Tony Award winner Alex Newell to joins cast of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Producers of the 2026 Lortel, Dorian Theater, and Off-Broadway Alliance Award-winning revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee have announced that Tony Award winning stage sensation Alex Newell (Shucked, Glee) will join the cast as the Bee’s moderator & 3rd annual Putnam County spelling champion Rona Lisa Peretti, from 7 August for four weeks only.
Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper will play her final performance as Rona on 2 August.
The first ever major revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee currently features a musical theater all-star cast, including two-time Emmy Award-winner Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men, Pretty in Pink) as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Grammy Nominee & SAG Award winner Kevin McHale (Glee), in his New York stage debut as William Barfée, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers (BOOP!) as Olive Ostrovsky until 9 August, Fernell Hogan (Kimberly Akimbo, The Prom) as Leaf Coneybear until 22 July covering the role during Tony Award nominee Justin Cooley’s leave of absence, Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet) as Chip Tolentino, Laura Marano (Disney’s Austin & Ally, Netflix’s The Perfect Date) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Leana Rae Concepcion (Merrily We Roll Along) as Marcy Park, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening, Tootsie, POTUS) as Rona Lisa Peretti until 2 August, and Matt Manuel (Ain’t Too Proud) as Mitch Mahoney. Rounding out the cast as understudies are Brandon L. Armstrong, Jahbril Cook, DeMarius Copes, Vanessa Magula, Emily Nicole Rudolph, and Cecilia Snow.
For more info on The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, please click here.