Children’s Musical Theater San Jose 408-288-5437 Email
Feb 27 – Mar 7 • Featuring local performers ages 14-19
Auditions: December 15, 2025
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Cast List
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Grid
Rehearsal Calendar – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Audition registration is now closed. Walk-ins welcome at auditions.
Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. Featuring a fast-paced, wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a truly fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience.
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.
Katherine Bonn is buzzing with joy to be co-directing Spelling Bee. This is her first appearance at a spelling bee since the second grade, when she placed third upon inserting a ‘soul’ into parasol. Katherine’s previous directing credits with CMT include A Christmas Carol, Honk!, and Schoolhouse Rock. Most recently, you may have seen her blowing flour across the Montgomery stage in the Marquee production of Waitress. When not working on a show, Katherine spends her days writing, teaching, cooking, and watching reality television. Glad to be half of the Katie/David dream team.
David DeRuiter is thrilled to be co-directing his second show at the Children’s Theater. They brought him back because in spite of being a lousy director, he is a terrific speller.
David’s credits as a Mainstager included Evita, Legally Blonde, and—wouldn’t you know it—the Bee. Since then, he has served as the director of CMT’s Hadestown, the improv teacher at Sacred Heart Nativity Schools, a shy politician, and the director of Just Add Water, Yale’s first, worst, best, and only musical improv comedy group.
When not busy chewing the scenery, David can be found in the Tenderloin, where he works as a legal research assistant at UC Law SF. He is just happy to be working with Katie again.
Derrick Jaques (Vocal Director) is thrilled to join Children’s Musical Theater San Jose as Vocal Director for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Previous CMT Marquee credits include Mary Sunshine in Chicago, Al in A Chorus Line, 9 to 5, Les Misérables, and most recently Finding Neverland.
Other favorite credits include Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Kinky Boots aboard Norwegian Cruise Line, along with numerous regional productions spanning both classic and contemporary musical theatre. Derrick graduated from the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance/Musical Theatre. He is excited to collaborate with CMT’s incredible creative team to bring the humor and heart of Spelling Bee, and the music of William Finn, to life.
