Former Mandurah Performing Arts Centre head theatre mechanist Stephen Carr is directing the Tony award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Presented by Roleystone Theatre, the show will take to the stage at the Armadale District Hall in May.
Following a group of six mid-pubescents as they vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime, there will only be one winner and five will leave with nothing but a juice box.
While openly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their homes, they spell their way through a series of words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing and pout-inducing bell that signals a spelling mistake.
Carr said the District Hall was a fitting location for his latest theatrical endeavour.
"With the closure of the Roleystone Theatre building due to structural issues, I wanted to do a show that was fun and involved the audience," he said.
"I want them to walk away, having had a good night and knowing our theatre group is still going strong and in good hands.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is meant to be set in a hall so, when the City of Armadale offered up the newly-renovated town hall, it became a perfect match."
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Carr has more than two decades of theatre experience behind him including at the Crown, State and Regal theatres.
He won the Finley Award for best director and best show for his production of Sweeney Todd in 2009 and also took home runner-up for best musical for his direction of Rock of Ages at the Koorliny Arts Centre last year.
Now the production coordinator at Curtin University's Hayman Theatre, Carr said it was a privilege to be able to combine his passion for directing with his role at the university.
"I get to teach and pass on my knowledge to the next batch of theatre professionals and have three of my current students in this latest show," he said.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee relies on audience participation so choreographing a show with four new people each night does present a few challenges.
"We also have to dive back into our own childhood and remember what a large and scary world it was."
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee plays at 7.30pm on May 3, 4, 10 and 11, at 2pm on May 4 and 11 and at 6pm on May 5.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Roleystone Theatre website.
