In a special adults-only Sunday night performance this month, the first of three such shows, the selection of spelling words was ripe for double-meanings and political incorrectness. When competitors request definitions of contest words, as they can do in real spelling bees, the answers yield absurd ad-libs. In the original, improvisation-rich musical, characters playing the spelling contestants are joined by four audience members who are the butt of jokes. The national finals are broadcast on ESPN television, and the competition was the subject of a hit documentary, "Spellbound." The musical takes the format of a spelling bee - a competition that is a familiar part of the American school experience. "Spelling Bee" was the underdog triumph of last year's theater season in New York, following a dream path from a tiny improvisational theater to the big time on Broadway, where it won two Tony awards. "Ninety-nine percent of the time we're a regular mainstream show, and once in a while we do something special for people who generally have seen the show already," Producer David Stone said. It offers ironic digs at racism in America, and sexy definitions of spelling-contest words like "finger" that don't appear in school dictionaries. The adult version of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," which is running for three special performances in addition to the original, embraces the politically incorrect and the downright filthy. A hit Broadway musical about a schoolkids' spelling contest has been spiced up with an adults-only version laced with risque jokes about everything from Jews to panda sex.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |