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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Synopsis and Visual Description of the Broadway show: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Synopsis
Six quirky elementary and middle school students, on the edge of puberty, are the finalists in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. These outsiders use competition to define who they are, and as a way to separate themselves from their crazy families. Their struggles to escape childhood are overseen by grown-ups who never completely succeeded in escaping it themselves.

The Theater
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is held in the Circle in the Square Theater in New York City on 50th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue. On the ground level is the box office and lobby. Stairs, an escalator and an elevator lead to the lower level lobby. The downstairs lobby is decorated in the style of a corridor in a public school, with lockers, banners, and notebook-sized posters of the featured “spellers” of the evening. The posters have a small picture of the speller and a short bio.

The interior of the theater resembles a junior high school gymnasium, complete with a hardwood floor and a larger-than-usual basketball hoop with net hanging over the center of the floor above the audience. The rows of red audience seats are in a mini-stadium style horseshoe. The stage is located in the center floor area, but there are also five more rows of red theater seats located on the center floor, facing the stage. Directly opposite the stage, at the back of the theater is a narrow stairway that leads to a small balcony surrounded by the rows of stadium seats. The stairs are an aisle for the audience but are also used during the show.

The walls of the theater are decorated with banners and signs about “Putnam Valley Middle School.” The signs include the following:

“Can’t Hide Piranha Pride. Putnam Valley Piranhas. 1989 State Middle School Football Honorable Mention.”

“Piranhas 1992 Caber Toss Champs”

“The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee proudly sponsored by Putnam Optometrists. ‘You gotta see us to believe us.’” A large outline of a pair of glasses is on the center of the banner, with the word “see” in the area of the left lens, and the word “us” in the area of the right lens.

“Lady Piranhas 1996 Field Hockey Champs.”

“2003 synchronized swimming competition. 3rd Place.”

“Don’t just sit, be physically fit!” with a symbol of a person running.

“Bully Free Zone.” The O in zone is a circle with a line drawn through it and a symbol of two kids pushing each other.

“Putnam Valley Piranhas. 1996 State Middle School Basketball Champions” with an emblem of a large piranha in the center.

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The Stage and Sets
The stage itself is suggestive of a stage in a school gymnasium. It has light colored-hard wood floors, and a blue curtain hanging in the back. From the audience perspective, on the left is a small set of bleachers. At the front and center of the stage is a black microphone on a stand. On the right, angled slightly toward the bleachers, but still facing the audience, is a wooden teacher’s desk with two wooden chairs behind it. On the desk, there are two black microphones, each on a small mic stand. Other items on the desk include: two water bottles, a red dictionary, a bottle of hand sanitizer, papers and pencils, and a silver desk bell. Also on the right, behind the desk, is a light-colored wooden upright piano where the pianist from the orchestra plays. Further right of the piano are the other musicians.

At various times during the performance, the curtains at the back of the stage open. When they open, they reveal several backdrops:

The first backdrop is the back of the gymnasium- In the center are wooden double doors with metal push bars. Above the doors is a red exit sign. Also in the center, is a basketball hoop and net. On the wall, to the right of the doors is a large red sign with yellow text. At the top of the sign it says “Piranhas are good sports.” On the left of the sign is a large “NO.” On the right of the sign is a list of words: “Spitting!”, “Bad words!”, “Hitting!”, “Cheating!”.

Other backdrops include:

A blue sky with white clouds.

A dark cloudy sky with a silhouette of the Taj Mahal.

A black backdrop with small twinkling lights.

A blue sky and rolling green hills. In the center of the scene is a long paved road that leads off into the distance.

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The Cast
There are nine major characters, kids and adults, played by nine adult actors (names and descriptions follow). During the show, 3 or 4 audience volunteers, selected before the show begins, are called down to participate as spellers. This element of the performance is improvisational. The actors who play the major characters double- and triple-up, to play 12 additional minor characters, kids and adults.

Throughout the performance, the spellers wear yellow number cards that hang from a string around their neck. They remove the number card when they take on a different character.

Main characters in order of appearance:

Rona Lisa Peretti- A middle-aged woman with a slightly plump hourglass figure and a warm smile. She wears brown high-heeled shoes; flesh colored panty hose; a green suit skirt with a slit in the back that is almost one-half the length of her skirt; a green double-breasted suit jacket; and an animal print, button-up blouse. She wears a gold chain necklace, a small gold pin on her left lapel, and gold dangling earrings. Her curly, light-brown hair is piled atop her head and she wears green eye shadow and a touch too much red lipstick. Late in the show, Rona Lisa Peretti does a kick that reveals her modest and simple white underpants.

The actor who plays Rona Lisa Peretti also plays the mother of one of the spellers, Olive Ostrovsky. When she takes on this role, she simply puts a long piece of sheer fabric over her head and wrapped around her shoulders like an Indian head scarf.

Chip Tolentino- A Filipino boy wearing a Boy Scouts of America uniform. He wears black, high-top Converse tennis shoes; green uniform pants; a tan, short-sleeved collared shirt; and wire-framed glasses with a blue sport strap that sits across the back of his neck. Across his chest is a green merit badge sash with five patches of various colors. A compass hangs from his belt on his left hip. When Chip enters the stage he carries a green and black messenger bag that he wears slung across his chest. Chip also has thick black eyebrows that he periodically raises “suggestively” at female audience members throughout the show.

Later in the show, Chip, still in uniform, enters with a colorful vendor display box that hangs from his shoulders and rests in front of his waist. The box says “Blow Pops” and is filled with bags of candy and popcorn. Around his waist he wears a belt that holds juice boxes.

The actor who plays Chip also appears as the character of Jesus. He has long black hair parted down the middle and wears a flowing white robe, and brown sandals. On his chest is a plastic, glowing red sacred-heart symbol, with a cross and flames coming from the top of the heart. When Jesus enters, he stands on a balcony situated among seats in the back center of the auditorium. Throughout his appearance, he stands with his arms outstretched. At the end of his appearance, he grabs his long robes and whisks away up the stairs to exit the theater.

Logainne Schartzandgrubenierre- A petite girl with bug eyes, multiple pig-tails, and a lisp. She wears brown penny loafers; multi-colored striped socks; red pants that fall slightly above her ankles; and a white button-up shirt with a red neck tie, under a navy blue blazer. On her left lapel she wears two buttons: one button is an upper case W with a red circle around it and a line through it. The other is a rainbow colored peace sign.

When Logainne spells, she also says the word in sign language, then spells it with her right hand.

The actor who plays Logainne also plays the mom of another speller, named Leaf Coneybear. When she takes on this role, she ties back her pig-tails and does not talk with a lisp.

Leaf Coneybear- A red-haired boy with a constantly dazed expression on his face. He enters wearing brown, two-strap Birkenstock sandals with two different multicolored socks; baggy tan sweat pants with multi-colored patches along the sides; a blue zip-up track jacket over an orange and yellow tie-dyed shirt; and a blue helmet. Around his shoulders he wears a red-and-white gingham cape. Upon first entry he also brings a brown paper lunch bag that he places under the bleachers. A piece of paper, the competition application, is pinned to the front of his shirt. He also wears a necklace with a pink, star-shaped bottle of bubbles hanging from it. During the show he blows the bubbles and eats them as they float in the air. During one of his solo musical numbers, Leaf takes a little red monster finger puppet from his pocket and puts it on his right index finger.

When Leaf spells he mumbles and talks until he suddenly opens his eyes wide, looks out into space and moves his head from left to right as if in a trance and seeing the word in front of him. Throughout the show he fidgets around, plays with his hair and stares into space.

Several times during the show, the actor who plays Leaf also plays one of the fathers of Logainne Schartzandgrubenierre, Carl Grubenierre, or, “Carl Dad”. When he takes on this role, he zips up his track jacket, smoothes down his hair and puts on a pair of dark-rimmed glasses. Late in the show, he makes an appearance as Carl Dad, and he is dressed in dark, shiny loafers; slim fitting, dark-brown, pin-striped pants; and a brown turtleneck shirt. He wears a small, black purse-like bag across his chest and he carries an open can of Coca-Cola.

William Barfee- A short chubby boy with chin-length, curly, brown-hair, and a runny nose. He wears black and white wingtip Oxford shoes; gray, black and white argyle socks pulled up over his calves; gray shorts; a short-sleeve button up shirt that is white with thin, blue stripes; a blue and yellow striped tie; and wire-rimmed glasses. He wears a silver medical ID bracelet on his right wrist, and a white rabbit foot hangs from his belt. Early in the show, William takes a blue nasal bulb syringe from his pocket and uses it to clear his nose. He also carries a blue and white handkerchief seen hanging from his pocket throughout the show. He periodically uses the handkerchief to wipe his nose or shine his right shoe.

When William steps up to the mic to spell, he shuffles to his right as he uses his right foot to spell the word on the ground before speaking. Throughout the show, when William makes a smart-alecky remark, he often accompanies it with some sort of hip-hop, gangsta-like gesture (e.g. arms opened wide in a fight-like stance).

Marcy Park- A small Asian girl with long, shiny black hair, wearing a parochial school uniform. She wears black Mary Jane shoes; white knee socks; a blue, green and white pinafore dress over a white short-sleeved shirt with a peter pan collar; and a green ribbon in her hair as a headband. Late in the show it is revealed that Marcy wears pink, ruffled underpants under her pinafore.

When Marcy takes a turn to spell, she walks to the mic deliberately, looks straight ahead and spells quickly.

Olive Ostrovsky- A sweet, doe-eyed blonde girl with two long pig-tails and overgrown-bangs. She wears purple sneakers; multi-colored, striped knee-socks; calf-length, pink overalls; a white blouse with floral embroidery and long bell-sleeves; and a brown beaded bracelet on her right wrist. Her pigtails are held in place with two, different-colored hair ties. Late in the show, Olive pulls a cell-phone from the front, bib pocket of her overalls.

When Olive spells, she first turns away from the mic, places her hand a few inches in front of her mouth and spells the word into her hand.

Vice Principal Douglas Panch- A middle-aged man with curly brown hair. He wears brown orthopedic-like shoes; brownish plaid pants; a white, collared shirt with light blue stripes; a maroon-colored tie with a busy pattern; a brown sport coat; and dark rimmed glasses. Throughout the show he tries to get close to Rona Peretti.

Mitch Mahoney- A large, goateed black man who doesn’t smile. He wears brown work boots; baggy blue jeans; a shiny purple button up shirt; a dark denim blazer with a silver tiger head embroidered on the right sleeve; and a light brown ivy cap that he wears backwards over his long braids. He has large silver rings on several of his fingers, several long silver chains around his neck and large diamond stud earrings in each ear. He wears a belt with a rectangular diamond-encrusted buckle that says “MITCH” in all capital letters.

For much of the show, Mitch Mahoney, known as the “Comfort Counselor,” sits on a chair at the back of the stage. When a speller is eliminated, he walks up to the speller, hands them a juice box and gives them a hug. He does this without smiling.

The actor who plays Mitch Mahoney also plays one of the fathers of Logainne Schartzandgrubenierre, Dan Schwartz. When he takes on this role, he wears black shoes; a pastel button up shirt with a blue and peach diamond pattern; a brown apron; and a light blue ivy cap that he wears backwards over his bald head.

The actor who plays Mitch Mahoney also plays the father of Olive Ostrovsky. When he plays this role, he wears black shoes; black slacks; a collared shirt under a brown corduroy sports coat with patches on the elbows; and glasses. He is bald.

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Story Synopsis and Description of Musical Numbers

  1. Ms. Rona Peretti enters the stage carrying a large trophy. In a flashback of when she was a girl, she spells a word at a spelling bee. She is announced the winner.

    Musical Number: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee performed by the Company. One at a time, the various characters walk through the aisles of the theater, enter the stage, meet and greet other spellers, and then take their seats on the bleachers. During the number, two spellers bring out the official blue and gold banner that says “Welcome to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”. Ms. Rona Peretti calls 3 or 4 additional spellers to the stage. They are audience members who volunteered to participate. Also, she calls Olive Ostrovsky to the stage to discuss her unpaid entrance fee. Then, Ms. Peretti asks the audience to turn off their cell phones and to unwrap any candy before the spelling begins.
  2. Vice Principal Douglas Panch enters the stage carrying the American flag on a stand. He drags it over the audience as he walks down the aisle. Mitch Mahoney, the Comfort Counselor, enters the stage. He leads the spellers in the Pledge of Allegiance.

    Musical Number: Spelling Rules/My Favorite Moment of the Bee performed by Ms. Rona Peretti and Company. Ms. Peretti sings to the audience.
  3. First, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre steps up to the mic. She spells the word “strabismus” correctly.
  4. Then, a flashback scene by Leaf Coneybear. He answers the phone and finds out that as third runner up, he will participate in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The other spellers, doubling as members of Leaf’s family, make discouraging remarks.
  5. Leaf Coneybear steps up to the mic. He spells the word “capybara” correctly.
  6. Next, Olive Ostrovsky steps up to the mic. She asks an audience member to not sit in the seat she saved for her father, who plans to arrive late to the Bee. At the end of her musical number, “My Friend, the Dictionary,” she spells the word “boanthropy” correctly.

    Musical Number: My Friend, the Dictionary performed by Olive Ostrovsky and Company. Olive sings to the audience.
  7. Volunteer Speller #1 steps up to the mic. He or she may or may not spell the word correctly.
  8. Then, Volunteer Speller #2 steps up to the mic. He or she may or may not spell the word correctly. The first volunteer speller to be eliminated gets a hug and a juice box from Comfort Counselor Mitch Mahoney. The cast sings the “First Goodbye.”

    Musical Number: First Goodbye, performed by the spellers. The Spellers sing from their seats in the bleachers.
  9. Next, William Barfee steps up to the mic. He spells the word “lugubrious” correctly.
  10. Then, volunteer Speller #3 steps up to the mic. He or she is given a very simple word. He or she is likely to spell the word correctly.
  11. Marcy Park steps up to the mic. She spells the word “phylactery” correctly.
  12. Then, Chip Tolentino steps up to the mic. He spells the word “omphaloskepsis” correctly.
  13. Next, Volunteer Speller #4 steps up to the mic. He or she is given a very simple word. He or she may or may not spell the word correctly.

    Musical Number: Pandemonium, performed by Vice Principal Panch, spellers and Mitch Mahoney. In outrage over the simple word given to the previous speller, the spellers (including the volunteers) start off by simply switching seats on the bleachers. Then they do various dance moves around the stage, twirling, running, kicking, jumping. The volunteers take their seats again on the bleachers, and some of the spellers spin the bleachers around while Chip swings over the stage on a rope and the girl spellers walk through the aisles and throw vocabulary cards at the audience. During the number, the blue curtains at the back of the stage open to reveal the opposite end of the gymnasium where there are double doors, and a basketball net, hanging from above.
  14. Then, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre steps up to the mic. In a flashback, her two dads, played by the actors who play Leaf Coneybear and Mitch Mahoney, argue about how much to drill Logainne on her spelling words. After the flashback, Logainne spells the word “cystitis” correctly.
  15. Next, Leaf Coneybear steps up to the mic.

    Musical Number: I'm Not That Smart, performed by Leaf Coneybear, spellers and Vice Principal Panch. Leaf sings to the audience. He dances around and blows bubbles and eats them as they float in the air. He plays with his hair and takes his little red monster finger puppet out of his pocket He sings and places the puppet near the microphone.
  16. Then, Leaf Coneybear spells the word “acouchi” correctly.
  17. Next, a Volunteer Speller steps up to the mic. He or she is given a word that he or she is likely to misspell. When the Volunteer Speller spells a word incorrectly, the Company sings the “Second Goodbye.”

    Musical Number: Second Goodbye, performed by Vice Principal Panch and spellers. The cast sings to the departing volunteer speller.
  18. Then, Olive Ostrovsky steps up to the mic. She spells the word “flagellate” correctly.
  19. Next, a volunteer speller steps up to the mic. He or she may or may not spell the word correctly.
  20. William Barfee steps up to the mic. He has a momentary flashback to last year’s spelling bee, when he had an allergic reaction to peanuts.

    Musical Number: Magic Foot, performed by William Barfee, Ms. Rona Peretti and Company. William stands at the microphone to spell a word then breaks out into a show tune-style ode to his right foot. The blue curtains at the back of the stage close and are lit up by purple lights. Above the stage, small white lights flash and travel like marquee lights. As he spells his word he shuffles around while his foot spells the word on the ground. He jumps up onto the bleachers and the spellers point to his magic foot with the beat of the crashing symbols. The whole cast does other classic Broadway dance moves like a kick line and jazz hands. During this number William spells the word “hasenpfeffer” correctly.
  21. Then, a volunteer Speller steps up to the mic. He or she is very likely to get eliminated on this word.
  22. Then, Marcy Park steps up to the mic. She spells the word “qaimaqam” correctly.
  23. Next, caught up in a very short fantasy, Chip is distracted by Leaf Coneybear’s attractive sister, Marigold, an audience member. He is called up to the mic, but hesitates because he is embarrassed to reveal his unexpected erection. He covers his groin area with his yellow number card and steps up to the mic. Unable to concentrate, he spells the word “tittup” incorrectly. He argues with Vice Principal Panch about being eliminated.

    Musical Number: Pandemonium (Reprise)/My Favorite Moment of the Bee (Reprise), performed by Ms. Rona Peretti and Company. Comfort Counselor Mitch Mahoney comes to pull Chip away from the stage.
  24. With some variance in timing, from show to show, eventually the last remaining Volunteer Speller steps up to the mic. He or she is likely to spell the word correctly. The Volunteer Speller is then immediately called back to the mic. He or she is very likely to spell the word incorrectly. When the volunteer speller does get eliminated, Comfort Counselor Mitch Mahoney offers some words of advice.
    Musical Number: Prayer of the Comfort Counselor, performed by Mitch Mahoney. Mitch sings to the audience. Immediately followed by… Musical Number: Goodbye performed by Company. After Mitch Mahoney hugs the last volunteer speller, he gives him or her a juice box. Then the remaining spellers (all part of the real cast) follow the volunteer back to his or her seat where they sit on audience members’ laps and give them hugs and play with their hair, then run back to the stage.
  25. Then, Vice Principal Panch announces a snack break. The remaining spellers disperse for their break. Chip Tolentino enters the theater.

    Musical Number: My Unfortunate Erection (Chip's Lament), performed by Chip Tolentino. Chip enters the stage from the aisle. He wears a vendor box filled with candy and popcorn, and a belt that holds juice boxes. As he sings, he throws candy at audience members. Throughout the song he uses the box, placed in front of his waist area, to accentuate his thrusting movements. He also speaks directly to an audience member who he addresses as Marigold, the sister of Leaf Coneybear. He gives her two juice boxes. At the end of the number he throws bags of popcorn at the audience, then takes that last two bags from his box and squeezes them so tightly that they pop and spread popcorn on the first few rows sitting in the center floor area.
  26. The spellers return to their seats on the bleachers. William Barfee and Chip Tolentino get into an argument. Chip threatens William with a bag of peanut M&Ms. Chip leaves the stage and Olive approaches William. Olive compliments William’s spelling, but he is not used to being treated kindly. The competition commences. Rona Peretti reintroduces the remaining spellers. The last introduced is Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre. She gets up to make a speech.

    Musical Number: Woe Is Me, performed by Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, “Dad Dan” Schwartz, “Dad Carl” Grubenierre, and Company. Logainne sings to the audience as her two dads fuss over her, fixing her clothes and hair, taking her picture, and giving her tips on how to spell. By the end, Logainne seems very stressed out and on edge.
  27. Next, the spellers line up for their turn at the microphone (all volunteer spellers have been eliminated by this number). Each speller takes a turn spelling, and then goes back to the end of the line. The pace gets faster and faster. Then Leaf Coneybear steps up to the mic. He spells the word “chinchilla” incorrectly.

    Musical Number: I'm Not That Smart (Reprise), performed by Leaf Coneybear. Leaf sings to the audience. At the end of his song Mitch Mahoney brings him a juice box with the straw already inserted and ready to drink. Leaf walks over to Ms. Peretti and licks her hand then walks to the back of the stage. The curtains open to reveal a blue sky with white clouds. The lights dim and a silhouette of Leaf is against the sky. He puts one hand on his hip and in the other he holds his juice box up in the air, then takes a sip from the straw. The curtain closes over Leaf and the sky.
  28. Next, William Barfee steps up to the mic. He spells the word “antihistamine” correctly.
  29. Marcy Park steps up to the mic. Rona Peretti makes an incorrect statement about Marcy speaking five languages.

    Musical Number: I Speak Six Languages, performed by Marcy Park, Ms. Peretti and girl spellers. Marcy sings to the audience as the cast dances and accompanies her. Throughout the song Marcy demonstrates her various talents: ballet dancing, hip hop dancing, the splits, baton twirling, fencing, boxing, and choir directing. She pushes the pianist away from her seat at the piano and plays along while she sings. At the end of the number a table with a large trophy is brought out on stage and Marcy karate chops it in half. She grabs the trophy from the ground and holds it up in the air.
  30. Then, Marcy is given the word “camouflage.” In her exasperation at the ease of the word, she summons Jesus, who appears on a balcony at the back of the theater. Jesus and Marcy discuss what would happen if Marcy didn’t win the competition. 31. Marcy steps up to the mic. She spells the word “camouflage” incorrectly. She jumps into the arms of Mitch Mahoney and they exit the stage.
  31. Next, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre is called to the mic. Olive’s cell phone rings. It’s her dad. Ms. Peretti takes the call. While the competition is at a pause, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre steps up to the mic to make a political speech. Once she is done with her speech, Logainne spells the word “sluice” correctly.
  32. Distraught over the increasingly disorganized moment of the Bee and the persistent questions of Logainne, Vice Principal Panch loses his temper and throws a fit. He is slapped by Mitch Mahoney and they exit back stage. The competition takes another break.
  33. One of Logainne’s dads, Carl Grubenierre, enters the stage from the audience. He spills some Coca-Cola on the floor as he explains the need to sabotage William Barfee’s magic foot. Vice Principal Panch returns to the stage, much calmer now, and everyone takes their seats. The competition commences.
  34. Olive Ostrovsky is called up to the mic. Ms. Rona Peretti tells her that her dad will not be able to make it to the Bee. Before spelling her word, Olive imagines a scene that involves her parents.

    Musical Number: The I Love You Song, performed by Olive Ostrovsky, her parents, and Vice Principal Panch. The curtains open to reveal a dark cloudy sky with a silhouette of the Taj Mahal. Olive sings to the audience, her parents stand behind her. They all sing in the direction of the audience. Late in the number the parents sing to each other, behind Olive, as she remains facing the audience.
  35. Then, Olive spells the word “chimerical” correctly.
  36. Next, William Barfee steps up to the mic. He begins to spell the word “crepuscule” but his magic foot sticks to the floor. He hesitates to spell the word, then eventually spells it correctly. He waves to his mom, an audience member, proud that he spelled without using his magic foot. Logainne quickly wipes the sticky soda from the floor with a handkerchief.
  37. Next Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre steps up to the mic. She spells the word “vug” incorrectly.

    Musical Number: Woe Is Me (Reprise), performed by Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, William Barfee and Olive Ostrovsky. Logainne sings to her two dads (in the direction of the audience).
  38. Mitch Mahoney hugs Logainne. They walk to the back of the stage and exit through the double doors.

    Musical Number: My Favorite Moment of the Bee (Reprise)/Second, performed by Ms. Rona Peretti, Vice Principal Panch, William Barfee, Olive Ostrovsky, and Company. Ms. Peretti sings to the audience. Olive and William each take turns spelling words correctly. They dance together in front of a backdrop of black, with small twinkling lights. They start with a simple waltz then William lifts Olive up and over his shoulder. He sets Olive down and then stands behind her and moves his hand down her outstretched arm and accidentally tickles her armpit. During the number, the previously eliminated spellers return to the stage to participate as the chorus.
  39. Then, Olive Ostrovsky steps up to the mic. She spells the word “elanguescence” incorrectly. She is cannot be eliminated until William spells his word correctly.
  40. Then, William Barfee steps up to the mic. He hesitates in spelling the word correctly, and looks at Olive who will be eliminated if he does not misspell the word. Olive tells him it is “okay.” William spells the word “weltanschauung” correctly.
  41. The audience and spellers applaud as William Barfee is presented with a trophy and a prize. He makes a speech.
  42. Then, Vice Principal Panch announces a second place price. He gives Olive cash from his wallet; the amount of which happens to be exactly that of her unpaid entrance fee.

    Musical Number: Finale performed by the Company. All of the main characters are on stage; Ms. Peretti and Vice Principal Panch sit at the table, the spellers sit on the bleachers, and Mitch Mahoney sits in the back on his chair. The lights dim and the curtains open at the back of the stage to reveal a scene with a blue sky and rolling green hills. In the center of the scene is a long paved road that leads off into the distance. Each character takes a turn telling his or her part in the epilogue. The cast then walks through the aisles of the theater. They each take a turn holding the trophy (Leaf licks it). They walk back to the stage, and then gather on the bleachers. Logainne holds a black sign that says “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in white letters. A light flashes and they all smile for their picture. Then…

    Musical Number: The Last Goodbye. Performed by the entire Cast and Company. They take a their bows and exit the stage.

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