Following the sweeping storybook scale of Beauty and the Beast, Willoughby Theatre Company takes a wonderfully eccentric sideways step into The Lounge at The Concourse, Chatswood. Out goes the grand musical machinery, in comes The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a riotously funny musical that proves you do not need whizz-bang spectacle when the characters are this entertaining.

Six fiercely individual odd-ball outsiders, overachievers and seriously uncool kids gather for the ultimate academic showdown, armed with dictionaries, insecurities and wildly different reasons to win. As each round ends with the dreaded bell, the spelling gets harder, the stakes deeper and the competition more revealing. Amongst the laughs, there’s real tenderness and affection for these kids. They’re not your usual musical-theatre heroes. And despite all the school-yard antics, this is NOT a show for kids. (When you read paragraph ten, you’ll understand.)

William Finn’s witty and deeply emotional score is intentionally quirky, moving from rapid-fire wordplay and eclectic songs to full ensemble numbers and moments of surprising pathos. Musical Director Greg Larielle-Jones is pitch perfect with a tight five-piece band.

Veronika Young effectively transforms The Lounge stage into a school gym and competition space, with bleacher-style seating and a thrust extension bringing the action forwards, alongside relaxed cabaret-style seating, drinks and nibbles. Now that’s a school event I can get behind. It suits this musical perfectly, keeping every awkward glance, reaction and beat within reach. Spelling Bee is not about epic stories, but confessions and revelations.

While set in a fictional Ohio school, part of the fun of Spelling Bee is its creative freedom, with ad-libs, quips, extra characters and background action. Director Courtney Bell captures the childhood wonder, fast comedy, authentic emotional turns and cheeky insider jokes. A colourful five-person ensemble of students and dubious-looking teachers populates the school world and beefs up the bigger numbers, while a school talent-show number gets things started in the foyer. Dimitrios Antoni keeps everyone moving with clever, character-driven choreography and audience interaction, but Spelling Bee is at its best when its vividly idiosyncratic contestants are given the full spotlight.

The six spellers are a glorious collection of teen neuroses, each with a song to match, offering a glimpse into their particular obsession, insecurity or fantasy. As a teacher constantly  trying to escape my other life, every single one of them triggered me in some shape or form. But wow, what a talented bunch!

Mo Lovegrove gets plenty of mileage from Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre’s cute lisp, but there is much more going on beneath the surface. “Woe Is Me” brings out her pain, savviness, determination and surprising self-awareness in a kid who is far more perceptive than she first appears.

Daniella Delfin has a tricky role in Marcy Park, the seemingly emotionless overachiever under the enormous pressure of perfection. The challenge is finding the humanity beneath that formidable exterior, and Delfin nails it in “I Speak Six Languages”, showcasing Marcy’s terrifying competence before the mask cracks to reveal a teenager discovering that not winning, and surviving that, is the ultimate achievement.

Andrew Read does a brilliant job of underplaying the quirks of William Barfée, finding the funny in his deadpan confidence in his genius, with a gorgeous vaudeville rendition of “Magic Foot” proving there is considerable comic mileage in a boy who can only ever breathe out of one nostril and still land the girl.

Paragraph ten 😉 Tom Horlin gives Chip Tolentino a studly Boy Scout energy, which makes his very bad day all the funnier. On opening night, two young men in B Row looked equally shocked and delightfully horrified as the audience roared through his “My Unfortunate Erection”, proving that, in this case, bringing the house down is considerably easier and far more entertaining than bringing anything else down.

Tim Drummond makes Leaf Coneybear’s “I’m Not That Smart” a sweet, delightfully offbeat celebration of a kid who finally embraces the juxtaposition of being unable to sit still for more than a microsecond, and actually being pretty damn smart. (Though he really should up his Ritalin.) With terrific comic timing and infectious enthusiasm, he makes Leaf’s chaotic energy instantly endearing.

Ruby Crothers brings a gorgeous shift in tone to Olive Ostrovsky’s stunning “The I Love You Song”, reminding us that under all the spelling and silliness is a kid who really just wants her parents to notice her. Joined by Melanie Sestic and Jordan Fuller, Olive’s internal monologue builds into a beautiful three-part wall of harmony. Crothers gives Olive’s longing just enough simplicity to let the complexity of the vocals create tingles and a cracking musical moment.

The adults are every bit as entertaining and unpredictable as their young charges.Luke Davis delivers a deliciously unhinged game-show-host vibe as Vice Principal Panch, finding a heap of comic mileage tackling the script swerves, bee process and faulty wig requirements with flawless timing.As the Bee’s enthusiastic moderator, Melanie Sestic is a marvellously goofy Rona Lisa Peretti, balancing her competitive streak with genuine care for her young spellers. This woman can SING!

Jordan Fuller as Mitch Mahoney, the “Official Comfort Counsellor”, looks every inch the scruffy street tough, but Fuller finds his softer side too, squeezing subtle comedy from a man whose job is to console the defeated with juice boxes. When he finally gets his big musical moment, Fuller unleashes a terrific voice that makes you wish there was more of it.

If you know The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, you also know the terror of being called up from the audience, with “volunteer” spellers joining the Bee each night as ad hoc contestants. No two Bees are ever quite the same. Willoughby’s opening night had an extra sprinkle of celebrity wow thanks to the now-retired Irene from Home and Away (AKA Gold Logie winner Lynne McGranger) joining the fun (yes, you did read that right). I suspect the guests were just a liiiittle more rehearsed than usual, but they all delivered improv gold.

Forget the spelling, this is one competition where everybody wins. There’s a lovely sense of freedom to this production, as though everyone involved has remembered that theatre is supposed to be fun. Packed with big laughs, unexpected tenderness and a cast and audience having an absolute ball, it’s silly, smart, wonderfully inappropriate and completely its own thing. Willoughby has done it again. This Bee has bite, buzz and plenty of reasons to book a ticket. Don’t miss it!

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs 11–19 September 2026 at The Lounge, The Concourse, Chatswood. For details see : https://willoughbytheatreco.com.au/show/the-25th-annual-putnam-county-spelling-bee/

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