By Charlene Baldridge
SDUN Theatre Critic

Prediction: It’s more than likely that North Coast Repertory Theatre’s combination of excellence and a charming work of musical theater will pay off.

North Coast Rep’s production of William Finn’s irresistible, Tony Award-winning (for best book) musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” was extended through August 1 even prior to its July 3 opening. Judging from the size of the audience Sunday afternoon, July 4, and the quality of the San Diego regional theater premiere it is a wise move in a down market for the arts.

Director Rick Simas fields an excellent company of nine actors, who play participants in the aforementioned American phenomena, competitive, adolescent spelling bees, which seem to be as ubiquitous as beauty pageants. This “Bee” is scripted by Tony Award-winner Rachel Sheinkin and is based on the musical “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” conceived by Rebecca Feldman. Finn wrote the clever music and lyrics, which deal with adolescent angst over insecurities, including budding sexuality (“I’m Not That Smart” and “[Chip’s Lament] My Unfortunate Erection”).

Adult participants are teacher and former spelling bee winner Rona Lisa Peretti (Melinda Gilb); Douglas Panch (Phil Johnson), a demoted former school principal who was barred from the Bee five years prior, but “is in a better place now”; and Mitch Mahoney (Robert Barry Fleming), who acts as “comfort counselor” as part of his court-mandated community service.

The adolescents are as follows: Chip Tolentino, who wears his Boy Scout uniform, is played by tall and lanky Brandon Joel Maier. Sarah Errington plays lisping Logainne Schwarzandgrubenierre, who has two fathers with high expectations. The appealing Jacob Caltrider splendidly portrays Leaf Coneybear, who designs his own outlandish clothes. Got up in a mix-master hairdo, he says, “I like my hair. Really,” then adds in song, “I make a part; I’m not that smart.” Talented and hard working, Omri Schein plays William Barfee (Bar-fay, if you please), the obnoxious genius who spells with his foot. Cashae Monya portrays the self-confident Marcy Parks, who speaks six languages, and Nicole Werner portrays Olive Ostrovsky, whose mother is trying to find herself in India and whose father neglects her to the point of forgetting to show up and pay her entrance fee.

The kids are joined at each performance by four audience members, selected and coached prior to the show. After their elimination, the kids go down one by one until only two remain, Olive and Barfee, who have developed a crush on each other. Nobly, he thinks of tossing the prize in her favor, but she urges him not to do so. Along the road both teens and adults have learned something, while the audience has been royally entertained.

The musical highlight is “The I Love You Song,” a magnificent trio sung by Olive and her father (Fleming) and mother (Gilb). All are excellent musicians and it is Finn’s best writing. Musical director/keyboardist Steven Withers, percussionist Tom Versen and woodwind player Matt Best lend fine support throughout. Other design artists are Marty Burnett (scenic), Dave Massey (choreography), Mike Buckley (lighting), Chris Luessmann (sound) and the masterful Peter Herman (costumes, hair and wig designs).

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Through August 1
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.
Sundays, 2 and 7 p.m.
$40-$44 with discounts for military, seniors and students
North Coast Repertory Theater
987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive
Solana Beach
northcoastrep.org
(858) 481-1055