With less than a month to go before opening night, Tryon Little Theater’s (TLT) volunteer actors are well into developing the characters the audience will see when the lights come up on TLT’s 66 season.
Logainne Schwarzandgrubenierre (Petra Harrelson) belts out a song asking America to love her as she goes for first place in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the Tony Award winning musical comedy opening Sept. 11 at TLT’s Workshop on S. Trade St. in Tryon. Understanding this character’s name is to give a peek into the adult humor that’s sprinkled throughout the one act musical. Logainne’s dads are Dan Schwarz (Paul Adams) and Carl Grubenierre (Ben Chumley), both are pushy “helicopter” parent/guardians. Of course Logainne, who is younger than the other contestants feels this pressure magnified. Harrelson is so finely tuning her character that within minutes of her entrance she is sure to have the audience believing she is 13 years old.
In an effort to peak interest even more. Chumley and Adams, two very talented actors with perfect comedic timing, play dual roles. Ben Chumley will have you laughing all the way home with his characterization of Leaf Coneybear, a homeschooler who may have A.D.D. and slips into a trance like state to spell his words.
In addition to playing one of Logainne’s dads, Adams helps out at the bee in the role of Mitch Mahoney, “Comfort Counselor”, whose duties include watching over the spellers and giving them a juice box and snack when they misspell a word. Mahoney is performing these duties at the bee as part of his community service commitment to the Putnam County Court.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, based on a book by Rachel Sheinkin with additional material provided by Jay Reiss.

-article submitted
by John Calure