The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

In a loss that I still mourn to this very day, the student group producing the show wasn't able to get someone to a dress rehearsal or performance in order to take proper production photos. We were, however, able to get a video recording of one of the performances. The majority of the photos below are screenshots taken from that video — hence the less-than-stellar quality. I adored this production, and I hope that the love and joy put into it can still be seen through the blurriness.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Director's Note

If you’d asked me, say, 7 years ago if I thought I’d be given the opportunity to direct a full musical as a college sophomore, I’d have probably ignored your question, and been thinking something along the lines of “please leave me alone, I am angsty and awkward and have social anxiety.” To be quite honest, the latter part of that sentence still applies to me to this day — and maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to Spelling Bee.

With this musical, it’s so easy to get caught up in the schtick of adults playing adolescents and make the characters into caricatures for the sake of comedy. But when you look deeper (as I always do), you find so much more. These characters, although perhaps exaggerated, are real, complex kids, in all their quirky, wholesome, weird, and awkward glory. They are somehow both lacking in self-awareness and hyperactively aware of their own flaws and insecurities. As an awkward, anxious college student, caught somewhere between adolescence and adulthood, I see reflections of myself in so many qualities of the characters in this musical (both flattering and not-so-much).

If you’ll pardon the cheesiness of my sentiment, I believe that everyone still has that awkward middle school version of themselves somewhere deep (or not-so-deep) down. It’s something we don’t want to remember, and that we strive to get far away from. But this musical and its wonderfully-drawn characters show us that we should embrace some of those parts of ourselves. We shouldn’t try to escape childhood and become grown-ups as soon as possible, or bury our “nerdy” passions, or force ourselves to fit the mold that we’ve been designated. We should allow ourselves to be enthusiastic, to have our strange quirks, and to love what we love, wholeheartedly and unabashedly. We should all be a little more like our 12-year-old selves. This show has certainly helped me learn that — and I hope it does the same for you.

With love and a strange new conviction,

Mercedes Blankenship

Director

Excerpts from my original directing proposal

Prompt: Please explain why you want to direct this show. Why is this show suited to AU Players? (Please write 200-250 words).

I want to direct this show quite simply because I love this show. I think Spelling Bee is a hilarious, fun, and touching musical that people (actors and audience members alike) can enjoy and connect with. Even though it’s primarily a comedy, at its core, it’s such an honest, well-rounded story. It also challenges both the actors and the production team in terms of the improvisation and audience participation elements, and helps us grow as artists. This show is particularly appropriate to AU Players because college students can relate to the awkwardness and sincerity of this coming-of-age story; it wasn’t long ago that we were awkward pre-teens trying to figure ourselves out, and it’s still part of who we are today. This show is also an ensemble piece in the truest sense of the term - each one of the characters is showcased in one way or another, allowing the actors to create full, complex characters and to just have fun. Spelling Bee is also a show that can lend itself to diversity - experiences like these are universal, and that allows me a ton of flexibility in terms of race, ethnicity, size, etc. of the actors (which I would strive for).

Prompt: Explain your directorial concept. Give a concise vision of how you plan to direct this show. Explain any directorial choices involving set, costumes, etc. (Please write 250-500 words).

In 3 words: Authenticity, risk-taking, fun.

In a sentence: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a comedic yet heartfelt story of adolescents (and adults) learning to understand themselves and the world around them, while also spelling words in a middle school cafetorium.

Casting: The schtick of this show is adults playing kids, and it can sometimes rely on typecasting to achieve the comedy that goes along with that. However, rather than depending on archetypes and typecasting, I want to create a cast of people who are willing to take risks, challenge themselves, and be authentic. I want the audience to forget that the actors are adults playing kids because of the honesty of the actors’ performances. As a part of this, during auditions and callbacks, I want to give people a chance to go outside of their “type” by asking them to read/sing for roles that they may not typically be seen for. During the rehearsal process, I will put an emphasis on developing and understanding one’s character. In addition to making the show more authentic, this character development will also help the actors significantly with the improvisation that features heavily in Spelling Bee.

Set / Props: In keeping with authenticity, the set and props of this show will not reflect the Huge Event™ that the characters see it as. Rather, I want this show to reflect what a real, small county spelling bee would look like. In terms of set, it will very much be taking place in a cafetorium or “all purpose room.” The kids will be sitting on risers/bleachers and the adults will be sitting at a table that was lying somewhere around the school. There will be banners, posters, and flags hung up on stage, and potentially around the entire venue (depending on where the show is performed). “Changes” in setting that are indicated by the script will be conveyed through lighting, props, and/or the actors themselves. The props will be equally simple and low-budget.

Costumes: As with most shows, many productions of Spelling Bee try to replicate the costumes of the original Broadway production. That would not be the case for this production, however. As the actors develop their characters, I would work with them to figure out how they think their character would dress. From there, we would go out to thrift/consignment stores and look for those costumes, or potentially look in our own closets to find things. Have I said authenticity enough? Because I’m happy to say it again!!

Overall: I think that these stories should be told, I think that the comedy and improvisation in the show help a lot in telling them, and I think the audience participation helps to get the audience invested. This show is near and dear to my heart, and I’d love to share it with even more people.

Production Credits

Location: Studio Theatre, Katzen Arts Center at American University
Produced by: AU Players
Director: Mercedes Blankenship
Stage Manager: Aryn Geier

Assoc. Stage Manager: Grace Walker