25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee REVIEWS- Page 2

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 12:47am

Here's the full Isherwood review:

"Can you spell irresistable? Drat! I mean, irresistible?

Yea or nay, that's precisely the word for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," the lovably inconsequential, entirely adorable new musical that opened Off Broadway last night at the Second Stage Theater.

A modest production that, unlike many of today's musicals, feels refreshingly handcrafted rather than manufactured by committee and market-tested, "Spelling Bee" brings to the stage the culture's current mania for celebrating that most revered of American virtues, the will to victory.

But if television's competitive "reality" shows shamelessly exploit viewers' queasy delight in watching the fur fly, the pleasures of "Spelling Bee" are gentler in spirit. The musical pokes serious fun at its twitchy tween contestants - in the loopy spirit of the movies "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show" - but it pays affectionate tribute to these quirky young spelling titans, too. It sweetly, and just a little sentimentally, suggests that the youngsters' initiation into the rigors of competition is at once an excruciating rite of passage and a crucible for character-building.

Musical theater watchers will want to know, first off, that "Spelling Bee" marks a heartening return to the spotlight for William Finn, the gifted lyricist and composer best known for "Falsettos." His nimble, upbeat score provides the emotional underpinning for Rachel Sheinkin's more satirical - indeed often riotously funny - book. The director, James Lapine, Mr. Finn's collaborator on "Falsettos," is also in impeccable form, managing to transform into virtues two of the theater's most reliable pitfalls, namely audience participation and the usually ghastly conceit of adult actors playing kids.

****

"Indeed, "Spelling Bee" has a few saggy stretches as we head into the finals. Each of the participants is somewhat dutifully apportioned a small emotional or moral epiphany, and the enjoyably goofy atmosphere must make way for some earnest attempts to tug at our heartstrings. (The musical can't hope to match the moving honesty of the documentary movie "Spellbound.")

But it never slides wholesale into after school-special territory. How could it, after all, when a winner must be crowned, and the losers must withdraw, choking back their tears? Although you know full well the ending is scripted and thus preordained (no, audience members do not have a serious shot at the trophy), it's hard not to get caught up in the sweaty spirit of competition. In this and some other respects the musical uncannily recalls another, now-classic, show that also dissects the joys and despairs of ruthless competition: "Spelling Bee" is, in essence, "A Chorus Line" with pimples."


NY Times Review

[Mattio98]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 12:53am

Does this mean Brantley won't be reviewing Spelling Bee? Does he only review Broadway?

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 12:53am

HUGE reviews all around. Good for them!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 1:38am

The Times has 5 or 6 reviewers on the payroll. Brantley as lead critic has the authority to review anything that he wants to -- Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway. Isherwood was lured away from being lead reviewer of Variety (a really major assignment) to being the #2 at the Times less than a year ago (presumably in order to reach an even larger audience, and for, I would guess, a much larger salary).

Brantley grabbed "Hurlyburly" (an off-Broadway show which would normally be Isherwood's province, but it is star-studded and possibly moving to Broadway, so I guess Brantley asserted his power) and reviewed it last week.

I'm sure there are all sorts of egos and politics at play here, so I would assume that, in order to keep Isherwood happy, he HAS to be given MOST of the major off-Broadway openings, or else. Isherwood got to review the NYC premire of "Spelling Bee" but, obviously, if it moves to Broadway (a distinct possibility) Brantley will review it then.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 1:56am

Michael Sommers (Newark Star-Ledger) raves:

"A smart, appealing musical, "Spelling Bee" is a winner that could graduate to a longer life in an appropriately sized smaller theater when its limited engagement ends at Second Stage in early March. But don't wait too long to nab tickets -- can you spell "procrastinate"? -- because this original little charmer is a tonic for the midwinter blues."
Newark Star-Ledger

[kyle.]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:28am

ill be in the city in late april/early may for piazza. i can only hope that it will be playing then.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:52am

Theatremania is a rave:

"Great news! The American musical comedy -- with equal emphasis on the "musical" part and the "comedy" part -- is alive and well. This season, woe is us, there's been an onslaught of reasons to doubt that contention; genre aficionados have been assailed with bloated tuners containing what some producers feel are recognizable and therefore commercial elements. No need to mention the offenders, but they are legion.

But hold the (cell)phone: Some other producers recognize that the future of the American musical doesn't lie with multi-million-dollar budgets expended on what are so wrongly perceived as fail-safe ingredients. Some producers, like the not-for-profit Vineyard and Second Stage Theatre folks, understand that it's more promising to go with relatively low-budget fare so that risks can be taken, adventurous notions can be explored, and newcomers in every department can be given a chance to show their stuff.

So, just as Avenue Q was last year's surprise click, this year our sunken spirits are raised by The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With a book by Rachel Sheinkin from Rebecca Feldman's conception and a score by William Finn, the musical is a treat and a half. Although it has urgent things to say about the American obsession with being number one, it connects primarily because Feldman, Sheinkin, and Finn have lit on a milieu in which to have a good deal of fun with music and words -- many of those words literally spelled out."
http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/5623

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 5:55am

A friend of mine saw this last week and like many here, said it was the funniest and smartest musical he has seen since AVENUE Q. A second friend saw it Sunday and said "I laughed a lot...and I NEVER laugh at a Broadway Muscal comedy! " (I know...I have strange friends :) )I'm seeing it on the 22 and am more excited about this show than I am over SPAMALOT or DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.

I have been only skimming the reviews as I worry that I'll run across one loaded with spoilers á la John Lahr.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 9:30am

Skip that last review, then, MasterLcz. :) Though I am glad Finkle, unlike the others, bothered to note that this piece has multiple authors.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 11:01am

What is up with poor Howard Kissel at the Daily News?

"...a cartoon full of strained humor."
"...irritatingly sophomoric."

Poor Howard has a bit of a history with panning shows that have pleased other critics and audiences and me. The loathsome John Simon and Martin Gottfried when he was writing criticism have both been very difficult to please and rather picky, but I have felt that they could tell the reader why they felt a show was weak. Poor Howard can't seem to justify his opinions.

Not to critic-bait, but there is no "there there" to his review of Spelling Bee.

Poor Howard.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 11:28am

YAY the show got the reviews it deserves. Its great to see a show finally getting rave reviews :-P here's hoping the rest of the season pans out so well.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 12:36pm

The first review I read was the Daily News...I was very disappointed. Then I read the Times...and realised (once again) that some reviewers just like to be critical, rather than to critique...

I wonder what the times review would be like if Ben Brantley reviewed...
Likely it would go along the lines of "the show is crap...but let me write a 5 paragraph homage to my leading woman of choice"...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 12:44pm

is this an open-ended run? I'm hoping it will still be running in July so Jarico and I will have the opportunity to see it. I think Spelling Bee and Piazza are the two musicals I am most excited about this season.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 1:00pm

Nope, it's a limited run through March something. But it might transfer afterwards- ATCers have reported seeing various producers in the audience, and with those reviews, things are looking very promising.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 1:16pm

Fingers crossed!

[morosco]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 2:09pm

How refreshing to have an honest-to-goodness MUSICAL on our menu of things to see. Crongatulations to BEE for the swell reviews!!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 2:32pm

Margo, thanks as always for bringing us all the reviews from around the internet. I think with all the present and past reviews that you're always able to obtain, you should start a rottentomatoes.com-ish site for broadway reviews.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 2:34pm

I agree - thanks Margo.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 2:46pm

What Broadway house could it possibly transfer to? What's even free right now?

I know there's been some talk of this on the board, but did anyone come up with possibilities?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:40pm

This show will be the next Avenue Q. The little show that could. And will.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:49pm

It will probably transfer to the Plymouth, if "Brooklyn" folds, which, with the numbers it has recently been seeing, seems to be a distinct possibility. "Hurlyburly" has been eyeing the Eugene O'Neill for its transfer.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:54pm

the plymouth is too big for it. I think it needs a smaller theater. It would be great at the Cort, or at the circle in the square. but both of those theatres are taken. The plymouth is such a dead space. It could wait until Dame Edna leaves and take the Music box. whats going into the walter kerr now that gem of the ocean is closing?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 3:58pm

The Cort is going to be occupied by "On Golden Pond". Circle in the Square is going to "Bridge and Tunnel". Dame Edna doesn't leave until June 4, after Tony deadlines. "Doubt" is moving into the Walter Kerr next month.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 4:01pm

yes me fan I wrote that I knew those theatres are taken but would be perfect for the show... I forgot that walter kerr was being taken by doubt.

My issue is plymouth (if brooklyn finally pulls out) is a huge space and a dead theatre. Spelling bee really needs an intimate theatre such as those I listed. Ie. the reason Ave Q works is because it is in an intimate house.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/8/05 at 4:06pm

I agree with you, UM. I have a feeling though, that in a frenzy to bring it to any open theatre before the Tony cutoff, they'll take it to the Plymouth. I also agree that it is a dead theatre, and only really works for straight plays, like the "Long Day's Journey Into Night" revival, which was perfect there.

Did you think "Taboo" was dead in the Plymouth?