Culture
Spell it Out: Zanesville Community Theatre Wraps Up 50th Season with Musical Comedy
By: Amy Underwood
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The Zanesville Community Theatre will finish up its 50th anniversary season with a production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, to be held Aug. 2-3 and 9-10 at 8 p.m.
There will also be two Sunday matinee performances on Aug. 4 and Aug. 11, with a 2:30 p.m. curtain time. All performances will be held at the theatre’s 940 Findley Avenue address in Zanesville.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical comedy with a twist: Along with the actors on the “spelling bee stage,” four audience members will be chosen to participate as spellers in the contest.
The play is being directed for ZCT by Jillian B. Von Gunten, with Jan Kiikka as producer and Sheryl Wise as music director.
As a group of students gather for the county’s annual spelling bee, each has his or her own reason to want to win and represent Putnam County in the National Bee. However, the journey to Nationals is not just a spelling competition, but a journey of discovery and growth, for not only the competitors, but also their adult onlookers. This humorous and poignant show looks at childhood as it deals with love, change, loss, and the joy and pain of growing up.
The cast of characters includes Sean Adam McClure as Chip Tolentino, little leaguer and Boy Scout, who has some interesting problems to overcome; David J. Kerr as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, a spelling bee judge; Matt Swingle as Leaf Coneybear, who has a unique approach to spelling his words; Amber Maree Winland as Logainne Schwartzandgrunenierre, the youngest contestant who has a pronounced lisp and a winning attitude; Michelle Robinson as Mary Park, a typical over-achiever who is not allowed to cry; Rob Cook as Mitch Mahoney, the “official comfort counselor” who is performing his community service hours at the spelling bee; Ashley Krieger as Olive Ostrovsky, a newcomer to the competition who is wishing for a parent’s support; Cara Bieber Noyes as Rona Lisa Peretti, the moderator and a former spelling bee winner herself; and Steven Hendershott as William Barfee, who has a truly unique spelling technique to demonstrate.
For more information, or to order tickets online, visit the theatre’s website at www.zct.org. Ticket reservations may also be made by calling the theatre box office at 740-455-6487.