25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
SUNY Cortland Performing Arts Spring 2019
Lab Stage
Spelling Bee is a musical about a diverse group of young students attending a local Spelling Bee. Each character has to understand and overcome a neurosis that could keep them from winning the Bee. This show takes place in a school gymnasium. I explored fun ways to turn the Lab theatre into a gym and keep some theatrical elements. Fortunately, the gym in the Moffet building was being dismantled. We were able to acquire actual basketball hoops and nets as well as bleacher bench tops. I also created a faux gym floor covering the whole Lab floor and painted in the appropriate foul and shot lines. We created mini bleacher sections that could rotate and travel through the space for choreographed maneuvers during songs.
I also gave a local nod to Cortland HS using their colors and mascot as the fictitious school gym logo and color palette. I also created senior posters to hang around the space to honor the current musical theatre students, just like do for HS basketball teams.
Research inspiration for the Spelling Bee stage
Spelling Bee balloons. I recreated this idea for our show.
Spelling Bee balloon columns
Research for gym layout
Senior posters inside the gym. I created senior posters for the current Musical theatre majors.
Research of students singing on risers.
Our cast singing on the risers made from the bleacher wood from the Moffett courts
Production photo
Production photo
Production photo
research score desk.
illuminated desk with Cortland HS logo and colors
For one of the musical numbers we lowered in 7 mirror balls as a cast member swung frantically from a rope.
Magic feet. One contestant based his good spelling on his magic feet. I created a Payette sparkling shoe for his solo song.
The cast of Spelling Bee, where everyone's a winner.