‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ Musical at Northwestern April 11-12
March 27, 2025
The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts is currently in rehearsals for the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
This Tony and Drama Desk award-winning production will take place Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Fellers Family Auditorium in Herod Hall on the Alva campus.
The department advises this musical is PG-13.
General admission is $15, university employees are $10, and students with a current ID are $5. Advance tickets are available at nwosufinearts.ludus.com/index.php.
Musical Theatre International describes “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” as a riotous ride, complete with audience participation that has charmed theatre patrons across the country with its effortless wit and humor.
The production follows an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents as they vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the disqualification bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter, one speller leaves a champion. At least the losers get a juice box.
The musical’s cast includes:
Lena Aguilar, a sophomore vocal music major from Chanute, Kansas; Bella Anguino, a freshman speech and theatre major from Glenpool (understudy); Alan Garcia, a senior criminal justice major from Beaver; Jameson Hale, a senior music major from Elk City; Jadyn Hendrickson, a freshman speech and theatre major from Waukee, Iowa; Jack Mahoney, a sophomore vocal music major from Enid; Alexander Marshall, a freshman undecided major from Alva; Jaden Matthews, a junior speech and theatre major from Hennessey; Rylee Ott, a sophomore biology major from Forgan; and Lucas Wood, a freshman vocal music major from Enid.
Crew members include:
Gabriel Bussinger, a junior speech and theatre major from Woodward; Dawson Defoor, a freshman speech and theatre major from Erick; Lilith Ferrero, a senior speech and theatre major from Cordell; John Hillman, a sophomore computer science major from Cheyenne; Maegan Holson, a senior psychology major from Waynoka; Lily Post, a freshman speech and theatre major from Ponca City; Gail Schroeder, a freshman speech and theatre major from Okeene; and Riley Shires, a sophomore English major from Waynoka.
Orchestra members include:
Celeste Alvarado, a sophomore instrumental music major from Woodward; Jade Campbell, a junior instrumental music major from Woodward; Dalton Ebert, a freshman instrumental music major from Medford; Kacie Penner, a junior instrumental music major from Fairview; and Chris Perez, a junior instrumental music major from Laverne.
Other members of the production team include Derrick Bready, instructor of music and director of choral studies, as music director; Mickey Jordan, director of technical theatre, and Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre arts and Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts chair, as co-directors; and Lisa Turner of Alva as stage manager.
For more information on theatre performances and courses in the Reichenberger Department of Fine Arts at Northwestern, contact Weast at kkweast@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8462 or see more info at www.nwosu.edu/fine-arts.
-NW-
CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
sjdoherty@nwosu.edu | (580) 327-8480