Act-1

CASTING NOTE:

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At ACT-1, we strive for “color-blind” or “gender-neutral” casting. 

We strive to be inviting and welcoming, to actively and radically make space for all the different ways that actors exist in this world.

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However, as you get to know the show and the music, please pay attention to the characters' vocal ranges and required skill sets. We want you to audition for whatever roles you are attracted to, but please choose roles that best reflect your skill set and your natural vocal range. 

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Note: Sometimes we can slightly adjust the key of a character's solo song, but we do prefer to keep accompaniment close to the original key, as much as possible.  Please read the character descriptions and requirements below!​

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ROLES/CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS​

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RONA LISA PERETTI 

Vocal range: B3-F5

Character's Gender: Female

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

This former Spelling Bee champ is not only the county's top realtor, she also runs a highly lucrative e-Bay business, selling sensible pumps at sensible prices. She is incredibly kind to the spellers, having been in their shoes many years earlier. She is a sweet woman who loves children, but she can be very stern when it comes to dealing with Vice Principal Panch and his feelings for her. Her interest in the competition is unflagging and drives it forward.​

SKILLS: Should have both a high belt and improv skills. Along with Panch, she guides the comedy of the show and the audience volunteers. 

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DOUGLAS PANCH

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

The Vice Principal. Frustrated with his life, he finds the drive of the young spellers alien to him. He was involved in an "incident" at the Twentieth Annual Bee that got him removed from the judging panel. After five years' absence from the Bee, Panch returns as judge, in "a better place,” thanks to a high-fiber diet and therapy. He is infatuated with Rona Lisa Peretti, but she does not return his affections.  

SKILLS: a strong character actor with impeccable comic timing and the ability to improv. While he does not need to sing, he is arguably the most important role in the entire show. 

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CHIP TOLENTINO 

Vocal range: C3-B4

Character's Gender: Male

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any

Speller #21. Last Year's champion of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, he returns to defend his title, but he finds puberty hitting at an inopportune moment. He is strong willed, competitive and ambitious. An athletic, social, boy scout, he returns to defend his title, but he finds puberty hitting at an inopportune moment.  

SKILLS: This role has some of the most difficult singing in the show and requires long sustained high notes. 

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LOGAINNE SCHWARTZANDGRUNIERRE (SCHWARTZY)

Vocal range: Mezzo-Soprano/Alto, range: A3-F5

Character's Gender: Female

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any

Speller #1. Logainne is the youngest and most politically aware speller, often making comments about current political figures and her mature world views.  She has two overbearing gay dads who have turned her neurotic and self-conscious, but she has a real confidence about her at times. 

SKILLS: She speaks with a lisp. Actor must be able to portray this in scenes and songs while still being understood by the audience.  

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LEAF CONEYBEAR 

Vocal range: A2-A4

Character's Gender: Male (easily works as female or non-binary)

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any

Speller #17. As just the second runner-up in his district's bee, they really shouldn't be competing here.  They find everything about the bee incredibly amusing. Leaf is home-schooled and comes from a large family of former hippies. Leaf makes his/her own clothes, is home schooled and lacks social skills. They're strange but very sweet, loving and kindhearted but distracted. He/she has severe Attention Deficit Disorder and spells words correctly while in a trance. 

SKILLS: This role allows a ton of personal interpretation and requires physical comedy.

 

WILLIAM BARFEE

Vocal range: E2-B4  

Character's Gender: Male

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any
Speller #13. A Putnam County Spelling Bee finalist last year, he was eliminated because of an allergic reaction to peanuts and is back for vindication. He has no interest in making friends at the bee. His famous "Magic Foot" method of spelling has boosted him to spelling glory, even though he only has one working nostril and a touchy, bullying personality. He develops a crush on Olive.  

Skills: This role requires a strong character actor with impeccable comic timing and the ability to create his own character. He should have a strong character voice and be an above average dancer. 

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MARCY PARK

Vocal range: C4-E5

Character's Gender: Female

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any

Speller #7. Marcy is the most feared and practiced competitor in the bee. She made it all the way to ninth place in Nationals last year and is back to win again. She speaks six languages, is a member of all-American hockey, a championship rugby player, plays Chopin and Mozart on multiple instruments, sleeps only three hours a night, hides in the bathroom cabinet, and is getting very tired of always winning. She does not recognize her own lack of humor. She is incredibly intense. She is the poster child for the Over-Achieving Asian, and attends a Catholic school called "Our Lady of Intermittent Sorrows." She is also not allowed to cry.

Skills: We would prefer an actress with unique talents (i.e. playing piano, twirling batons, juggling, gymnastics) but are open to all interpretations. 

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OLIVE OSTROVSKY

Vocal range: B3-F5

Character's Gender: Female

Character's Age: Tween

Character's Ethnicity: Any
Speller #11. A young newcomer to competitive spelling.  The heart of the show, Olive is basically deserted at the bee. Her mom is in ashram in India and her dad never shows up, even after promising that, this time, he'll try to make it. Her best friend is a dictionary.  She starts enormously shy, and shyly blossoms.  

Skills: This role requires an actress who, despite her meek appearance, has an incredibly strong voice and belt. 

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MITCH/MEG MAHONEY 

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male or female

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

The Official Comfort Counselor.  This former felon is fulfilling his court ordered community service at the bee and acting as the bee’s “comfort counselor,” handing our juice boxes and a dose of reality to the losers. He comes across as scary and tough but is really a big softy deep down. He has no idea how to offer comfort, but does find himself wishing he could find a way to make the kids feel better. 

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CARL DAD

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male 

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any
Schwarzy's main trainer, the more intense and competitive of Schwarzy's fathers. 

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DAN DAD

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male 

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

The more laid back and ineffectual of Schwarzy's fathers. 

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JESUS CHRIST

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male 

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

Deity invoked by a speller in need. Normally played by the actor playing Chip.

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LEAFS MOM, DAD, SIBLINGS

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender: Male or female

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

All more academically gifted than Leaf, they are even more surprised than he is by his success. Normally played by the spellers and audience volunteers as indicated in the script.

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OLIVE'S DAD 

Vocal range: Tenor

Character's Gender: Male 

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

A fantasy version of Olive's dad coming to the bee from work. Sings the duet/trio "I Love You Song." 

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OLIVE'S MOM 

Vocal range: Soprano

Character's Gender: Female 

Character's Age: Adult

Character's Ethnicity: Any

A fantasy version of Olive's mom at her Ashram in India. Normally played by the actor playing Rona.​

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Ensemble

Vocal range: Any

Character's Gender:  Any

Character's Age: Any

Character's Ethnicity: Any
Our hard working Ensemble will be featured in different scenes as well as songs such as "Spelling Rules," "Pandemonium," "Magic Foot," "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor," "I Speak Six Languages," "Jesus," "Second," and many MORE!

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