It can be kind of uncomfortable watching grown actors pretend to play kids. Even college students playing high school students onstage can feel weird and awkward at best. At worst, it’s strange and vaguely disturbing. Next week, the Sunset Playhouse stages a show that features adults playing children that actually works. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a profoundly simple idea for a musical. The show is a musical that’s been poured into a spelling bee format. Grown actors play kids competing in the bee. With nearly ever actor onstage playing a kid it actually kind of works.
The Sunset Playhouse production features some great talent. The one name that pops out at me first is Zachary Dean. Though he’s appeared in adult roles before, he’s got great childlike energy onstage. Sunset audiences will remember him best as Uncle Fester from its recent production of The Addams Family. Others appearing as children are Maddison Underberg, Kayla Atadero, Shawn Schmidt, Ava Thomann and Benjamin Johnson (who also plays Jesus Christ. It’s kind of a weird musical.) Carrie Gray, Nick Zulker and Cohl Carter-Wright play the adults. Diana Alioto directs.
Sunset Playhouse’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs Apr. 21 - May 8 at . For more information and ticket reservations, visit Sunset Playhouse online.
