About the show
Spelling never seemed so cut-throat as in this Tony Award-winning musical about six charming outsider teens edging closer to the coveted championship title. The Spelling Bee is the one place they can both stand out and fit in.
They are under the watchful eyes of parents and teachers who’ve barely made it out of their own adolescence. Witty and unexpectedly heart-warming, here’s a show that proves that winning isn’t everything and losing doesn’t make you a loser.
Darren Yap, who has directed across Australia as well as in Singapore, Tokyo and the UK, helms a production with music direction by West End whizz Andrew Bevis and choreography by the legendary Kelley Abbey.
Content Notice: Smoke and haze effects, flashing lights, sexual themes.
Book by
Rachel Sheinkin
Music and lyrics by
William Finn
Conceived by
Rebecca Feldman
Additional material by
Jay Reiss
Directed by
Darren Yap*
Music Direction by
Andrew Bevis*
Choreography by
Kelley Abbey*
Darren’s recent directing credits include Zombie! The Musical by Laura Murphy at the Hayes Theatre, Tim by Tim McGarry for Christine Dunstan Productions, Sydney Theatre Award production Yong by Jenevieve Chang for Monkey Baa, The One by Vanessa Bates and Clydes by Lynn Nottage for The Ensemble Theatre.
Other directing highlights include the acclaimed Jesus Wants Me for A Sunbeam for NTofP / Belvoir Street, Diving for Pearls and Ladies Day for Griffin, Double Delicious for CAAP and Sydney Festival at Carriageworks, the national tour of Letters to Lindy by Alana Valentine for Merrigong Theatre, Miracle City produced by Hayes Theatre.
Darren’s international credits include Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Ghost, The Musical in Tokyo, Staging Director for World Expo for Artists in Motion in Dubai, the World Premiere of The Great Wall, The Admiral’s Odyssey, Man of Letters in Singapore and All Out of Love (the music of Air Supply) in Manila.
Andrew Bevis has an international career as both theatre creative and Actor. Lead roles in West End and U.K. productions include Martin Guerre, Les Misérables, Romeo and Juliet, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Little Women, Sweeney Todd, The Hypochondriac and South Pacific. Australian and further International acting credits include lead roles in The Rocky Horror Show, A Little Night Music, Hello Dolly!, Spring Awakening, Favourite Names for Boys, Follies and voicing the title role in the Disney/Studio Ghibli feature animation The Cat Returns opposite Anne Hathaway, Kristen Bell and Tim Curry.
Music creative engagements in Australia include Aladdin (Associate Musical Director, Disney), Xanadu and The Phantom of the Opera. West End and International musical direction credits include Xanadu, Tommy, Peter Pan, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Little Mermaid and as Musical Director/Pianist for legendary talk show host Sir Michael Parkinson.
Andrew directed the Australian revival production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love and was most recently the Resident Director on the 50th Anniversary Australian tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
Helpmann award winner, Kelley Abbey is a leading player in musical theatre, an accomplished choreographer and creative director for TV and stage. Her film credits include choreography for In Her Skin, Goddess and the Oscar winning, Happy Feet which earned her a Hollywood Choreography Media Honour. Kelley is also known for her Helpmann winning choreography on Hugh Jackman’s The Boy from Oz Arena and for being the associate director to Baz Luhrmann on Strictly Ballroom the Musical.
Other notable stage credits include:Grease the Arena Spectacular, Fame – The Musical, Follies, Footloose, Hedwig and The Angry Inch,Xanadu,Cabaret, Funny Girl, Carmen, Salome and Jesus Christ Superstar. Her television credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, Superstars of Dance, Dance Academy, MTV Awards, Aria Awards, AFI Awards, The Voice, X-Factor, and The Logies. Abbey is also the longstanding creative director of Australia’s Dancing With The Stars.
Performance Dates
Friday 7 June, 7:00pm
Saturday 8 June, 1:00pm and 7:00pm
Tuesday 11 June, 7:00pm
Wednesday 12 June, 1:00pm and 7:00pm
Thursday 13 June, 7:00pm
Friday 14 June, 7:00pm
Saturday 15 June, 11:00am (Open Day performance) and 7:00pm
Run time: 1h30min, no interval
Cast
In order of appearance
Chip Tolentino
Leon Walshe
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre
Dakotah Eve Love
William Barfée
Rachel Crossan
Leaf Coneybear
Braeden Caddy
Marcy Park
Esha Jessy
Olive Ostrovsky
Georgia Yenna Oom
Rona Lisa Peretti, Olive’s Mom
Alex Travers
Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Olive’s Dad
Robert Miniter
Voice of Spelling Bee Judge
Harrison Mills
Mitch Mahoney
Andrew Bevis*
Ensemble***
Audience Marshalls, Leaf’s Dad, Leaf’s Mom, Carl Grubenierre, Dan Shwarz, Jesus
Paul Leandre Escorrido
Georgia Laga’aia
Brandon Lindsay
Julia Mitnovetski
Phoebe Schultz-Webb
Matt Trethewy
Band
Conductor and Keyboard 1
Andrew Bevis*
Keyboard 2
Chris King*
Reeds
Laura Power*
Cello
Clare Kahn*
Percussion
Alysa Portelli*
Keyboard Percussion
Mitchell Brown*
Creative/Production Team
Set/Props Designer
Edison Heartly
Costume Designer
Max Shanahan
Lighting Designer
Topaz Marlay-Cole
Sound Designer
Fin Hogan
Voice Coach
Raechyl French*
Consultant Keyboard Programmer
Sean Peter*
Assistant Directors
Nic Puni
Harrison Simmons
Sound System Designer
Poppy Townsend
Production Stage Manager
Julianna Stankiewicz
Construction Manager
Nathan Lockyer
Costume Supervisor
Giulia Zanardo
Props Supervisor
Freyja Meany
Deputy Stage Manager
Thomas Hamilton
Production Coordinator
Thomas Howieson
Head Electrician
Harry Smyth
Set Assistant Designer
Danielle Rodriguez
Costume Assistant Designer
Joey McKenzie
Assistant Stage Managers
Brent Russell
Lila Browning
Production Coordinator
Thomas Howieson
Set Construction Assistants, Crew
Luca Mark
Ingo Cottier
Costume Makers and Assistants
Jackson Lorrigan
Mali Smedts
Properties Assistant
Millie Rollason
Floor Electrician
Shevon McCormack-Edwards
Microphone Technician
Hayley Cantrill
Environmental Coordinators
Max Shanahan
Thomas Howieson
*Guest, **Staff
***Performed by the CUA5022 Diploma of Musical Theatre students
