By Rachel Epstein ’14, Contributor
For years, Ali Breneman ’11 has dazzled audiences with her voice, portrayed fascinating characters, and danced her way to the center of the CCDS stage, and she’s not finished yet. This April, Breneman will make her final appearance in the CCDS theatre department by directing her first musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
As head of Ovations Club, Breneman was the primary force behind getting the spring show approved. “Directing the spring production would be a really cool way to get the [Ovations] club more involved in CCDS drama,” said the senior. The show will also benefit a charity that helps disadvantaged children of US military veterans in Cincinnati.
The plot follows six strange children and three equally odd adults at a spelling bee. The small cast of senior Mick Abrahamson, sophomore Will Bernish, senior Ali Breneman, sophomore Holly Dayton, freshman Emma Hoenemeyer, junior Josh Motley, sophomore Annie Nesbitt, and junior Catherine Smith will be performing a Tony winning production. The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee is a musical one act with quirks beyond the imagination. The show engages audience members by actually including them in the cast.
This year, Breneman has put in a new twist, with Mrs. Dunn, Mr. Black, and Vondale Batchelor joining the cast of the show. Mrs. Dunn will put her incisive wit to use, while Mr. Black and Vondale will be delighting audiences with their lovely vocal talents.
Breneman believes the show to be “an absolutely hilarious musical that everyone can enjoy,” and that the quirky characters and catchy music will add life to everything a script can offer. Riddled with humor and enthusiasm, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee is not to be missed. The performance will begin at 7:30 on Thursday, April 28, at the Keeler Theatre.
