Customer Reviews

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There's something irresistibly endearing about seeing children perform publicly, given how vulnerable they seem (and are); and there is also something incredibly funny about seeing them exhibit overconfidence when they're in such vulnerable circumstances. This is the combination the creators of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE hit upon that has made the show such a success: the show's situation is almost a guaranteed winner, and given the comic talents of the ensemble (particularly Dan Fogler as the bizarre William Barfee and Sarah Strasman as the indomitable Schwartzy), the show is really a deserved hit. William Finn's music and lyrics are strong, but they are not the very strongest part of this show, unfortunately. It would have been great had this been a double-disc so we might have heard more of the comic interplay between the children and among them and the faculty members running the contest (I would have especially loved to have heard more of the wickedly funny sentences the spelling words are used in, whicvh is one of the comic highlights of the show). But, that being said, this CD does give you Fogler's showstopping "Magic Foot" shuffle number, Deborah S. Craig giving vent to Marcy Park's fearsome hypercompetence in "I Speak Six languages," and the beautiful repeated "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye" motif running throughout the show.

The 25th...Spelling Bee is one of the most creative shows since Avenue Q. The music isn't huge or in your face like your normal blockbuster.

Spelling Bee, though in the same boat as everything else by Bill Finn, is very different. His show is off-beat, pokes fun, fufills Finn's seeming requirement to have at least a single gay couple and a song that would be improper to sing in front of your conservative mother (My Unfortunate Erection).

But, it is different in many ways. First, this show gets its roots in improvisationsal theater, something never before on Broadway as far as I know (at least in musical format). Also, unlike Finn's other work, this musical is more lyrical. the songs are very singable, and will stick in your head.

The cast is unbelievably talented, with virtual unknowns in every part. Of course, now that Dan Fogler won the Tony for best featured actor, that no longer holds true. The individual voices are well placed-enough character voice to get the point across, without going overboard to ugly (like John tartaglia as Rod in Avenue Q). And the blend of the cast is also amazing. In the rucurring song, Goodbye, every note is clear, but you get the mix of the notes, not individual parts, also not accomplished by Avenue Q (which is the main show this score is compared to).

Songs that are particularly strong vocally are:

"I Speak Six Languages", which is a wonderful melody that is playful with the slightest hint of frustration in a twelve year old. It is a beautiful song meant to sound like a little girl whining. It hits the mark.

"My Unfortunate Erection (Chip's Lament)", so funny, and powerful melodically. Easy to oversing, but Jose Llana does it perfectly, properly maoning his problem with peuberty.

And finally, "The I Love you Song" is one of THE most beautiful trios I have heard in...well, ever. the chords are simple, and the progression is nothing special, but the three voices match so perfectly that I literally was blown away.

Well, hope this helps in you decision. The show is funny, delightfully distasteful, but not quite so far as Avenue Q. Fin doesn't resort to foul language and questionable subject matter purely for a laugh. Every song has a purpose.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee sounds really good both in lyrics and in music--I look forward to seeing the show soon, but until then I have enjoyed this recording. Will Finn's score is slightly unbalanced, in that I wish there was a little more melodic quality--nonetheless the sound is fresh, playful, and, despite some drawbacks, very well grounded. The songs indeed are funny, though I imagine from what reviews have said that the material from the book is much better.

The sound coming from the singers is even better than the material they work with. It really is an ensemble work--no star really outshining the next, unless, in fact, their song is better.

The best selections are: the title song (1), Pandemonium (5), Why We Like Spelling (10), Prayer of the Comfort Counselor (11), Woe is Me (13), I Speak Six Languages (15), the I Love You Song (16)

Finally, the clips on this page don't represent this recording well--if I had based my choice to buy this only on the clips, I wouldn't have bought it. Now, however, I'm very glad I have.

Though I have not yet seen the actual musical, I can easily tell that this show is the anthesis of 'big budget' bashes. As compared often in earlier reviews, think Avenue Q... perhaps also Rent, as well as any prior Finn musical. Think small, intimate, and highly character-driven.

YOU'RE QUITE APT TO ENJOY THIS SHOW / THE ALBUM IF...
- You like musicals by Finn (Falsettos, New Brain...)
- You don't really care about sets, costumes, etc.
- You're fine with small, 'moderate' musical ensembles (as opposed to big lush orchestras or rockin' loud combos).
- You sympathize with geeks / nerds / underdogs.

YOU MAY NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS SHOW IF...
- Your favorite musicals involve large props, explosions (Sunset Blvd, Lion King)
- You hope to hear songs you're already familiar with (e.g., Mamma Mia, whatever that Beatles musical is, etc.)
- You're into primarily "weighty" themes or deep love stories (Les Miz, Miss Saigon).

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Other thoughts about this cast album, in part echoing what others have duly noted:
- Enunciation is stellar.
- Balance (amongst parts, between singers and musicians) is excellent.
- Sound quality is quite good... crisp, vibrant.
- Characters' voices are indeed "affected"... but IMHO, very rarely so much as to deter from the enjoyment (and repeat listening enjoyment) of the score.
- While you can tell that this music is Finn'ish, there's enough variety in feel amongst the songs that you aren't likely to get bored.

* * *

Anyway, in case you couldn't tell, I really adored this score and can't wait to see the show in NY (or, here in SF when it finally goes on tour!) I'm eager to support shows like this that are warm, written and performed by people who seem to genuinely care about their characters AND respect the maturity and good will of the audience.

With a score that bounces along, and sing-in-the-shower tongue twisting lyrics, this c.d. is the exact definition of "feel good." The talented cast feeds your ears with their goofy antics and extensive vocabularies. Every lyric is a gem of simplicity, so conversational, and they never get old. I listen to this c.d. once or twice every day. It's the first thing I look to pop into the car's c.d. player on the way to school, and it's the tunes that are playing on my ipod during finals.

A review for the staged production described it as "A Chorus Line, with pimples." Indeed, that couldn't be more accurate. Each song tells the story of an individual character, and the emotion in the vocals is especially evident. My favorite of the cast is Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who sings the buoyant song, "I'm Not That Smart." Even through just listening, you can tell that Ferguson embodies the twelve year old he is portraying.

I love this music. You woill love it, too. Such subtle brilliance are the lyrics "If you start to spell a word, you may start over, but the sequences of letters already spoken may not be changed." that they will play over and ove rin your head incessantly. Forever. And it won't annoy you.

I saw The 25th Annual...Spelling Bee two days ago and it has automatically made itself a snug place in my heart as one of the best musicals I've ever seen. The whole cast fits together perfectly like a puzzle--I can't even imagine how it will be once one of these amazing actors moves on and must be replaced.

However, the cast recording, though the music is great, does not do the show much justice. Somebody suggested there be a second disc with some of the dialogue, and I second that idea. The funniest part of this show was the writing. Nearly every word that escaped an actor's lips brought even just a smile to everyone's face, and it wasn't done with off-color jokes and offensive words like most comedy in today's generation of entertainment.

If you haven't seen the show yet, I suggest you do so before purchasing this recording. The songs just don't mean as much if you haven't experienced the wonderful phenomenon that is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

When I saw the musical, I thought it was amazing and I just HAD to get the CD! The songs are witty and beautifully sung. I do suggest that, if you plan to see the show, you buy the CD AFTER you see it because it gives away a big part of the plot.

I always love William Finn, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is no exception. The show is full of funny character songs like "I'm Not That Smart" and "Woe is Me," but it also has real show pieces with "The I Love You Song" and "My Favorite Moment of the Bee." This show perfectly highlights Finn's ability to create quirky comedies with big hearts. It seems to always be in my CD player.

I'd heard the opening number as well as "The I Love You Song" upon which I decided I'd like to listen to the entire soundtrack. I liked the concept behind the musical and thought it would be fun.

Upon first listening I have to say I was slightly disappointed. The style of singing is all the same: strong and loud and the melodic movement of the songs is generally all the same with lots of long notes that generally get prety annoying after awhile.

Some positives though...The songs move through the progression of the bee quite nicely with the "Goodbye" Songs and "My Favourite Moment From the Bee" songs adding a nice theme to the whole score.

"The I Love You Song" is still a personal favourite but "Woe is Me" is also a strong song and parts of "Pandemonium" with it's upbeat rhythm are toe tapping and enjoyable.

The characters are varied but their songs don't really do them justice.

Good but not great.

After years and years of watching writer's block put to stage (aka: revivals, adapting books and movies, etc), at last something NEW, FRESH, and UNIQUE. One of the few original musicals on Broadway last season, SPELLING BEE stands out like a sunflower in the desert. With a cast full of extremely talented performers (a name that comes to mind, Celia Keenan-Bolger), fun and catchy songs, and hilarious comedy, SPELLING BEE will have you til its end!