‘THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’
7:30 p.m., Robinson Center Music Hall. $20-$50.

This musical comedy, which enjoyed a Tony-award winning run on Broadway in 2005, took the long road to the big stage — from small improv stage to a cafeteria-turned-auditorium to Off Broadway’s Second Stage (where it broke box office records) to Broadway’s Circle on the Square. It’s a fitting arc for what’s been described, complimentarily, as a modest production — an antidote to lavish commercial works that have come to dominate modern big-time theater. The show’s spark lies in its humor, which the New York Times likened to the spirit of films like “Waiting for Guffman” and “Best in Show.” The story, set in a middle school gymnasium, revolves around six young nerds who’re vying for the county prize. Along the way, songs are sung, dances danced and morals learned. It’s liable to be smart and funny enough for the whole family. The musical sticks around for two more performances, on Wednesday and Thursday, same time.

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