Moorpark College Live Summer Theatre Returns with "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
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MOORPARK, Calif. - Californer -- The Moorpark College Theatre Arts Department is pleased to announce auditions for its upcoming 2021 summer production, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Auditions will be held via Zoom from 3:30-6 p.m., May 10, and 6-10 p.m., May 11. Callbacks will be 6-10 p.m., May 12.

"We are overjoyed to be bringing live theatre back to the Moorpark College campus, and, of course, our first priority will be safety as we slowly and cautiously recover from the yearlong pandemic," said John Loprieno, director and performing arts department chair.

The production is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes-- a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

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"Our summer program has always been about welcoming graduating high school students to Moorpark College and theatre arts. We're calling all performers and technical theatre students for this return to live performance," added Loprieno. "This year, more than any other, we welcome new and returning students back to our campus, and 'Spelling Bee' is a perfect offering to celebrate the return to annual school events that we have missed so much over this last year."

Those interested in auditioning should make a reservation on the Moorpark College Theatre Arts website at moorparkcollege.edu/pac. An audition will consist of 30 bars (one minute) of an upbeat song from any musical along with improvisations and a reading from the script, which the department will provide. There will be no accompanist at the audition, so musical tracks are recommended but not required.

Anyone who is cast or works on a technical crew for the production must register for the three-unit theatre production class. Rehearsals are expected to begin on campus June 14 and will follow Ventura County Public Health guidelines.

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The show will run July 22 through Aug. 8 outdoors on the Moorpark College campus, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark. Performances will be free and open to students and the community.

Beginning July 1, reservations for the free performances may be made through the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center Box Office at (805) 378-1485 or https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/theatre-arts/performing-arts-center.

For additional information regarding the Moorpark College Summer Theatre Arts, contact Loprieno at (805) 378-1469 or jloprieno@vcccd.edu.