Spelling Bee love! — Page 21

Actually Jud, I think you were the 500th, it's ok though!

I don't have children, but I work with them, and have seen plenty of kids whose parents are neglectful and the kids are so starved for attention.

It was great for my group of teens to go see this show, because everyone can relate to one or all of the characters (spellers) in some way or another. We all knew someone in school who was an Olive, Barfee, Coneybear, etc.

I too saw the part they did on the Tony Awards and decided I wanted to see it. I saw it was comming to Chicago but I am already flying up to see Rent. This morning they announced what shows are comming to Louisville next season and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be here in Feb.

---

ooo...ill most likely go when it plays in Atlanta or Baltimore.or both!

---

Liotte,
Even the actors take an occasional Sunday night off.
Get some rest! You can come back to spell another day....

Thanks for The Barfeeism. It made me smile!

Thanks CL. You're right, the song works on a totally different level outside of the show. Since I've only seen the show once, but heard The I Love You Song about ten times on BWW radio, I'm probably responding more to the parental love. But the fantasy aspect of the parents love, or fake aspect, or whatever, is really what the song is about in the show. Wonderful song.

Welcome to all the recent posters here. Actually, I'm kind of a recent poster too, and I felt very welcomed when I joined. Is this the longest running board - that gets the most consistent repeat postings? It deserves to be.

liotte, have you ever asked Lisa Howard how she sees the character of Olive's mom? Is she playing depressed, or clueless, or proud parent that doesn't have her act together, or selfish parent that can't seem to find any time for her kid but needs to advertise her pride. Just wondering.

Welcome, Judas. You are going to love it! We'll be expecting a review. When?

Well that's great. It is such a wonderful show. I know you will really appreciate it.

If you listen to BWW radio a lot, your bound to hear The I Love You Song, because it is always on the most requested list. That's the song I'm most familiar with. I will get the soundtrack one of these days.

I will ask Lisa next time I see the show. It's interesting to watch Lisa and Derrick during this song when Olive says, "I think he takes out on me what he wants to take out on you", Lisa looks over at him with a kind of shocked, sad look, and he just looks down at the ground. Also, when Celia goes over to the bench and sits down, holding onto her mom's leg, and her mom just rubs her hair and smiles down on her, I feel like it is a look of regret, that she is sad that she is not part of her daughter's life and wishes she could be.
And at the end of the song, when they all just sing "I Love You" a few times at the front microphone, the mom and dad are looking at each other, rather than at Olive. Yet they still push her to the microphone for the spelling of chimerical, wanting her to succeed, maybe so she will be more successful at life than they are- living vicariously through her.
Just some random thoughts.

I think it is a fantasy, as it starts with a definition of "chimerical", meaning unreal, visionary, fanciful, highly unrealistic. The background opens to show the taj majal which is unreal, and I think the song is just a fantasy portrayal of Olive's world which may in fact, include realistic aspects about her life.
But you are right Jud, there are flashbacks from the other characters- Leaf getting the phone call when he is told he will be in the Bee, Logainne studying the word cystitis with her dads, Barfee and the peanut allergy at last year's bee.

Nope, just that one. In her first song (My friend the dictionary), she sings about saving a chair for her parents, and how the dictionary is better than the friends she has made (or lack there of) in school. She is elated at the end (during Second) when she says "Mama, I made a friend"- "We are equals, where neither condescend" which also offer some insight into her world and her interactions with others.