McMurry Theatre’s “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
It’s hard to ignore students’ growing excitement as homecoming week draws closer and closer. As a student myself, I can’t help but yearn to experience my favorite homecoming events again. One such event is the Theatre Department’s annual Homecoming show, which takes place on November 5th, 6th, and 7th at 7:30 pm.
The show this year is titled “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” and community member Betty Hukill directs it. Several others are involved, including Charlie Hukill on set design and McMurry Alumnus Bob Bein, who portrays Vice Principal Panch. The musical is about exactly what it sounds like– a middle school spelling bee. Although a spelling bee is an odd setting for a musical, the kooky characters and fantastical elements make for a witty, highly amusing experience.
The director, Betty Hukill has a long history of theatre and directing. When she was a kid, her parents took her to Casa Manana in Fort Worth, where she saw her first professional theatre production, and she has been fascinated by every aspect of theatre since. Simply stated by Betty Hukill, since then, “It’s been my life.” This is not the first time Betty Hukill has directed this specific show either. Knowing Betty Hukill had directed the show twice prior, the McMurry Theatre Department chair, Neena McLain, invited her to direct it once more, which Betty Hukill gladly accepted.
This being her third time, I was curious about what changed in her approach for this production compared to the previous ones. According to her, the space is larger than that of other productions. Another change is the cast. “While the script and score are the same, the actors bring their own energy and emotion to breathe life into the characters, creating a whole different interpretation of their aspirations, fears, and personal connections.”
When asked what about the show stands out to her most, Betty Hukill highlights the eccentricities and human nature of the characters. According to her, each character “reveals insight into their lives and the dynamics that led them to this competition. They all strive to win, and upon elimination, each one reacts differently.” These insights make the show “poignantly relatable.” As a member of the cast and a long-term fan of the show, I can attest to this. I find myself relating to characters or remembering old friends who had similar quirks and situations to the characters in the show.
Since the characters portrayed on stage are children, they can come off as very awkward or blunt; however, not all of the spellers will be so youthful. The script required four audience members to participate in the spelling bee, a task that is very difficult to rehearse due to its spontaneous nature. On the topic, Betty Hukill says that they “have asked theatre students to help us during rehearsals to give the cast an idea of how these spellers might behave before the actual performances.” Which is “fun for everyone, but I’ll admit, it makes me nervous.”
With a musical so focused on audience interaction, actors as well as the director need to understand what they want the audience to take away from the show. Betty Hukill states that she hopes the audience will “laugh a lot and take away the satisfaction of enjoying a quality evening in a live theatre supporting the arts. The show is less than two hours. The music is catchy, and the lyrics are witty. Hopefully, the audience will have a nice evening of memories.”
Students and alumni alike have worked tirelessly to bring this story to life, so don’t forget to buy your tickets here! For this production, Thursday tickets will be free, and student tickets Friday and Saturday will be at a discounted rate.