Audience Spellers at "Spelling Bee"

[Chote887]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:18pm

How are they selected?

Has anyone done this?

[MissNY]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:19pm

I haven't done it but they are chosen before the show in the lobby

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:22pm

I did it.
In the lobby, there is a person with a clipboard.
He or she asks people if they are good spellers and then a few more questions.
Then, about ten minutes before the show, if they are going to use you, they get you, take you backstage, and brief you.
Basically they tell you to not try to act because it takes away the integrity of what the actors are doing and makes it stupid. Then they tell you to, for each of your words, to ask for the definition and for them to use it in a sentence.
That's pretty much it.

It's really fun.
You participate in quite a few big production numbers.
And then you get a box of apple juice when you lose.

Updated On: 2/19/05 at 09:22 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:23pm

A young lady with a clipboard comes up to folks as they enter the lobby and asks "Are you a good speller?" If you say yes and are interested in participating, she takes down your name, age, and seat location and around 8:00 picks four to be in the show (she says she casts on personality). She takes the four backstage and gives them a mini-orientation and and sends them back to their seats. They are summoned from the stage about ten minutes into the show and the last speller is dismissed around 45 minutes in.

Ask Priest for more details.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:25pm

Yeah. She told us she chose on personality. So, I guess, be interesting when you talk to her? I dunno.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:29pm

There isn't a doubt in my mind they're chosen for mockability, too. :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:31pm

Yeah. Figures.
Ol' mock-able me.

But, hey, at least I got 'elephant' right.
Of course, the 'Vice-Principal' "yelled" at me when I asked for him to use it in a sentence.

"Elephant"
"May I have the definition, please?"
"An elephant"
"Could you use that in a sentence?"
"PLEASE SPELL ELEPHANT!"

Updated On: 2/19/05 at 09:31 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:36pm

I'm kind of regretting not volunteering, but I was scared of PTSD-style flashbacks. I almost had one just looking at that set. :P

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:39pm

When I went, one of the audience members spelled the word correctly on something that she was "supposed" to have gotten wrong. She couldn't be eliminated when the actors had planned on having her be gone, so they had to give her some word that nobody in the world could spell. It was fun to watch them improvise a bit.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 9:46pm

That happens a lot and the cast are all ready for it.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:23pm

that is a really cool idea. I know they did something like that in Nunsense, but to have the people come up on stage is really cute.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:26pm

When it comes to the spellers, what do you think they will do on the cast album?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:26pm

Is there going to be one?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:29pm

The spellers from the audience don't sing anything, so they wouldn't be on the album.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:32pm

I know, I just thought maybe they would include a spelling scene.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:44pm

I don't think the novelty seeing actual fellow audience members up on stage looking uncomfortable and bewildered (and the whole spontaneous feel of those moments) would translate to an album.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:44pm

i don't think i would want to volunteer, because what if i missed something big? does that happen?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:46pm

Margo's right. If you hadn't seen the show and were just listening to the CD, there wouldn't be any way to know that some spellers were from the audience and some were actors, let alone who was who. It wouldn't really be funny, then.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 11:06pm

That sounds like so much fun! Do you think they'd pick you if you just walked up to the chick with the clipboard?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 11:08pm

If you walk up to her and tell her very enthusiastically that you want to do it, you probably have a good shot (most people avoid her or just flat out say no).

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/19/05 at 11:08pm

Margo and Emcee, very good points.