The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, telling the story of six awkward middle schoolers vying to win the Putnam County Spelling Bee. With much comedy, spelling, and improvisation, only one can leave the “champion” but all of them are winners.

The show incorporates 4 guest spellers, who are audience members that spell onstage alongside the cast in the musical! If you would like to sign up to guest spell, please arrive half an hour early, as we will select guest spellers outside the theater when the house opens.

Performances will take place:
Thursday, Feb 5th at 7:30pm
Friday, Feb 6th at 7:30pm
Saturday, Feb 7th at 2:00pm and 7:30pm

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This show contains stroboscopic lighting. Its frequency increases slowly, giving warning before it intensifies.

Physical accessibility information can be found at Logan Theater West's information page.

Cast

Jac Davies (Chip, Jesus, & Olive’s Dad) is a first year and is planning on studying Biology and Chemistry (maybe). This is his first UT show, but he has been doing theatre in his home town of Olathe, Kansas for years. Some of his previous roles include Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Orin in Little Shop of Horrors, Emmett in Legally Blonde, and Ms. Trunchbull in Matilda. He’s very grateful and would like to thank the whole cast, crew, and creative team for all their support and welcoming spirit for his first UT show! He’d love to win the bee on the word ‘unnecessary’ because he’s never spelled that word right before, and it would make him feel very good.

Emily Curran (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) is a fourth-year Public Policy and Sociology major and TAPS minor. She currently serves as UT Committee Chair (though not for much longer as she will be graduating!) and a Theater[24] Curator. Her UT/TAPS credits include: 11 Theater[24] Performances (Curator and Participant); 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Vocalist); 2025 BA Thesis Projects (Lighting Designer); If/Then (Committee Liaison); 13th Morning (Lighting Designer/Asst. Director); Arcadia (Asst. Lighting Designer); Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret); Strings Attached (Lighting Designer); Falsettos (Charlotte); Twelfth Night (Lighting Designer); Be More Chill (Asst. Lighting Designer); Macbeth in Space (Lighting Designer); and Romeo and Juliet (Asst. Lighting Designer). She would like to thank her beautiful and amazing company as well as her beautiful and amazing loved ones (including those who are currently abroad!) for supporting her throughout her entire undergraduate and UT career. It would be impossible to do anything she does without them. If she were to win a spelling bee, she would like to win on the word “agenda” to prove that she can, in fact, actually spell it right.

Daniel Erani (Leaf Coneybear & Carl Dad) is a second-year chemistry major whose previous UT credits include The Arsonists (Gordon Biedermann) and The Tempest (Caliban). When not onstage, he can be found in Harper Café or taking a nap. He would to thank Trader Joes for the brie and baguettes, his really cool and smart friends, and probably also the cast and crew of Spelling Bee, who are just alright, according to him. He’d win the spelling bee on “cantankerous.”

Harry Franklin (William Barfée) is thrilled to be performing in one of his favorite musicals! He is a 2nd year MPP student at Harris and a part-time classroom assistant for a class of adorable 3rd graders. When not performing, Harry enjoys joggling (jogging + juggling), watching 70s movies, and pestering his roommates about whatever 70s movie he just watched. If he won the bee, it would be on the word “callipygian.”

Jessie Palmer (Marcy) is a third year double majoring in evolutionary biology and music. Favorite credits include Vocalist (35mm), writer/composer/director (Royal Flush), Cat in the Hat (Seussical), Anthony (Sweeney Todd), and Cosette (Les Misérables). She studies jellyfish but, to stay on theme, recommends you search up a different invertebrate, the blue carpenter bee. Her favorite word is triboluminescence, but she would like to win a spelling bee on a nice science-y specific epithet like coralliilyticus.

Katy Yeh (Olive Ostrovsky) is a fourth-year Economics major and TAPS minor. In UT she has performed in 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Vocalist), If/Then (Anne), and workshop productions of Strings Attached (Amy) and Perfect Match (Katie). She has also performed with other performing arts organizations at UChicago, including UBallet, the Vocal Studies Program, and Women’s Ensemble. Katy would like to thank the wonderful cast and crew for being amazing, and her family and friends for all their love and support! The word she would want to win the bee on is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Enjoy the show! :)

Joelle Singer Jensen (Rona Lisa Peretti & Olive's Mom) is a fourth year Chemistry major and TAPS minor. Her previous UT roles include Elizabeth (If/Then), Trina (Falsettos) and Jenna (Be More Chill). Other favorite roles outside of UT include Louise (Gypsy) and Wednesday (Addams Family). She would want to win the bee on “Monstrous” since it’s what lost her the bee in elementary school and she never let it go.

Daniel Abadjiev (Vice Principal Douglas Panch & Dan Dad) is a 2nd year physics graduate student making his UT mainstage debut. He has previously performed/written for Theater 24, and has acted, music directed, and played piano in Northeastern’s NUstage Musical Theater Company. Favorite musical credits include Legally Blonde (Music Director), Jekyll and Hyde (Ass. Music Director), Sunday In the Park with George (Louis/Mr./Alex), and Twelfth Night (ensemble). He would love to win a spelling bee on categorification.

Belle Nahoom (Mitch Mahoney) is a master’s student at Booth. She’s done a ton of UT shows in undergrad and has enjoyed all of them!! If she were to win a spelling bee she’d love to win on the word ‘ pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’ cause that would make her look really cool and smart .

Band

Sebastian Altomare (Conductor & Keyboard) is a second-year Linguistics/Computer Science major and TAPS minor. His UT/TAPS credits include: Fresco (Piano); The White City (Piano); 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Cello); If/Then (Asst. Music Director/Bass). Outside of UT, he can be found performing around campus with the Dirt Red Brass Band. And he would win the spelling bee on the word « Obsessulated ».

Eric Zhai (Synth) is a third-year Math and Computer Science major. He has previously played synth for UT on Falsettos and If/Then. He would love to win the bee on the abbreviation SPEBSQSA (the old name of the Barbershop Harmony Society), but if he had to choose a word for realsies, he’d pick a funny sounding word, like zeugma. Or chicken. Chicken is a great word

Loula Barnes (Percussion) is a second-year Public Policy major, perhaps with a minor in physics. In her first year, she drummed for UT’s productions of If/Then and 35mm; you can also find her drumming in the UChicago Jazz Ensemble and the Dirt Red Brass Band. She’d want to win the spelling bee on the word “paradiddle,” the thing that got her into drumming for the first time when she discovered it as a 10-year-old at summer camp.

Daniel Bourland (Reeds)

Jasper Nikolai (Flute)

Rebecca Sias (Cellist) is a Biochemistry major and Visual Arts minor. Her one past experience with UT was playing a very angsty and sunburnt Dora in a T24 skit. She would want to win the bee on the word “chassis” since her own 5th grade spelling bee journey ended on misspelling that word.

Production Staff

August Petry (Director) is a second-year TAPS and Public Policy major, who is so excited to see this production come to life! They currently serve on UT Committee as the Secretary, and previous UT credits include Cactus Flower (Assistant Lighting Designer & Assistant Production Manager), If/Then (Assistant Director), and many Theater [24]’s and Staged Readings. They’re incredibly grateful to the entire company and all of their hard work which has made Spelling Bee possible. If they were to win the bee, they hope it would be on “testudinarious”, as relating to tortoises.

Sebastian Altomare (Music Director) is a second-year Linguistics/Computer Science major and TAPS minor. His UT/TAPS credits include: Fresco (Piano); The White City (Piano); 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Cello); If/Then (Asst. Music Director/Bass). Outside of UT, he can be found performing around campus with the Dirt Red Brass Band. And he would win the spelling bee on the word « Obsessulated ».

Katie Keeley (Vocal Director) is a third-year Creative Writing and Public Policy major. Her previous UT credits include 35mm (Assistant Vocal Director) and If/Then (Chorus). At the time she’s writing this, she hasn’t yet lost her voice during this show, which is a new record for her! She’d like to thank the whole company, but especially this wonderful cast for bringing so much love to this show, and Maddy for making the practice tracks so that she didn’t have to. If she won the bee, it would be on the word leitmotif.

Piper Megellas (Choreographer) is a third-year biology major. She previously worked on The Tempest (choreographer) and is also the assistant director for contemporary dance company UChicago Maya, where she has showcased her choreography over the past two years. She can’t thank the Spelling Bee team enough for the amazing experience of working on the show! The word she would choose to win the spelling bee on is “Echinodermata”.

Clara Pressey (Improv Specialist) is a second year TAPS/Religious Studies double major. She is a member of Off-Off Campus, and her other UT credits include Theater[24] as an actor, writer, director, and now Curator! She would want to win the bee on the word “chiaroscuro.”

Rachel Bolte (Production Manager) is a fourth year who is doing some combination of sociology, German, gender and sexuality studies, and business. Previous UT credits include 13th Morning (Olivia), The Play That Goes Wrong (Asst. Production Manager), and The Arsonists (Production Manager). Many thanks and much love to the company of Spelling Bee, to her roommates and dear friends for the joy and whimsy, and to Stephen Colbert. The word she would like to win the bee on is “pachycephalosaurus.”

Amalia Benghiat (Stage Manager) is a second year linguistics and possibly CHD major, and chemistry minor. Her previous UT credits include If/Then (assistant stage manager) and 35mm (assistant stage manager). She is so thankful to everyone on this show who has been working so hard for the past 4+ months! It has been a pleasure! She would like to win the spelling bee with the word “cantaloupe.”

Will Rehmus (Scenic Designer) is a third-year Astrophysics major and TAPS minor. They have worked on many UT productions in the past as a lighting designer, sound designer, scenic designer, and stage manager. They would want to win the bee on the word “alga”. They hope you enjoy the show :)

Kaden Kaden (Costume Designer) is a third-year History and Linguistics major. They have previously worked on Cactus Flower (Associate Lighting Designer) Troilus and Cressida (Sound Designer), The Play That Goes Wrong (Lighting Designer); Strings Attached (Assistant Costume and Assistant Lighting Designer); Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Scenic Designer); Arcadia & Happy Birthday Mars Rover (TAPS Pro-Shows) (Lighting Programmer and Board Operator); Muscle Memory (Lighting Designer); and eight Theater [24]s (Lighting/Sound Designer). They’d want to win the bee on the word “I win.”

Yufei Chen (Props Designer) is an AB/AM student studying CEGU and Social Work. Yufei has previously worked on The Arsonists (Props Designer), Strings Attached (PM), Dead Fun Society (PM), Macbeth in Space (Co-SM), Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (ASM), Laika’s Coffin (ASM), and Twelfth Night (ALD). She would like to thank her amazing props assistant, C. Yufei would like to win the bee on the word “volcanoes” because, in a fourth-grade spelling bee, she spelled it “volcanos” and lost to the champion.

Alasdair Dodd (Lighting Designer) is a fourth-year East Asian Languages & Civilizations and Religious Studies major. He has previously worked on Falsettos (Lighting Designer), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stage Manager), The Arsonists (Lighting Designer), Troilus & Cressida (Co-Production Manager), The Tempest (Production Manager), and As Y’all Like It (Production Manager). He would win the Bee on “maiolica”.

Sam Doepker (Sound Designer) is a fourth year Computer Science major. All of their previous UT work has been in as sound designer as a part of 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, The Tempest (Dean’s Men), The Arsonists, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Dean’s Men), Falsettos, and The Laramie Project. As a previous regional spelling bee winner, they’re thrilled to revisit the spelling bee arena in a role that involves no actual spelling. Sam would want to win the bee on “daemon”.

Lilianne Asokwah (Assistant Director & Fight Captain) is a second-year Sociology and Global Studies major. She has previously been a part of Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ensemble) and Little Women (Ensemble). She is so grateful to work on her very first UT show and can confirm it’s been a blast! Although she is far past the typical age of a spelling bee participant, she hopes to one day win a bee with the word “exercise.” This is solely because she struggled spelling the word for majority of her formative years.

Loula Barnes (Assistant Music Director) is a second-year Public Policy major, perhaps with a minor in physics. In her first year, she drummed for UT’s productions of If/Then and 35mm; you can also find her drumming in the UChicago Jazz Ensemble and the Dirt Red Brass Band. She’d want to win the spelling bee on the word “paradiddle,” the thing that got her into drumming for the first time when she discovered it as a 10-year-old at summer camp.

Maddy Demers (Assistant Vocal Director)

Carmen Gonzalez Valle (Assistant Choreographer) is a first-year political science major. This is her first time working in UT. She would like to thank Piper and the crew for allowing her to gain a lot of fun and new experiences.

Katherine Bolte (Assistant Production Manager) is a first-year Public Policy major. This may be her first show with UT, but she’s already an expert at picking out bagels for tech. She got out on “original” in the fifth grade bee, so the victory from winning on that word would “bee” too sweet.

Doris Zhao (Assistant Stage Manager) is a second-year Economics major, and this is her first show with UT. The word she would win the bee on is phalange.

Violet Gerson (Assistant Stage Manager)

Ryan Solensky (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a first-year planning to major in Geophysical Science. This is his first show with UT! He would win the bee on Nahasapeemapetilon (Apu’s last name from The Simpsons). He would lose on field.

Elizabeth Goldthorpe (Assistant Costumes) is a first-year with an undecided major. This is her first production for UT, though she acted throughout middle and high school in plays including A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus) and The Day the Internet Died (Joyce). If she were to win a spelling bee, she would want to win it with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Claire Shannon (Assistant Props Designer) is a first-year prospective Physics major and Classics minor. This is their first UT production, and they’re so happy to have been a part of this process! They would want to win the bee on the word “sesquipedalian”.

Tomas Lopez-Valcarcel (Assistant Lighting Designer)

Anna Cho (Assistant Sound Designer) is a first-year humanities major. She has previously worked on Our Town (Sound Designer) and she works in the TAPS prop shop. In her free time, Anna enjoys camping out at cafes. She would like to thank Sam for all the guidance! If she were a speller, she would like to win the bee on “iridescence”.

Zoe Levitt (Assistant Sound Designer) is a first year chemistry major. This is her first production with UT. If she were to win the spelling bee, she would want the last word to be chrysanthemum.

Katy Yeh (Dance Captain) is a fourth-year Economics major and TAPS minor. In UT she has performed in 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Vocalist), If/Then (Anne), and workshop productions of Strings Attached (Amy) and Perfect Match (Katie). She has also performed with other performing arts organizations at UChicago, including UBallet, the Vocal Studies Program, and Women’s Ensemble. Katy would like to thank the wonderful cast and crew for being amazing, and her family and friends for all their love and support! The word she would want to win the bee on is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Enjoy the show! :)

Joseph DePaula (UT Committee Liaison) is a fourth-year Medieval Studies & History major (and TAPS minor!). He has served as UT’s Outreach Chair for the last two years, and he also serves as the Artistic Director for Cup of Theater (UChicago’s experimental theatre RSO) and Production Manager for Attori Senza Paura/UChicago Commedia (UChicago’s one-and-only Commedia dell’Arte troupe). His prior UT credits include Cactus Flower (Director); Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Director/Dramaturg); Royal Flush (UT Committee Liaison); Strings Attached (Walt); The Taming of the Shrew (Grumio); Dead Fun Society (Mark Hellebrand); and Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (Little John). Having acted in Spelling Bee in high school and pushed for UT to do Spelling Bee for several years, he is so glad to be a part of this production, and he is so proud of how it’s turned out! He would want to win the bee with the word “cryptozoology,” which is not altogether a hard word to spell, but still, he feels it would make his years of tinfoil hat wearing and red yarn diagramming finally worth it. He hopes you enjoy the show!