Spelling Bee on Broadway

Wow! That's very exciting Stray Cat. I've read about it and saw the scene they did on the Tonys and thought it sounded like a show I'd like.

Please report back and tell us what you think.

I'll definately do that, mac11. I'm looking forward to it! Sounds like a good show.

I didn't know you lived in New York! You sneaky little Stray Cat. Let me know how it is too. I have a cousin who comes to visit NYC frequently and usually drags me to a broadway show when he's here. He's coming labor day weekend, and this looks like one he would definitely be into.

I saw it, and thought it was a lot of fun. There's a line in it that still makes me laugh when I think about it. (I almost used it as my A2K signature, but it would have required too much explaining.)

You know, don't you, that they use audience members as spelling bee participants in every performance? They come around before the performance and ask people if they're willing to do it, and if you say no, they don't pressure you, but if you're the kind of person who would enjoy being up on stage, it could be fun. Just remember: if you do it, you'll have to stand up in front of hundreds of people and try to spell really hard words!

O.K., I saw it! Here's my review.

Spelling Bee was an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. It's light and airy as a soufflé; fun and cute. It's not at all serious or deep; the humor is less Neal Simon or Woody Allen, and more "Saturday Night Live" or maybe even South Park.

The theatre is fixed up to resemble a high school auditorium with banners around that say things like "Bully Free Zone." It's a nice, informal, cozy theatre too, which I like.

Before the show started, I was talking to a couple of women who were sitting next to me who clued me in on a sale happening at a local clothes store on 55th Street. Designer stuff sold at low prices. Now that was an interesting conversation.

Sorry! didn't mean to get sidetracked…

Back to the show - you're right Bree! They do select a few audience members to be part of the show. If you want to do that, you need to get to the theatre, mmmm…I'd say a good twenty minutes early. They select people as they come in …..and yes, you will be on stage for a while. There were four people from the audience who got picked to be in the show last night. They did a great job!! It made it fun, too!

The show concerns several misfit high school kids competing in a spelling bee. Each of them gives us a little background on the screwed up parents in their lives, so we understand why these kids are the way they are.

The audience's favorite character was this one fat kid who spells out words with his foot. It seems as if the other kids are in this spelling bee because spelling is the one thing at which they excel. But you get the feeling this fat kid is actually very intelligent and has something more going on; that he might grow up to be a renowned scientist; or maybe the Food and Wine critic for the NY Times, known for his acerbic wit. Even though he's a nerd, he's got a certain "cool" nerd thing happening, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, it's a enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours at the "theatuh."

Oh! One more thing. There was a moment there when I thought of Gus!! Because one of the words they had to spell was…."capybara." I… am not… kidding.

There are some other shows on ol' Broadway at the moment, and some other ones coming up that I'd like to hear about, if anyone has seen them or heard anything about them. I think I'll start a Broadway show thread.