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Actor Adam Fronc with director Michael Disher following Saturday's performance of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Southampton Cultural Center. Photos by Joe Strand

Actress Mary Ellen Roche.

Southampton - Center Stage, the highly acclaimed resident theatrical troupe at the Southampton Cultural Center, is presenting the Long Island premiere of William Finn's Tony Award-winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" through November 1. The mutli-talented Michael Disher once again directs, choreographs, and acts as costume and set designer, among other roles, for this delightful production.

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 Allison-Rose DeTemple.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is produced through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, and is a charming and amusing tale of the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. This is a cast of oddball, funny, sad and confused students desperately attempting to 'fit in' by exhibiting angst, anger, bravado, and most importantly basic human emotions of fear, nervousness, sympathy and tenderness that reminds all of us of what some as adults may now reflect upon as the 'the unfortunate years' - namely the difficulties we all encountered at some point in school - trying to fit in and stand out at the same time.

Actresses Holly Goldstein and Christina Stankewicz whose character has the longest name - and perhaps the most difficult to spell of any of the words used in the entire production - Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere!

It's not just the student spellers who are trying to grasp on to a personal victory but also the vice principal (Ken Rowland) and a former champion speller, now teacher, (Mary-Ellen Roche), as well as the wonderful V.J. Chiaramonte whose character is assigned to the Spelling Bee as community service. Magically, the years melt away and there is not one character presented in this performance that (1) we were not ourselves and/or (2) knew someone just like one or more of them.

Actress Bethany Dellapolla.

With music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, this is probably one of the most unlikely hit musicals ever brought to the stage. As indicated by Disher's early release for the production it is "Set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam County, [and] 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 entire cast is engaging, professional and the sheer talent of these performers is revealed instantly to the audience.

Of particular note is the always engaging Adam Fronc who plays William Barfee in the production. Keep your eyes on this talented young man, not only in this production, but his future as well. This 18-year-old began his career with Stages and considers this role to be his first lead. Having had the pleasure of seeing him dance and sing through three previous productions - his timing is impeccable, his talent is unbound, his tutelage under Disher invaluable, and his future as bright as the stars of which he is one.

Actors V.J. Chiaramonte and William Finn.

Christopher D'Amico is also a veteran of Disher's productions, 17, and a senior at Southold High School, who plans to study classcial music and theater. Both he and his twin brother have entertained audiences in the past in "Into The Woods" and in this production he plays Leaf Coneybeat, a character who can't quite believe he has made it to the Spelling Bee finals. D'Amico brings such a heartfelt and sensitive pathos to his role with his cape (for security perhaps) and wild hair that he draws in the audience immediately.

Actor Christopher D'Amico.

Without revealing too much of the plot, both Holly Goldstein as Marcy Park and Bethany Dellapolla as Olive Ostrovsky bring a range and maturity to both their acting and vocal skills that is an absolute, dare I say - spellbinding - treat to see.

Disher has worked with a few but not all of these cast members in prior productions, and has once again drawn out the very best these young performers have - not one misses a beat, nor, amazingly enough, flubs the spelling of any of the incredibly difficult words, whose remote definitions in no way relate or empower the characterizations - almost like two scripts at the same time - very difficult - and very well handled with this professional cast. Although Disher did reveal "that it was the pronounciation of some of these words that really made us nuts."

Disher happily related "How wonderful it was to watch these young actors find their comedic instincts and how they finally came to terms with it, and let it burst forth in their acting."

If you can spell f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c then make a point of seeing this marvelous production that showcases the talents of a group of hard-working musical thespians and pays homage to the directorial skills of a gentleman devoted to bringing enjoyable, entertaining and thoughtful live theater productions to the East End.

For reservations and additional information, call Southampton Cultural Center at 631-287-4377 or e-mail reservations@southamptonculturalcenter.org. General admission tickets are $25 and student tickets (under 21 with ID) are $10. Group rates are available and reservations are encouraged.

One of the more than 15 musical numbers performed in the production. Photo by Tom Kochie