If laughter is the best medicine, then the “25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee” is just the ticket.

The BPHS music department will stage this funny musical on Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9 in the high school auditorium. There will be two shows each day, one at 1 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m.

The show, which will have no intermission, will run just under two hours. The students are performing masked and the audience will be also. Every other row in the auditorium is being kept empty and three seats will be empty between each “pod” of families.

“The Bee” features an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents who 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! At least the losers get a juice box… A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a delightful den of comedic genius.

lt is written in the script for there to be four audience spellers at each performance, so some teachers and staff members will also be performing.  Rumor has it that our dearly beloved Vicki Flotta will even be an audience speller.