Gilbert Theater is opening the season on Friday, September 11th with an E-L-E-C-T-R-I-Y-I-N-G production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a high-energy, fast-paced, surprisingly emotional, improvish musical following six “young” contestants of the Putnam County Spelling Bee as they fight it out to be crowned champion and the ultimate speller.
The cast includes a full lineup of powerhouses, the trifecta of talent: singing, dancing and acting. Starring in this production are:
• Izaiah Zapata (Barfee)
• Jake Twaddell (Leaf)
• Matt Lamb (Chip)
• Keylianies Arandia-Colon (Olive)
• Mianne Goforth (Logan)
• Annabeth Clark (Marcy Park)
• Teague Vernell (Mitch Mahoney)
• Laurel Flomdell (Rona)
• John O'Neil (Assistant Principal Panch)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has become an instant musical classic since its first performance in 2004. A whole generation of theater adults have grown up listening to the soundtrack, relating to the characters and dreaming of the day they would be old enough to play a kid in a spelling bee. That’s right.
The entire cast is adults, from returning legendary announcer Assistant Principal Panch to the youngest of the bunch, Logan, a 10-year-old. Laurel Flomdell, who will be starring as the charismatic Rona, has been a fan of the musical for a long time and has a special connection.
“I chose to audition for this show in particular because Spelling Bee holds a very special place in my heart due to my family's connection with it,” she said. “We would grow up singing along with the soundtrack in my dad's car, and it was just a really special show to come up with.”
One of the youngest cast members, Keylianies Arandia-Colon is still studying at UNCP but has enjoyed channeling the character of Olive, one that she relates to.
“I’ve enjoyed being able to play a character that’s similar to me, like personality; she’s a bit more on the shy side, but she’s also a little fun and weird,” she said.
A perfect combination of humor, song and dance, six contestants spell it out on stage, while revealing a little too much about their home life and getting a little help from the audience.
While the competitive, over-achieving “kids” are definitely the highlight of the spelling bee, the adults around them are just as eccentric, especially the spelling bee's comfort counselor, Mitch Mahoney, whose juice box distribution prowess for eliminated contestants is getting him closer to completing his community service hours.
Then there is Assistant Principal Panch, the annual spelling bee's normal announcer who is back after a brief hiatus and ready to reclaim his title.
This role is double duty for the cast member, as the spelling words are really chosen at random, providing just enough splash of improv to keep the audience laughing and John O’Neil on his feet.
O’Neil is taking on the role of the assistant principal and everything that comes with it.
“The most difficult [part of this character] is I have to say all of the hard words. Because the Vice Principal is the one who gives the words to the spellers, just having to say antediluvian, and other big ones… I’ve seen Panch played a couple different ways. And so the idea of playing them a little bit differently than the way I’ve seen him portrayed by a lot of people is something I’m excited to explore,” O’Neil explained about his role.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the perfect blend of memorized lines, improv word announcement and audience participation.
Directing this talented cast is the equally talented, seasoned theater aficionado and Gilbert regular, Malissa Borden. Borden has been enthusiastic about her role as director.
“The most exciting thing for me was casting [the show]. It was just so much; it was so incredible seeing all the people show up. That is always one of my favorite things. And it’s just beautiful to see so many community people come together to audition,” she said.
“But by far for me, the best part is that my son is the musical director! I haven’t seen him musically direct in a very long time, so getting to watch him work in the room with the actors has been probably my favorite thing so far.”
Producing a musical is no small feat. From the set and costume design to the choreography and music, it is an all-hands-on-deck production, especially for community theaters like the Gilbert.
But being a community theater doesn’t mean that corners are cut; auditions for this production were scheduled over the course of a week and consisted of auditioning actors completing 1 to 2 days of line reading, choreography and singing. Every member of the cast earned their place on the stage and the spotlight.
Tickets for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee can be purchased at the Gilbert Theater box office located at 116 Green Street or online at https://www.gilberttheater.com/our-2026-2027-season/. The show opens Friday, Sept. 11 and closes out on Sunday, Sept. 27.
This season, Gilbert Theater is making a small change, with evening shows starting at 7:30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. This will give patrons more time to enjoy Downtown Fayetteville after shows and will allow the Gilbert to expand more after-show experiences for members and season ticket holders.
To learn more information about becoming a season ticket holder, visit https://www.gilberttheater.com/season-tickets/. Community theater would not survive without its community partners and sponsors; Gilbert Theater is always looking for new opportunities to connect with those who want to see the theater grow and thrive.
To learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Artistic Director Matt Lamb at ad@gilberttheater.com.

(Photo: The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will bring to life the drama, music and comedy from the classic stage play. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a story told through song and a little improv, keeping audiences engaged and on their toes. Photo courtesy of the Gilbert Theater)