Commentary

"Leaf Coneybear" Spells it Out

Continued...

"The audience spellers are what really make the show.  When I saw it on Broadway, everyone in the audience was really rooting for the audience spellers. It’s like cheering for the home team. They are also going to love how each of the words are 'used in a sentence'!"

Billy Dempster as Leaf Coneybear

Speaking of challenges, the music of William Finn is not an easy undertaking either. "I have loved William Finn ever since I heard ‘March of the Falsettos’ and have enjoyed listening to ‘Spelling Bee’ for years, but I never realized how difficult it was.  It is a worthwhile challenge and I hope the hard work the cast and Dan are putting into it will pay off with a great sounding show."

Billy admits that he has wanted to play the role of Leaf since he saw “Spelling Bee” on Broadway in 2008. In fact, there is no other role right now that he would want to play more. Of his past performances, his two favorite roles were that of Eugene in “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound” at the Sherman Playhouse and Ellard in “The Foreigner” at the Brookfield Playhouse.

Reprinted from TheatreWorks New Milford “In the Spotlight.”