Barrington Stage spells out a world premiere

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Robb Sapp and Deborah Craig as contestants in ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.’ (Photo by Dana I. Harrel)
SHEFFIELD – The Barrington Stage Company will present the world premiere of the new musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at the Consolati Performing Arts Center tonight, [Thursday, July 8] through Aug. 1. Tony-award winning composer and lyricist William Finn of “Falsettos” fame, playwright Rachel Sheinkin and conceiver Rebecca Feldman combined to bring the spoof on competitive spelling to life with musical numbers and a quirky cast of characters. Michael Unger and Rebecca Feldman co-direct. The play will be performed on Stage II. Tickets: 528-8888 or www.barringtonstageco.org. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” pits audience volunteers against six fiercely competitive spellers in a match of wits. Only one of the brainiacs will be crowned the Putnam County Spelling Bee champ. The cast includes Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lisa Howard, Jay Reiss, Sarah Saltzberg and Robb Sapp. Baskin has appeared in “Ragtime,” Off-Broadway's “Sundiata,” “The Lion King of Mali,” the New York premiere of “Roar, Lions Roar” and “Smokey Joe's Cafe.” Craig has appeared Off-Broadway in “Wave,” “Pericles,” “Fuenteovejuna,” “The Karaoke Show,” “Concert of Excellence, and “Spin.” Ferguson was featured on Broadway in George C. Wolfe's revival of “On the Town” and has numerous Off Broadway credits. Fogler has appeared in “Joe Fearless” at Ford Theatre in New York City and Atlantic Theatre Co. and “The Detective Sketches” at Lincoln Center Theater, among other performances. His stand-up comedy credits include Caroline’s, Gotham Comedy Club, Stand Up NY and the NYCC. Keenan-Bolger recently appeared at the Goodman Theatre in the world premiere of Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas' “The Light in the Piazza.” She also appeared Off-Broadway in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of “Kindertransport,” Second Stage's “Little Fish” and “Summer of '42.” Howard toured with the national company of “Les Miserables.” Her regional credits include “Crazy for You,” “Falsettos,” “Das Barbecue” and ‘Grease.” Reiss, an accomplished playwright and Juilliard graduate, will make his acting debut in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Saltzberg has appeared in New York productions of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Sinfully Rich” and “The Detective Sketches.” Sapp has appeared Off Broadway in “Zanna Don’t” and “Johnny Guitar,” as well as the first national tour of “Saturday Night Fever.” Composer and lyricist William Finn is the writer and composer of “Falsettos,” for which he received two Tony Awards: Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. He wrote and composed “In Trousers” and “March of the Falsettos,” both of which won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, and Falsettoland, which won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, two Drama Desk Awards and the Lucille Lortel Award. Finn also received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Playwriting. Recently, he wrote “Painting You for Love’s Fire.” Playwright Rachel Sheinkin recently collaborated on “Notes Across a Small Pond” (Bridewell Theatre, London), “Striking 12” (Old Globe, San Diego; Prince Music Theatre, Philadelphia) “Blood and Other Humors” (Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference) and “Serenade” (Daryl Roth New Voices/New Musicals First Look series). Conceiver and Co-Director Rebecca Feldman is founder of the New York-based improvisational group, The Farm, which created “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” the show upon which “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is based. Co-Director Michael Unger, who directed the Barrington Stage Company’s “Changes Of Heart” in 1997, directed the Off Broadway production of “Retribution” and has many regional directing credits. Choreographer Dan Knechtges choreographed the Off-Broadway productions of “Ghoul” at Adobe Theatre Company. His other credits include “An Evening of Gilbert & Sullivan” at Carnegie Hall, “One Must Do” at La Mam, Inc., and numerous other Gilbert & Sullivan productions. Musical Director Vadim Feichtner returns to Barrington Stage Company, where he served as musical director for the winter workshop of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” as well as BSC’s production of “Falsettos.” His credits include “Infinite Joy,” “Elegies” (both with William Finn), “Owl Creek” and “Gold.” Vocal Arranger and Associate Music Director Carmel Dean, who also worked on the winter workshop of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” has arranged for the Broadway productions of “The Boy from Oz,” “Gypsy,” “Cabaret” and “Les Miserables.” Barrington Stage Company will also welcome the talents of Set Designer Beowulf Boritt, Sound Designer Randy Hansen, Lighting Designer Tyler Micoleau and Costume Designer Jen Caprio.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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