The Cast Photo by Joan Marcus

In 2005, when The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened Off-Broadway, the celestial bodies of the theatre world seemed to be in flawless alignment, and the production garnered rave reviews. The little gem of a show quickly moved to Broadway, where it ran almost three years. Once again, we are witnessing a moment of perfect syzygy with the revival of Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn's musical now playing at New World Stages, and it is as delightful and effervescent as ever.

Rona Lisa Peretti (the utterly endearing Lilli Cooper) is no stranger to the Putnam County Spelling Bee; she took the top prize in the third annual competition (winning, incidentally, with the word "syzygy") and has been serving as host for the last nine years. Miss Peretti loves every moment of the bee, and she frequently refers to junctures in the tournament as her "favorites."

I felt a little bit like Miss Peretti myself when I attended a performance of the show this past weekend. I brought my niece along, and beforehand, I regaled her with memories of being selected as one of the audience spellers when the musical debuted at Second Stage more than twenty years ago. (She was a little confused when I clarified that no, it was not the fifth annual spelling bee at that time–it's always been the twenty-fifth.) I was the first contestant eliminated, but I still have a lasting soft spot for the show.

My favorite elements of Spelling Bee are Finn's idiosyncratic music and lyrics and Sheinkin's marvelously adaptable book. (The musical was conceived by Rebecca Feldman and contains additional material by Jay Reiss.) Finn's score, including "Chip's Song," (about erectile over-function and energetically sung by Philippe Arroyo), adroitly captures the contestants' adolescence awkwardness, often with a jarring lyrical style. For instance, in "My Friend the Dictionary," Finn not-so-elegantly rhymes "species," "Nietzsche's," and "Christina Ricci's." But then later, we get the achingly beautiful and tear-inducing "The I Love You Song," sung by Olive Ostrovsky, who desperately yearns for her parents' attention. By the way, Jasmine Amy Rogers, practically disappearing in an oversized sweater (Emily Rebholz's costumes are spot-on for both the adult and child characters) is heartbreakingly good in the role; I even had to double-check my program to confirm I wasn't seeing an understudy, as she is completely unrecognizable from her previous Betty Boop persona.

Sheinkin's book is simultaneously smart and hilarious. It uproariously skewers the American penchant for television reality show match-ups while still retaining plenty of heart and just the right amount of sentiment. Although it centers on kids with all kinds of hang-ups, the script is laced with sardonic wit, especially provided by word-pronouncer Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Jason Kravits, who is riotously funny). There are also opportunities for topical ad libs, such as references to Nancy Pelosi, AOC, and Zohran Mamdani at the performance I saw.

Undoubtedly, my favorite moment in the show is when Kevin McHale as William Barfée performs "Magic Foot." McHale is a nimble dancer and possesses impeccable comic timing. Having seen the original production a few times, I once felt that only Tony-winner Dan Fogler could inhabit the role. Yet, to the credit of not just McHale, but the entire cast and director/choreographer Danny Mefford, the show feels completely fresh–as if it were built around this current ensemble. (The show's five musicians, conducted by music director Elizabeth Doran, and Haley Parcher's sound design add to the evening's buoyancy.)

Actually, my favorite performances kept shifting during the show, depending on who was in the spotlight. (David Weiner's lighting clever transitions from the school gymnasium setting, which is meticulously and amusingly designed by Teresa L. Williams, to characters' flights of fancy.) Autumn Best is captivating as the lisping, eager-to-please Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, as is Leana Rae Concepcion playing the overachieving and haughty Marcy Park. I also adored Justin Cooley, who is goofy and charming as Leaf Coneybear. Matt Manuel is wonderful as soulful and slick "comfort-counselor" Mitch Mahoney, who sends each losing contestant off with a serenade and a juice box.

After more than two decades, returning to this Spelling Bee was an unalloyed pleasure. I may have lost the nerve to throw my name in as a possible audience speller this time, but the show still maintains its ability to bring out the kid inside, and for a short time, to put aside life's seriousness for pure silliness. And when it comes to musicals, these are a few of my favorite things.