A week in S-I-N-G-A-P-O-R-E: Diaries from a week of 'Spelling Bee'

Landing

06 August, Sunday

MANILA, Philippines - Flying into the city on a Sunday night. I can see the lights of the city from the plane window. I can’t wait! 

Singapore has become one of my favorite cities to visit and it has become even more special as the extension home for some of our shows. Some years back, we were here for Rent and just last year, Avenue Q played to packed houses and cheering crowds at the Esplanade. This time, we are here for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (or Spelling Bee for short)— all of us, the entire cast and creative team from Manila. I am looking forward to seeing how the Singaporeans will take to the bundle of joy we are about to share with them. 

Day 1

07 August, Monday

The stage door of the Victoria Theatre makes it seem so real now. Yes, I am back in this wonderful space. I love this “STAGE DOOR” sign. And this theater. It is old and full of history and yet so functional; big and yet so intimate. And I am glad to be working in it again. 

After Rent played here in 2001, I did a couple more shows here as an actor — Honk and Boeing Boeing! Walking back in now fills me with a lot of wonderful memories. 

The stage is now filled with tape markers in all colors and the lights are hanging down low. The focusing has begun. Jonsy Reyes, our lighting designer, is busy recreating the lighting setup he did in Manila. And, much as I am writing this journal on my iPhone, so are they controlling the turning on and off of the stage lighting fixtures from theirs. Yes, from their iPhone. Welcome to Singapore! 

Off to the Sitz Probe (which is when the actors and the band come together for the first time) with the band now! 

Day 2

08 August, Tuesday

Finally, we meet at our set and the stage now looks like the Putnam County gymnasium where our show is to take place.

The tech run begins.

Day 3

09 August, Wednesday

After an afternoon run, we were ready to go. Spelling Bee officially opened in Singapore tonight. 

F-U-N!

A brand new audience to share our little show with. Singaporean audiences are loving William Finn and Rebecca Sheinkin’s wit.

Celebrated the opening at La Pa Sat over the most famous of Singaporean hawker food. 

Happiness. 

Day 4

10 August, Thursday

After working up to the opening of any show, I always like how the show settles into the run. Keeping things fresh and consistent is always a fun challenge in theater. 

Doing Spelling Bee really is a different show every night because four people from the audience join the cast onstage as guest spellers. In Manila we had a mix of audience members and surprise celebrity guests.

Here in Singapore, so far, we’ve had a good mix of Singaporean spellers — from the scholars to the simply wacky! 

I wonder what kind of spellers tomorrow’s show will bring. 

Day 5

11 August, Friday

The great thing about working on shows like Spelling Bee is, just when you think the last show was great fun, the next show comes along and, in magical ways, it’s another wonderful, laugh-filled evening.

There were a lot of young students in the audience tonight with a mix of expatriates and young professionals. And we loved them! They were rowdy and noisy and responsive. 

Our Singapore producer observed that some of these people were not typically the people he sees going to theater in Singapore. And for me, that’s wonderful! I hope these first time theatergoers are transformed into lifelong theater lovers. 

Day 6

12 August, Saturday

Packed, noisy, cheering, wonderful audience. 

Tonight, as the spellers were spelling, some in the audience would even spell along with them. And boy, how they “Awwww”-ed when a speller was dinged out of the show. 

Tomorrow we close and say goodbye to Singapore and to Spelling Bee… but only for now.

Yes, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be back in Manila for a special limited run to spread some Christmas cheer this December. There couldn’t be a better time to bring the Bee back.

We hope you all will be there! 

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For show-buying and fundraising inquiries for the special holiday repeat run of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee from Dec. 4 to 13, 2009 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati, contact Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or 840-1187.