The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Beloit Civic Theatre

Better late than never...a month ago, I went to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with some friends at the Beloit Civic Theatre. You may notice that this is a bit outside of the Milwaukee area. However, I love checking out local theaters whenever I can, and it is very close to where we spend our weekends in the summer. And a great was musical director, so we jumped at the chance to support her!

I had no idea what the show was up about, aside from the obvious. But it was super fun. It was the perfect blend of touchy-feely and laugh-out-loud funny to share with friends. The set was simple but well executed. Costumes were minimal but accurate. And no spoilers, but the crowd participation was awesome.

As for the theatre itself, they perform in the Elizabeth Reinholz Theatre, which is part of Beloit Memorial HS. Their reservation system threw me a little, as it was very different from anything I'd experienced before, but it worked great. If you want to check out a show there, trust the system. Place your ticket request through their form, and a very nice person will contact you back to confirm they have your tickets reserved and then you pay when you arrive with cash or card.

Find out more about the Beloit Civic Theatre here.

Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. This bee is one unforgettable experience.

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents (played by adults) vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.