The UNM Department of Theater and Dance’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee engages the crowd through guest audience participants, quick and witty humor and relatable characters.
The Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical that relates the lives of nine characters and their experience of attending a middle school spelling bee.
The show is unique in quality and also performance as it actively involves members from the audience to join and has several improvisational parts that result in no two showings ever being completely identical.
Show Director Kathleen Clawson, also a professor of musical theater at UNM, said she chose the musical because of how beautiful, funny and special it is.
“I am always looking for pieces for us to do that have something unique and special about them,” Clawson said. “I love the fact that it’s both an ensemble piece and also each one of the characters are vitally important. It’s almost like there are 9 leading players. Each one of these characters are so well developed that as an audience member you will find yourself investing in each one of these characters.”
Gigi Guajardo, part of the play's cast, said there are moments in the show that are relatable to college students because certain moments in the show pertain to trying to discern the current stages of life.
“I think the message of the show altogether is really about becoming who you are and embracing every single part of yourself and learning how to really truly accept yourself,” Guajardo said. “To be who you are in a situation that you might not expect.”
Clawson said the musical shows the importance of a community; a place where you can be yourself and belong, something that both faculty and students know by going to UNM. It is through the show's humorous moments that this comes to the forefront in the play, creating a special example of the importance of community in the show.
That concept does not stop with the performance, but extends through the set-up process, hard work and hours put into the production and the different people who have united to help create the production.
“The UNM Theater Department has the amazing ability to build community,” Guajardo said. “I think that over the course of this production we all have gotten to know each other so well and just had a blast creating this together. It’s not just community between the students, it’s between our teachers and faculty and the creative team.”
Kevin Thornburg, a senior design for performance major, encompasses the importance of those who work behind the stage. While he may not star in the musical, he impacts the show by helping with its costume design.
Thornberg said the show is heartwarming while still being funny, something that is not commonly found.
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“This show in particular is a good one for everybody to come see,” Thornberg said. “Most shows that UNM does, they’re super intellectual or artistic and so it's just not for everyone, but I think that even if you’re not a 'theater-goer' that this is definitely a show to see.”
The Putnam County Spelling Bee will be playing in Rodey Theater through May 1. Performance dates can be found on the College of Fine Art's website. General admission is $20, $15 for faculty and seniors, $12 for students and staff.
Isaiah Jordan is a culture reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
