Publicists for off-Broadway's biggest hit of the season, The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee, were embarrassed when the press release announcing the show's April 15 shift to Broadway's Circle in the Square
theater contained a spelling error. Subsequent releases called attention to the error while assuring members of the press it was not an
intentional publicity stunt, but leaving us to find the mistake (the misspelling of the word "throes" as "throws." Using the word in a sentence: "In
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six young people are in the throes of puberty.") The show's transition from the intimate 2nd Stage Theater to a
larger Broadway venue will be difficult, although Broadway audiences have become far less discriminating and demanding in recent years. "Spelling Bee" is a small, light-hearted, uneven
show with enthusiastic performances and unmemorable music. Several elements that work off-Broadway (gratuitous criticism of President Bush and audience participation) are unlikely to be as well-received on the Broadway stage,
although the Circle in the Square space is more appropriate than a traditional stage. Overall, after the hype created high expectations, I was disappointed. 3 jacks out of a possible 5.
Jack Myers Entertainment Report's entertainment rating system is based on a maximum of five jacks and a minimum of zero jacks. 0 = awful; 1 = pretty bad; 2 = okay but don't go out of your way to see it; 3 = reasonably good but not special; 4 = very good and worth paying attention to; 5 = exceptional. Opinions are based on my own likes, dislikes and preferences.
