Story in Pictures: PPP Rehearses "The Bee."

     Germantown High School's renowned Production Workshop students have put months of work into the Poplar Pike Playhouse's upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The Tony Award winnig musical comedy opens this Thursday (10/16) and runs through the 25th. Dress rehearsal week is a challenging time for these students, but the payoff of opening night motivates them through the late nights. Take a sneak peek at the show and go behind the scenes in this gallery from a recent dress rehearsal performance...And be sure to reserve your seats for one of only six performances. (Web readers can save $2 on most adult seats by using the code BEE2)

Lighting director Myles Roddy (foreground) and some of the other crew members enjoy dinner provided by the Poplar Pike Arts Guild. 

Make-up chairman Taylor Shennett helps Daniel Jaramillo get ready for one of the final dress rehearsals.

Make-up crew member Naya Foster helps Kennedy Harris get into character before the show.

Arafat Quran checks out his mustache before taking the stage as vice principal Douglas Panch.

Sound engineer Sarah Clarke attaches Kennedy Harris' microphone before sound checks begin.

After a spending most of the previous week setting lights for the show, lighting director Myles Roddy cleans up before a dress rehearsal. 

This is sound engineer Sean Byrne's view of the stage during mic check each night.

Hayley Bardos, who plays Marcy Park, practices outside of the make-up room before actors are called onstage. 

Director Kirie Walz makes sure everything is just right on Kaylynn Coulter's costume before the dress rehearsal begins.

It's not all business. Director Kirie Walz jokes with Sydney Armstrong and the rest of the cast during the nightly pre-show meeting.

A view of the stage before the start of the second (and second-to-last) dress rehearsal

The theatre goes almost completely dark as the show begins.

Sydney Armstrong, who plays Rona Lisa Perretti, welcomes everyone to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The spellers! From left, Ben Taylor as Chip Tolentino, Kaylynn Coulter as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, Hayley Bardos as Marcy Park, Maclean Mayers as William Barfee, Daniel Jaramillo as Leaf Coneybear and Raneem Imam as Olive Ostrovsky.

They really are a personable bunch...

Let the Bee begin.

For Ostrovsky, there is the issue of the $25 entrance fee.

Gabriel Portillo and every other audience volunteer will be welcomed onstage by the Putnam County PTA moms, played by (front to back) Jasmine Saulsberry and Jackie Kamin.

The full cast of competitors wait.

Joining Perretti at the judges table is vice principal Douglas Panch, played by Arafat Quran.

When the contestants misspell a word, they are escorted offstage by "comfort" counselor Mitch Mahoney, played by Kennedy Harris.

First up is Schwartzandgrubenniere.

Coneybear is just excited to be here, even though he qualified for the Bee by default.

Ostrovsky enjoys spending her alone time reading the dictionary.

Audience volunteer Elijah Bienz faces his first word of the competition.

Audience volunteer Naya Foster has some questions for the judges.

William Barfee is filled with confidence, as long as there are no peanuts around.

Rare photographic evidence of Barfee's patented "Magic Foot" technique.

Marcy Park excels in everything she does. She sees this Bee as no exception.

Park is not interested in small talk with defending champion Chip Tolentino

Tolentino is feeling confident, but how long will that last?

The competitors have strong objections at the ease of a word given to one volunteer.

Schwartzandgrubenniere wants nothing more than to please her two dads.

...but pleasing these two does not come easy.

Coneybear doesn't think he's all that smart, but he continues to advance through the Bee.

Perretti shows Ostrovsky how a spelling bee champion is supposed to stand. And she should know, Perretti won the 3rd annual Putnam County bee.

Barfee jazzes up his "Magic Foot."

The competitors even break out their jazz hands for Barfee's solo about his unique approach to spelling.

Perretti keeps the Bee running smoothly, and even entertains the crowd with her choice information on the competitors. 

On this night, Ashwini Rao was the last volunteer contestant left standing.

Rao has a seat as she's sung out of the competition by the comfort counselor.

Barfee and Coneybear help sing a competitor offstage.

The spellers are all oddball characters who keep the show lively and entertaining.

Tolentino has been letting his mind wander...and that could cost him in the Bee.

It's a montage of spelling!

Coneybear discovered a lot about himself during the Bee.

Not only does the talented Park speak six languages, but she can jump rope...

...play soccer, football and hockey...

...she's acrobatic...

...she's artistic...

and she's discovered her own definition of success.

Vice principal Panch's temper has already gotten him in trouble once. Can he keep his frustrations buried inside?

...No...

Ostrovsky may start the Bee shy, but she blossoms as the show progresses.