Nina White (Kimberly Akimbo), will join the cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and return to the role of Olive Ostrovsky, having played the part in the 2024 Kennedy Center production of Spelling Bee, beginning Monday, August 10. As previously announced, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers will play her final performance as Olive on Sunday, August 9.
Additionally, original cast member and Tony Award nominee Justin Cooley will take a brief leave of absence from the production beginning Wednesday, June 24 and will return on Wednesday, July 22. Fernell Hogan (Kimberly Akimbo, The Prom) joins the company as an understudy and will cover the role of Leaf Coneybear during Mr. Cooley’s leave of absence.
The first ever major revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee currently features a musical theater all-star cast, including 2-time Emmy Award-winner Jon Cryer as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, Grammy Nominee & SAG Award winner Kevin McHale, in his New York stage debut as William Barfée, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers as Olive Ostrovsky through August 9, Grammy & Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear, Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino, Autumn Best as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre through June 22, Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper as Rona Lisa Peretti through August 2, and Matt Manuel 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. Television star and singer/songwriter Laura Marano begins performances as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre on June 24.
