Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional Materials by Jay Reiss
Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine
Directed by Mandy Fox
Music Direction by Theo Jackson
Six adolescents and four members from the audience compete in a county-wide spelling bee held in a school gymnasium in this Tony Award-Winning musical comedy. As the teens spell their way through the bee, they tell stories about their lives and families, their hopes and fears, as well as the ins and outs of competitive spelling. The fast-paced musical ends in a finale that looks at how the spelling bee affected these high-achieving students, giving the audience a glimpse at how their lives turned out.
Tony Award-Winning lyricist and composer William Finn (Falsettos; A New Brain; Romance in Hard Times; Painting You for Love’s Fire) has written for theatre, film, and television. Much of his work is autobiographical, dealing with belonging, sickness and healing, loss, and the gay and Jewish experiences in America.
Playwright Rachel Sheinkin (Striking 12; Sleeping Beauty Wakes; Little House on the Prairie; Blood Drive; Serenade) won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She has been a Manhattan Theatre Club playwriting fellow and has taught at Yale and New York University.
Access the digital program before, during, or after the performance. No paper programs will be distributed.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Ohio State Theatre Ticket Office, by phone at 614-292-2295, or online through Ticketmaster.
