The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Fox Valley Repertory

Copley News Service - Highly Recommended

"...What won over the audiences and reviewers in New York City was the show’s freshness and charm, qualities sustained at a triumphant level at the Noble Fool. Guest director Kevin Bellie perfectly orchestrates the spot-on ensemble in delivering an irresistible mix of humor, singing and dancing, and juvenile passions."

Chicago Theater Beat - Recommended

"..Though they’re mostly good-humored, some gags uncomfortably straddle the line between colorful characterizations and offensive caricatures, a blemish exacerbated by Bellie’s casting and Kimberly G. Morris’s costumes. Sheinkin wrote in the flaming gay dads and the overachieving Korean kid, but it was Bellie’s choice to cast the only African American in his show in the parolee’s part and Morris’s to drape him in gold gangsta chains. Amusing lyrics in songs such as "My Friend, the Dictionary" and "Pandemonium" make up for the banal tunes of Finn’s mostly pleasant, but typically repetitive score. Don’t look for big song-and-dance numbers. Like everything else about this show, the songs lack heft, and sometimes seem like fillers. Overall, this musical isn’t about the music. Just enjoy it as a lighthearted romp."