F or the last 15 years, Astoria we meet shy Olive, returning champ Performing Arts Center, has often presented little-known musicals and introduced them to the Queens community with a fresh and exciting new perspective— garnering nine Innovative Theatre Awards and 36 nominations, and many happy audiences. This year, they are taking a grounded approach to a more familiar production, 2005 winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee,” to reveal the truth while letting the humor come from playing the stakes. The characters' humanity and vulnerability make them so relatable and real. The approach is supported by the design, as APAC is treating the space as environmentally site specific. A space that is already a gym will be transformed into the gymnasium for the bee for both audience and characters to inhabit together. Each member of a lovable, eclectic group of middle schoolers is eager to win the spelling bee. During the proceedings, led by our fearless leaders Rona and Vice Principal Panch, Chip, distractible Leaf, overachiever Marcy, activist Logainne, and self-assured William and his magic foot. Through spelling and hilarious song, the struggles and dreams of the participants are revealed and explored as we root for each one. With a tuneful score and lyrics by William Finn (“Falsettos,” “A New Brain”) and a heartfelt, funny book by Rachel Sheinkin, this show leaves us laughing as we are each able to see ourselves in the characters and remember a time when we too put everything on the line to win it all. “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee” is based on Rebecca Feldman’s improvisational play “C-RE P-U-S-C-U-L-E” and was first workshopped at Barrington Stage Company in 2004. Directed by James Lapine and choreographed by Dan Knetchges, the original New York production opened in 2005 at Second Stage. The production transferred to Broadway where it ran at the Circle in the Square for almost three years, winning two Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Featured Actor. Since then the show has been performed across the country and all over the world. Performances will be offered May 5 to 28 at Good Shepherd United Methodist, located at the intersection of Crescent and 30th Road: Thursdays at 8 p.m. Fridays at 8 p.m. Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $18 and are now available online at www.apacny.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office a half-hour prior to performance. MAY 2016 I BOROMAG.COM I 7 Photos by Terence O'Kane Becca Andrews Billy Lowrimore, Heslens Estevez, Emily Borromeo and Patrick Halley
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