REVIEW: IRT’s ‘Spelling Bee’ had audiences hooting ‘n hollering

Growing up, my mom’s best friend had season tickets to Weathervane Playhouse. Whenever she and her husband couldn’t go, she would give my mom and me the tickets — that’s how I first saw “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” I was young and new to theater, and some jokes went over my head then, but the production was eye-opening for me. I didn’t get to take my mom to the opening night of the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” on Sept. 20 — because she still lives in Ohio — but the sense of nostalgia the show brought back for me made it feel like she was there… almost. It’s an eccentric show with lots of adult humor, quirky characters who care way too much about spelling and musical numbers that bring a combination of “wWow!” and “Huh?” But seeing as it was one of the first shows I was ever introduced to, the night was pretty special. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a two-time Tony Award-winning musical for Best Book of a Musical and Best Performance by a Featured Actor. Originally conceived by Rebecca Feldman as “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E”...