Stockton, California

Now through Sunday, September 26, 2010, Stockton Civic Theatre will present THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE , a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss.

Co-directed by the SCT father-daughter partnership of Al Muller and Dominée Muller-Kimball, Ed.D., this hilarious tale of overachiever angst chronicles the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The creative team for this 2005 Tony Award Winner produced the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time. The 2005 Broadway production of SPELLING BEE, directed by James Lapine, earned good reviews and box-office success and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two. The original show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions. An unusual aspect of the show is that four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters. During the 2005Tony Awards, former Presidential candidate Al Sharpton competed. Another amusing aspect of the show is that the official pronouncer provides ridiculous examples when asked to use words in a sentence. For instance, for the word "palaestra," he says: "Euripides said, 'What happens at the palaestra stays at the palaestra’”.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will feature a special $15 per seat preview on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. A reception for opening night patrons, with refreshments provided by Grands Amis Winery, will be held at the theatre on Friday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. Performances continue through September 26 on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $21 for seniors, and $15 for students and children 12 and under. Rated R (Adult Situations and Language) . The theatre is located at 2312 Rosemarie Lane, Stockton. For tickets call the SCT Box Office, (209) 473-2424, Tuesday through Friday, 1:00–5:00 p.m. , or go online at sctlivetheatre.com.

The mission of Stockton Civic Theatre is to offer affordable, quality productions, adult and youth education, collaborative outreach programs, and promote involvement with our diverse community.