March 8, 2017
Cast members for the ECCC musical production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” include (left to right) Mackenzie Gray of Mendenhall, Kinsey Gentry and Jonathan Hall, both of Philadelphia; Destiny Barrett of Decatur, Vimal Patel of Carthage, Alexandria Crout and Adrianna Crout, both of Lake; Jack Vidals, Anastasia Crout of Lake; Skyler Bell of Choctaw, Samuel Tero of Decatur, Sarah Laird of Meridian, Brad Taylor of Union and Mason Garner of Newton. (EC Photo)
The East Central Community College Encore Players will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” by Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn March 30 through April 1, 2017. The annual musical presentation begins at 7 p.m. nightly in Vickers Fine Arts Auditorium on the Decatur campus. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased by calling 601-635-2111.
Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” features an eclectic group of six middle schoolers who vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime.
According to director Jessica Price, “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! At least the losers get a juice box."
