Culture in brief: MHS senior directs ‘Spelling Bee’

Montclair High School seniors Aidan Joyce and Daniel Mathis, members of Montclair High’s School of Visual and Performing Arts (SVPA) present their production of the musical  “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” this weekend, a musical with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss.

It depicts six elementary school contestants trying to win their local spelling bee. It was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2005, and won two, for best book of a musical, and best performance by a featured actress for Celia Keenan-Bolger, now starring on Broadway in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

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Joyce, director, and Mathis, assistant director, conceived the production as part of their year-ending senior project, and are joined by a nine-member cast and technical crew made up of SVPA members in the completely student-led production. Performances are Friday, June 7, 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 8, 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the First Lutheran Church, 135 Park St.