tasked with spelling, in two separate cases, the name of obscure South American rodents.
Also unique to “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” are its audience volunteers, who participate onstage for a time as guest spellers. The volunteers lend a sense of the unexpected to the proceedings, though all ultimately departed long before the final round with a consolation juice box in hand.
Look out as well for some slick choreography at “Spelling Bee,” in particular when Dylan Hamilton-Smith, who plays spelling bee competitor William Barfee, turns his ode to his “magic foot,” which he employs to spell words across the floor, into an impressive tap dancing routine.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” started as a non-musical play called C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E before being developed into a full-length musical. After receiving an extension and glowing reviews during its tenure at Off-Broadway’s Second Stage Theater, the musical moved to Broadway’s Circle in the Square in 2005, eventually winning two Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor.
“Spelling Bee” runs through Sunday, Sept. 7, with show times at 8 p.m. (Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.) The Raven Performing Arts Theater is located at 115 North St., Healdsburg. Tickets ($10 – 35) may be purchased online at www.raventheater.org, or at Copperfield’s Books Inc. in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa, Pages Books on the Green in Windsor, and Mail Center, Etc., in Cloverdale.