Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet) will star as Chip Tolentino, Leana Rae Concepcion (Merrily We Roll Along) as Marcy Park, Grammy & Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley (Kimberly Akimbo) as Leaf Coneybear, and Grammy Nominee & SAG Award winner Kevin McHale (“Glee”), in his New York stage debut as William Barfée.
Additional casting for the 20th Anniversary production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be announced shortly.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes) and a vibrant score by Tony Award winner William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), this new production of the musical is directed & choreographed by Danny Mefford (Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen). Previews begin on November 7, 2025, and Opening Night is set for November 17, 2025, for a 14-week, limited engagement through February 15, 2026, at New World Stages.
Six spellers enter, but only one can win The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! This charmingly witty and touching musical has entertained audiences across the world since its Tony–winning Broadway debut in 2005. It now returns to New York in a special 20th Anniversary production that celebrates the singular heart, humor, and verve that cemented its place in the musical theater canon.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with Additional Material by Jay Reiss and is based on “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” an original play by The Farm. First developed at Barrington Stage Company, the show debuted Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2005 – earning widespread critical acclaim and winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical. The show immediately transferred to Broadway’s Circle in The Square Theatre, where it won two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards, and enjoyed a hugely successful run of nearly three years.
The new production of Spelling Bee will feature Scenic Design by Teresa L. Williams (The Preacher’s Wife), Costume Design by Emily Rebholz (Dear Evan Hansen), Lighting Design by David Weiner (Suddenly Last Summer), and Sound Design by Haley Parcher (Spamalot). The Music Supervisor is Carmel Dean (The Notebook), Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting (Sweeney Todd), and General Management is by 321 Theatrical Management (Wicked, The Outsiders).
The musical is produced by Barbara Whitman, Aaron Glick, and Timothy Bloom by special arrangement with David Stone, and co-produced by James L. Nederlander, Patrick Catullo, Nancy Nagel Gibbs, and Rachel Sussman.
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