Podcast Summary: Broadway Breakdown

Episode: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE w/ Todd Buonopane

Date: June 29, 2023
Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Todd Buonopane (Original Broadway Cast: Spelling Bee, Broadway/TV Actor)

Episode Overview

This episode takes a deep, joyful, and hilarious dive into The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, featuring Broadway performer Todd Buonopane, a member of the original cast. Host Matt Koplik and Todd blend irreverent humor and genuine admiration as they explore the developmental history, structure, emotional nuance, cultural impact, and legacy of Spelling Bee, all filtered through Matt’s signature “opinionated, foul-mouthed, and passionate” lens.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Spelling Bee’s Reputation

• [00:00 - 06:20]
  • Matt introduces Todd with playful irreverence, discussing Todd’s Broadway debut in Spelling Bee and the unique “club” status of its original company.
  • Quote:
    "It's one of those special things where an entire original company just, like, has that stank on them that in the best possible way—like you walk around forever touched with this show..." – Matt [03:18]
  • Todd highlights the collaborative, actor-driven nature of creation: “Spelling Bee was written by and around the people that did it originally...they really owned these characters.” [04:08]

2. Development & Collaboration

• [04:29 - 06:20]
  • The show’s origin as an improv/sketch project ("Crepuscule") and how it was shaped in the Berkshires, with actors’ personalities fused into the characters.
  • “Do your own thing. And that’s kind of rare on Broadway…” – Todd [05:29]
  • Contrast with shows like Phantom, where replacements must repeat “exact moments”.

3. The Ethic of Kindness & Critique in Theatre

• [14:09 - 18:40]
  • Matt and Todd discuss criticism, the vulnerability of artists, and learning from failure.
  • “No one tries to make a bad show...Even the greats have had some clunkers.” – Matt [14:08]
  • Todd’s favorite review: "Some of the most talented people creating theater today have made a show that does not work. Let’s discuss why.” (Vincent Canby on Parade) [17:59]

4. Spelling Bee’s Structure & Emotional Balance

• [20:29 - 22:14]
  • Spelling Bee as “a comedy about sad people”—requiring sensitivity to both its goofiness and its sincere emotional arcs.
  • Quote:
    "The sadness of it makes you care about it, as opposed to being a stupid sitcom that just is, like, making jokes for joke’s sake." – Todd [20:32]

5. The Kids: Character Arcs & Key Moments

[23:03 - 66:09]

Each speller has a distinct arc:

• Olive Ostrovsky:
  • Her emotional core, absent parents, "I Love You Song" as a gut-punch [63:02].
  • Quote:
    “You did this thing for you, and I wasn’t even a thought in your head...But she still loves her parents.” – Matt [64:34]
• Leaf Coneybear:
  • Homeschooled outcast; gains self-esteem through the Bee [67:46].
  • “This is the day his self-esteem began.” – Todd [73:04]
• Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre:
  • The pressure from her dads; learning she can fail, return, and success does not define her worth [87:14].
  • “She needs to achieve for herself and not for other people because she has so much stress.” – Todd [87:14]
• Marcy Park:
  • The perfectionist who learns her own agency—not just to please others [93:39].
  • Quote:
    “Marcy has almost an entire personality awakening.” – Todd [92:21]
• William Barfée:
  • Social outcast with defensive walls, becomes vulnerable and open by the end [49:41].
  • “You have to choose to repel the audience. This kid has been so picked on…that he now puts up this wall.” – James Lapine’s note to Todd [49:04]
• Chip Tolentino:
  • Puberty-induced downfall, and acceptance of his own imperfection [105:12 – 112:19].

Signature Emotional Moments

• Sentimental highlight: Olive’s “I Love You Song” stuns the audience, moving from laughter to tears.
  • “It earns it...it’s rare that a show can really surprise you like that.” – Todd [65:07]
• The show’s “delicate” balance: playing comedy with truthful vulnerability so the emotion lands (“a competition about sad people”).

6. The Adults: Anchoring & Satire

• Rona Lisa Peretti (warm, achievement-obsessed prior winner)
• Douglas Panch (suppressed rage, obsession with Rona, provides comedic tension) [123:37]
• Mitch Mahoney (the “comfort counselor”/parolee, only Black character: race & optics problem discussed frankly by Todd) [114:07].
  • “If Mitch is your only Black character, then you have a bit of a problem.” – Todd [114:57]

7. Audience Participation: The Spelling Bee Experience

• [39:14 - 45:22]
  • Audience guests as spellers; secret “fake word” (Caterjunes) to remove last guest [40:00]
  • Unpredictable live moments, shenanigans with celebrities (Julie Andrews, national bee champions)
  • “It was really fun to be a part of.” – Todd on manipulating the chaos [41:17]
  • The infamous "adult nights" and their chaos—sometimes undermined the show’s emotional arc.

8. Spelling Bee’s Broadway Run: Timeline & Legacy

• [27:24 - 34:08]
  • Fast track from Barrington Stage to Second Stage Off-Broadway, and then to Broadway.
  • The 2005 Tony race context (Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Piazza, Spelling Bee)
  • Sold-out runs, star attendees, iconic Tony performance [36:30].
  • “Every night was different. No show was a better example of that than Spelling Bee.” – Todd [84:49]

9. Understudies, Casting, and Broadway Culture

• [78:12 – 82:03]
  • Todd’s experience as understudy for multiple roles—rare approval to make the characters their own.
  • Tough “cool kids” culture; management’s resistance to putting understudies on, contrasted with fans’ loyalty.
  • “Our spelling bee fans were very loyal to everybody.” – Todd [77:02]

10. William Finn, James Lapine, and Craft

• [135:46 - 137:21]
  • Finn’s musical intelligence best serving “verbal, smart, but immature” characters; Spelling Bee’s score as a perfect marriage.
  • Lapine’s directness as a director; his unique ability to direct young performers honestly [47:39, 49:04].
  • “The best piece of direction I’ve ever gotten in my life.” – Todd on Lapine [47:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Show’s Heart

"Everyone’s temptation is to just do it like it’s an SNL sketch... You have to make them care about these characters without them knowing that’s happening." – Todd [12:50]

On Criticism & Theatrical Growth

"If you think all your choices are perfect, you’re never gonna grow, you’re never gonna get better, you’re never gonna make the kind of art that’s bold and interesting." – Matt [18:40]

On Character Specificity

"You have to choose to repel the audience. This kid has been so picked on in his life that he now puts up this wall..." – James Lapine (to Todd), quoted by Todd [49:04]

On Audience Participation

"There was a fake word in the show... Caterjunes. Which is not a word. As long as it is a possible spelling, you would say, 'That is correct.' And everyone on stage would give the look of like, 'Oh no, what do we do?'" – Todd [40:16]

On the Show’s Lasting Impact

"It’s still the longest running show at Circle in the Square." – Matt [162:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |---------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–06:20 | Opening, Spelling Bee’s cast “club”, Todd’s Broadway debut | | 04:08–06:20 | Show’s collaborative creation, actor-driven process | | 14:09–18:40 | On kindness, reviews, learning from failure | | 22:14–23:42 | "Tiny events, big feelings" — What Spelling Bee is "about" | | 45:22–47:39 | On Lapine’s genius with children, specificity in direction | | 63:02–66:09 | Olive’s "I Love You Song," audience surprise | | 73:23–77:02 | Understudies, fan loyalty, Broadway culture | | 110:41–112:19 | Chip’s arc, humor of puberty, and "adult nights" | | 114:07–118:41 | Race, representation, and optics of the Mitch role | | 139:24–140:16 | Origins of the “Christina Ricci” lyric, comedy details | | 161:27–162:55 | Legacy, movie rights, longest Circle in the Square run |

Final Reflections: Why Spelling Bee Endures

• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a rare musical that mixes sharp comedy, profound emotional beats, and a genuinely collaborative ethos. The hosts credit the show's delicacy, actor-driven improvisation, and compassionate character arcs.
• Both Matt and Todd grapple with the show's legacy—the joyful unpredictability, its deep emotional impact ("crying homosexuals"), and the evolving conversations around casting and representation.
• Quote:
  "The show was drastically different every night. No show was a better example of that than Spelling Bee." – Todd [84:49]

Episode Closing

• Todd promotes his upcoming cabaret shows (Provincetown, Fire Island; July 2023).
• Matt encourages listeners to rate/review the podcast.
• Closing diva: Karen Morrow (requested by Todd).

If you’ve never seen Spelling Bee, what are you waiting for? Whether as an OBC superfan or a “DL” theatre lover, this episode offers everything: inside scoop, honest critique, and a love letter to a one-of-a-kind Broadway classic.