Washington Post - Recommended
"...Still, it’s “The Bee,” and it’s popular for a reason. If you go, you’re almost sure to laugh a lot, unless maybe you’re here on a trip and your school back home is doing “Bee,” too. You’re not sure to leave historic Ford’s thinking that they nailed it."
MetroWeekly - Recommended
"...But Kevin McAllister is yet one more reason this cast makes Ford's version worth seeing. The local actor was the secret weapon in Ford's February musical production, Violet, but even those who saw Violet will be again awed by McAllister, an impressively un-showy, power-piped vocalist. The actor takes on two roles here: a minor part as one of the gay stage-dads, which he performs during the rare offstage moments of his primary character, the bee's counselor, a thuggish ex-con. The range he displays here is on a level that is rare -- even unmatched -- around town. McAllister's acting chops are so fine-tuned to character that he pulls off the feat of convincingly playing two diametrical characters here. Now that's a champion."
Talkin Broadway - Recommended
"...Adult performers play the six youthful competitors, but they never hold the characters up to ridicule. Yes, they have their quirks: smug returning champion Chip Tolentino (Vincent Kempski) preens in his Boy Scout uniform; homeschooled Leaf Coneybear (Nickolas Vaughan) wears an outfit he made himself, and it shows; William Barfee (Vishal Vaidya) has a peanut allergy and chronic breathing problems; Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Kristen Garaffo) fights to spell despite an obvious lisp; overachieving Marcy Park (Felicia Curry) refuses to smile or break her concentration; and Olive Ostrovsky (Carolyn Agan) feels utterly isolated."
Washingtonian - Recommended
"...Both Flynn and set designer Court Watson have fun with the Lincoln theme—there’s a sign for “Lincoln’s Waffle House” hanging from the ceiling, and several of the kids express their delight at spelling words onstage at the site of a successful presidential assassination. The production also gets a visual boost from costume designer Wade Laboissonniere (possibly a former speller), who gets to express the kids’ eccentricities through Boy Scout badges, boxy blazers, and two-tone denim."
DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended
"...Exhilarating- adj. "making one feel very happy, animated, or elated; thrilling." E-X-H-I-L-A-R-A-T-I-N-G. Exhilarating; the perfect word used to describe your mood once you've attended the Ford's Theatre's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With Music and Lyrics by William Finn, and Book by Rachel Sheinkin, this catchy, quirky comedy will inspire delight and amusement for everyone in the audience. Directed by Peter Flynn with Musical Direction by Christopher Youstra, spelling can be fun for everyone!"
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...With quirky, gentle characters, audience participation and the serious message of the pressures on kids to overachieve, this Spelling Bee is a completely satisfying theatrical experience. This production is a must-see for everyone and will leave the heart singing."
DCTheatreScene - Recommended
This is it folks. The main event. In the red corner stands the reigning champion, a pubescent alpha-male and phonetic prodigy. In the blue corner, the challengers stand ready. Among them: a militant perfectionist, a boy with a ‘magic foot,’ a teenage girl who swings a mighty dictionary and many more. Now let’s get ready to…spell.
