Southampton - Center Stage, the highly acclaimed resident theatrical troupe at the Southampton Cultural Center, will present the Long Island premiere of William Finn's Tony Award–winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Performances begin October 15 and run through November 1. Michael Disher directs and choreographs.

A special festive opening night is planned for Sunday, October 11 at 5 p.m., with catered refreshments for cast and audience immediately following the performance. Tickets for the special October 11 performance are $45. General admission tickets for the remainder of the run are $25 and student tickets (under 21 with ID) are $10. Group rates are available and reservations are encouraged.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is a hilarious tale of the angst-ridden experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony-winning creative team, with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, has created the unlikeliest of
hit musicals about the unlikeliest group of heroes - a oddball yet charming cast of youthful outsiders who, during a spelling bee, find the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam County, the six quirky kids, along with three equally eccentric adults, learn that their worth and value is not always clearly or immediately defined. They also learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, ran for 1,136 performances, was nominated for six Tony Awards and won two - Best Book and Featured Actor in a Musical.

Center Stage's cast for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" includes a mix of new and familiar faces to the SCC stage: V.J. Chiaramonte, Christopher D'Amico, Bethany Dellapolla, Billy Finn, Adam Fronc, Holly Goldstein, Mary Ellen Roche, Ken Rowland and Christina Stankewicz.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is produced through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. Further details are available on the Center's website at southamptonculturalcenter.org.

For reservations and additional information, call Southampton Cultural Center at 631-287-4377 or e-mail reservations@southamptonculturalcenter.org.