Clear your sixth weekend schedule, Carls: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” has arrived on campus! Watch as six tweens battle it out for this prestigious competition win, spelling their way through some possibly less-than-real words and revealing some of their innermost struggles along the way.
Over the years, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” has seen many runs on- and off-Broadway. The original off-Broadway production ran from Feb. 7 to March 20, 2005, winning awards from the 2005 Lucille Lortel Awards to 2005 Drama Desk Awards and more. The original Broadway run opened April 15, 2005, and ran until Jan. 20, 2008. The original Broadway run was nominated for six categories at the 2005 Tony Awards, winning two. It also received a nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
Subsequent runs of the production began as early as Jan. 2006. The play has been performed across the United States, as well as in Australia, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, Israel, and the Philippines. The most recent 20th anniversary off-Broadway revival opened at New World Stages on Nov. 17, 2025, and ran for 14 weeks. It has received four Drama League Awards nominations, four Outer Circle Critics Award nominations and three Drama Desk Awards nominations, all of which are pending results.
“I love the message of this show, that love and friendship are more important than ‘winning.’ That choosing love over animosity makes you a better person and the world a better place,” said Lecturer in Dance and the show’s choreographer, Daphne McCoy. It’s about [JUMP] the unfairness of competition, family identity, and the awkwardness of humor and heart, she continued — all conveyed through humor, song, and dance.
The humor of the show is responsible for much of its popularity as a musical. Between the dreaded “ding” that signals an incorrect spelling, the contemporarily relevant spelling words (be they real or fake), the audience participation and the encoded honesty about the middle school experience have made the show an enduring favorite.
“Being part of the ‘Spelling Bee’ has really helped me empathize with my middle school self,” actress Willa Fahrbach ’28 said. “Things that seem little now felt so big then, and this show portrays that.”
On her work as choreographer for this show, McCoy explained, “I have actually choreographed this show two other times, but this one is much different, because we added a dance and vocal ensemble. This allowed us to make the cast bigger than the traditional show, creating wonderful problems to solve with the cast and directors.”
This production has been an audacious task — it’s the first official musical put on by Carleton. Kate Eng ’27 noted in the Carleton Admissions blog that students earn three credits for being a part of the play, which typically requires 20-25 hours of work per week for the first half of term.
“It’s insane how little time everyone has to pull together so many moving pieces, but it’s so beautiful watching it all come together,” Fahrbach expressed.
Because of Carleton’s trimester system, the show came together quickly and required a tight process of starting rehearsals to bring the show to the public.
“In the beginning, we worked with music faculty Matthew and Julia, who are both absolutely incredible. We met as a chorus to learn our notes and rhythms and start getting into character,” said ensemble performer Logan Magliery ’29. “Then, we started going to staging rehearsals with the super talented cast! The amazing director Andrew [Carlson] and choreographer Daphne [McCoy] were super easy to work with and helped us find where we fit physically and story-wise into the production.”
Participants in the musical express that it has brought students and faculty together. “I worked closely with many of my fellow students and theater, dance, and music faculty and staff to put this production together,” Maryjane Iteghete ’28 explained. “It would not have worked without each and every one of them. I’ve had so much fun, not only playing as Mitch Mahoney and diving into her character, but also meeting all the amazing cast and crew members that I have made true connections with!”
Students noted the amount of effort that went into putting on the show, but they found it to be a rewarding experience.
“Being a part of the musical, even in a small capacity, has been such an incredible experience! Musical theater music is always a blast to sing and this show is particularly funny and cute,” said Magliery.
The musical has also opened new doors for Carls wanting to be involved in theater. “I’ve been in many musical and choral performances in my life, a stage musical is new territory for me, and it has been quite a learning experience,” said Philip Stein ’29, who is in the ensemble with Magliery. Still, he felt he came away with a positive reflection on the show. “Working together with the other performers has been a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and form relationships while creating art. Everyone is incredibly kind and hardworking, and I’m proud to have played a small part in bringing this story to life.”
Now that the show is almost ready to be performed, Magliery was able to reflect on her experience overall. “Rehearsing has been such a bright spot in my days. The whole group of people involved with this production is not only crazy talented but also just some of the kindest and friendliest people. I hope the audience can tell how much fun we’re having, and that the show brings some joy and laughter to their weekend!”
Evening performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. have been scheduled for May 8, 9 and 10. Matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. have been scheduled for May 9 and 10. Tickets are free and can be reserved on the Carleton Theater and Dance website. As of the writing of this article, fewer than 60 tickets remain available between the Sunday shows. Audience members who enjoy the show and want to get involved with the next production should reach out to Andrew Carlson ’99, Professor and Chair of Theatre and Dance.