The 25th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee
Putnam County Spelling Bee
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METRO STAGE COMPANY
| The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Directed by Robert Case Music Direction by Maria Duaime Choreography by Julie Lucchetti Fri. & Sat., JUNE 4, 5, 11, 12, 2010 at 8PM Thurs., JUNE 10, 2010 at 7:30PM & Sun., JUNE 6, 2010 at 2PM Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre Central Square, Cambridge |
| Music and Lyrics by WILLIAM FINN Book by RACHEL SHEINKIN Six young people in the the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. 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. |
CAST
THE ADULTS
Paula Markowicz (RONA LISA PERRETTI) - was last seen at Metro Stage Company in ‘Closer Than Ever’, however
she has also participated in several of MSC’s benefit concerts, including the annual Heart and Music benefit, as well as
the most recent event, co-sponsored with the Boston Theatre Community, ‘Let’s Duet for Haiti’. She was last seen, this
past January, as ‘Rona’, in The Company Theatre’s production of ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’, and
is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the Bee (again!) with MSC in this hilarious production! Paula has performed
in and around Boston over the last 25+ years, and favorite roles include Vicki Nichols in ‘Full Monty’, Mother in
'Ragtime', Sister Robert Anne in ‘Nunsense’, Anne Hampton Calloway in ‘Swing’, Mrs. Potts in 'Beauty and the Beast'
and Violet in ‘Side Show’. She has also had the pleasure of performing with Rex Smith, Clay Aiken and Len Cariou. I
would like to thank: the directors, musicians and production staff; this wonderfully talented cast; the brave audience
members, for playing with us; TCT’s ‘Bee’ for making me love this show - and loving me enough to be supportive of
doing it again; and last, but certainly not least, to my friends/family, especially to Michael, Deliah and Mom, for their
love, support and willingness to work around another rehearsal schedule – love you. xoox
Shawn Gelzleichter (VICE PRINCIPAL DOUGLAS PANCH) -is proud to be making his Metro Stage debut in this
production of '25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.' A Music Composition graduate from the University of North
Texas, Shawn has been seen on various stages in the Dallas and Boston areas in such roles as Dave Bukatinsky (The
Full Monty,) Reverend Shaw Moore (Footloose,) Maurice (Beauty and the Beast,) and Myron Hassler (The Pajama
Game.) Shawn also works as Musical Director for a number of local theatres, including The Footlight Club's upcoming
production of 'Rent,' Spring 2011. Shawn works as Director of Music Ministries at Incarnation Church in Melrose. He
would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support, and Maria, Chris, Robert, and the entire cast and
crew for the oportunity to be a part of this amazing production.
Chauncey Moore (MITCH MAHONEY) - is pleased to make his debut with Metro Stage Company after appearing in
the Lyric Stage Company's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Bay Colony's Production of Rent and Our Place
Theatre's Production of Once on this Island. Chauncey works as a Musical Director for various theatre companies and
is the conductor of the Voices of Metrowest and CommonSONG in Natick, MA. He is currently working on his first solo
CD. Chauncey received his professional training at Oakwood University in Huntsville and Howard University in
Washington, DC.
THE SPELLERS
Johnny Newcomb (CHIP TOLENTINO) - is thrilled to be making his second appearance with Metro Stage Company
in their production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Johnny is a junior this year at The Boston
Conservatory studying Musical Theatre and has worked in theaters throughout New England including The
Conservatory, The Boston Children’s Theatre, The Barnstormers Theatre, and The North Shore Music Theatre. Some
of his favorite productions include The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff) Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) Oklahoma!
(Curly) Footloose (Ren) and Urinetown (Bobby Strong). Thanks to Mom and Dad for all their support in such a shaky
biz, Daniel Blake, William Cotten, my North Shore Crew and all my partners in crime at BoCo!
Anne Olmsted (LOGAINNE SCHWARTZANDGRUBENNIERE) - is super excited to make her Metro Stage debut with
Bee. Science teacher by day, Anne has performed at various theaters around Boston for the past five years. Favorite
roles include Tribe (Hair), Nehebka (Aida), Frenchie (Cabaret) and Diane Lee (bare). As a little girl, her mother and
father prepped her every Thursday night for the weekly Friday spelling test. Although time and time again she failed
those tests, she thanks her parents for "supporting me in all of my endeavors". This one is for you!
Josh Pemberton (LEAF CONEYBEAR) - really isn't "that smart" but is thrilled to be back with Metro Stage after being
killed off earlier in the season to make meat pies in Sweeney Todd. Joshua will be a senior at The Boston
Conservatory majoring in Musical Theater. Theater credits include: Aida (MUNY), Grease (MUNY), Strike Up The
Band, Johnny Pye...Foolkiller, Show Boat, Rocky Horror, Our Town, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof, You're A
Good Man Charlie Brown, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, Jesus Christ Superstar, ect.
Joshua has had an Amazing time with this peice and has loved getting to know who Leaf really is. Thank you to his
family for their never ending support. Joshua would also like to thank Metro Stage Company for the opportunity to play
a dream role with a dream cast.
Bill Cunningham (WILLIAM BARFEE) - is very excited about working with Metro Stage Company for the first time.
You may have seen him last in RENT with Bay Colony Productions at the Orpheum Theatre in Foxboro. Other credits
include Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Audrey II(voice) in Little Shop of
Horrors and the Big Baby in Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere at Treasure Island in Las Vegas. During the day Bill is the
Executive Director of the Orpheum Theatre. Bill would like to thank Dori, Paula and his family for their support.
Tiffany Chalothorn (MARCY PARK) - is thrilled to be making her debut performance with Metro Stage Company. She
is going to be a junior Musical Theatre major at the Boston Conservatory this coming fall. Tiffany was last seen in her
school's production of RENT and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Some of her favorite productions include ZOMBIE
PROM (Toffee), PIPPIN (Berthe), and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Millie). She would like to thank all of her
friends and family for their unconditional love and support and would like to dedicate this performance to her Mom,
Grandpa, and Uncle Sam.
Amy Strong (OLIVE OSTROVSKY) - is absolutely thrilled to be making her debut with Metro Stage Company, and to
be channeling Olive Ostrovsky this summer - a character she has been dying to play since the first Bee she attended!
She is a 2009 graduate of Suffolk University, and a native and lover of the city of Boston. Some favorite theatre credits
include Hair (Sheila) at the Turtle Lane Playhouse, Reefer Madness (Mary Lane) with the Suffolk University Performing
Arts Office, and Hair (Crissy) with her second family, the Winthrop Playmakers. She also was lucky enough to appear
in a concert with Broadway's John Bucchino (Vox Humana Project) at the Calderwood Pavilion this past year. She
would like to thank Rob & Chris for this exciting opportunity, and family, friends, and all her tribes for all of the
overwhelming support and love of her and her hectic schedule over the past four years. Specials thanks to her friend,
the dictionary. She feels so so lucky to be working with this great company, production team, and cast!
Paula Markowicz (RONA LISA PERRETTI) - was last seen at Metro Stage Company in ‘Closer Than Ever’, however
she has also participated in several of MSC’s benefit concerts, including the annual Heart and Music benefit, as well as
the most recent event, co-sponsored with the Boston Theatre Community, ‘Let’s Duet for Haiti’. She was last seen, this
past January, as ‘Rona’, in The Company Theatre’s production of ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’, and
is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the Bee (again!) with MSC in this hilarious production! Paula has performed
in and around Boston over the last 25+ years, and favorite roles include Vicki Nichols in ‘Full Monty’, Mother in
'Ragtime', Sister Robert Anne in ‘Nunsense’, Anne Hampton Calloway in ‘Swing’, Mrs. Potts in 'Beauty and the Beast'
and Violet in ‘Side Show’. She has also had the pleasure of performing with Rex Smith, Clay Aiken and Len Cariou. I
would like to thank: the directors, musicians and production staff; this wonderfully talented cast; the brave audience
members, for playing with us; TCT’s ‘Bee’ for making me love this show - and loving me enough to be supportive of
doing it again; and last, but certainly not least, to my friends/family, especially to Michael, Deliah and Mom, for their
love, support and willingness to work around another rehearsal schedule – love you. xoox
Shawn Gelzleichter (VICE PRINCIPAL DOUGLAS PANCH) -is proud to be making his Metro Stage debut in this
production of '25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.' A Music Composition graduate from the University of North
Texas, Shawn has been seen on various stages in the Dallas and Boston areas in such roles as Dave Bukatinsky (The
Full Monty,) Reverend Shaw Moore (Footloose,) Maurice (Beauty and the Beast,) and Myron Hassler (The Pajama
Game.) Shawn also works as Musical Director for a number of local theatres, including The Footlight Club's upcoming
production of 'Rent,' Spring 2011. Shawn works as Director of Music Ministries at Incarnation Church in Melrose. He
would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support, and Maria, Chris, Robert, and the entire cast and
crew for the oportunity to be a part of this amazing production.
Chauncey Moore (MITCH MAHONEY) - is pleased to make his debut with Metro Stage Company after appearing in
the Lyric Stage Company's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Bay Colony's Production of Rent and Our Place
Theatre's Production of Once on this Island. Chauncey works as a Musical Director for various theatre companies and
is the conductor of the Voices of Metrowest and CommonSONG in Natick, MA. He is currently working on his first solo
CD. Chauncey received his professional training at Oakwood University in Huntsville and Howard University in
Washington, DC.
THE SPELLERS
Johnny Newcomb (CHIP TOLENTINO) - is thrilled to be making his second appearance with Metro Stage Company
in their production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Johnny is a junior this year at The Boston
Conservatory studying Musical Theatre and has worked in theaters throughout New England including The
Conservatory, The Boston Children’s Theatre, The Barnstormers Theatre, and The North Shore Music Theatre. Some
of his favorite productions include The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff) Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) Oklahoma!
(Curly) Footloose (Ren) and Urinetown (Bobby Strong). Thanks to Mom and Dad for all their support in such a shaky
biz, Daniel Blake, William Cotten, my North Shore Crew and all my partners in crime at BoCo!
Anne Olmsted (LOGAINNE SCHWARTZANDGRUBENNIERE) - is super excited to make her Metro Stage debut with
Bee. Science teacher by day, Anne has performed at various theaters around Boston for the past five years. Favorite
roles include Tribe (Hair), Nehebka (Aida), Frenchie (Cabaret) and Diane Lee (bare). As a little girl, her mother and
father prepped her every Thursday night for the weekly Friday spelling test. Although time and time again she failed
those tests, she thanks her parents for "supporting me in all of my endeavors". This one is for you!
Josh Pemberton (LEAF CONEYBEAR) - really isn't "that smart" but is thrilled to be back with Metro Stage after being
killed off earlier in the season to make meat pies in Sweeney Todd. Joshua will be a senior at The Boston
Conservatory majoring in Musical Theater. Theater credits include: Aida (MUNY), Grease (MUNY), Strike Up The
Band, Johnny Pye...Foolkiller, Show Boat, Rocky Horror, Our Town, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof, You're A
Good Man Charlie Brown, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, Jesus Christ Superstar, ect.
Joshua has had an Amazing time with this peice and has loved getting to know who Leaf really is. Thank you to his
family for their never ending support. Joshua would also like to thank Metro Stage Company for the opportunity to play
a dream role with a dream cast.
Bill Cunningham (WILLIAM BARFEE) - is very excited about working with Metro Stage Company for the first time.
You may have seen him last in RENT with Bay Colony Productions at the Orpheum Theatre in Foxboro. Other credits
include Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Audrey II(voice) in Little Shop of
Horrors and the Big Baby in Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere at Treasure Island in Las Vegas. During the day Bill is the
Executive Director of the Orpheum Theatre. Bill would like to thank Dori, Paula and his family for their support.
Tiffany Chalothorn (MARCY PARK) - is thrilled to be making her debut performance with Metro Stage Company. She
is going to be a junior Musical Theatre major at the Boston Conservatory this coming fall. Tiffany was last seen in her
school's production of RENT and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Some of her favorite productions include ZOMBIE
PROM (Toffee), PIPPIN (Berthe), and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Millie). She would like to thank all of her
friends and family for their unconditional love and support and would like to dedicate this performance to her Mom,
Grandpa, and Uncle Sam.
Amy Strong (OLIVE OSTROVSKY) - is absolutely thrilled to be making her debut with Metro Stage Company, and to
be channeling Olive Ostrovsky this summer - a character she has been dying to play since the first Bee she attended!
She is a 2009 graduate of Suffolk University, and a native and lover of the city of Boston. Some favorite theatre credits
include Hair (Sheila) at the Turtle Lane Playhouse, Reefer Madness (Mary Lane) with the Suffolk University Performing
Arts Office, and Hair (Crissy) with her second family, the Winthrop Playmakers. She also was lucky enough to appear
in a concert with Broadway's John Bucchino (Vox Humana Project) at the Calderwood Pavilion this past year. She
would like to thank Rob & Chris for this exciting opportunity, and family, friends, and all her tribes for all of the
overwhelming support and love of her and her hectic schedule over the past four years. Specials thanks to her friend,
the dictionary. She feels so so lucky to be working with this great company, production team, and cast!
| Friday, June 11th Patrice Vinci, Comedian/Celebrity Stylist |
| Saturday, June 12th Janet Wu, WHDH-TV Channel 7 |