‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’

“It’s really fun and versatile,” says director Will Windsor Erwin of Salisbury High School’s musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” 7 p.m March 3, 4, 5 and 3 p.m. March 6, auditorium, Salisbury High School, 500 E. Montgomery St., Salisbury Township.

Erwin says the play is very special to him and music director Nina M. Elias. They played two of the lead characters, William Barfee and Olive Ostrovsky, in a production several years ago at Pennsylvania Playhouse, Bethlehem.

The Salisbury production staff includes C.J. Matz, technical director. Erwin doubles as costume designer. Choreographer is Salisbury Abigail Garrigan, who plays Olive, one of the six spellers in the musical.

The musical normally has a cast of nine, but Erwin increased the cast to 18 student performers.

The show is about a fictional spelling bee run by three grown-ups at Putnam Valley Middle School, Putnam County, N.Y. Flashbacks and insights reveal personal details about each of the six spellers in the play, which explores the idea that winning isn’t everything, according to Erwin.

The one-act musical comedy is based on “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” an original improvisational play conceived by Rebecca Feldman. Music and lyrics are by William Finn. A Broadway production, which debuted in 2005 directed by James Lapine, was nominated for Best Musical and received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Dan Folger) and Best Book of a Musical (Rachel Sheinkin). The Broadway run ended in 2008 after 1,136 performances.

The show’s songs include “Magic Foot,” “I Love You Song,” “Pandemonium” and “My Friend the Dictionary.”

Tickets: 610-797-4107, ext. 2508