Justin Cooley, Kevin McHale, Philippe Arroyo, and Leana Rae Concepcion Join SPELLING BEE At New World Stages
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C-A-S-T! The Off-Broadway revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has found its spellers. Philippe Arroyo will play Chip Tolentino, Leana Rae Concepcion will play Marcy Park, Tony Nominee Justin Cooley will play Leaf Coneybear, and Kevin McHale will make his New York stage debut as William Barfée.
Arroyo previously took on the role of Chip at The Kennedy Center, and has been seen on Broadway in & Juliet. Concepcion was part of the Broadway and Off-Broadway companies of the recent Merrily We Roll Along revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. She was also part of Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center. Cooley was nominated for a Tony Award for originating the role of Seth in the acclaimed Broadway production of Kimberly Akimbo. McHale made his stage debut in the Kennedy Center’s Spelling Bee, but he’s best known as Artie Abrams in Glee. He doubles as a singer, and released his debut EP in 2019.
Additional casting will be announced soon. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 25 at 10 a.m., with a fan presale beginning Thursday, July 24 at 11 a.m. Previews begin on Nov. 7, and Opening Night is set for Nov. 17. It will run for a 14-week, limited engagement through Feb. 15, 2026, at New World Stages.
Spelling Bee features a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin and a score by William Finn. This production is directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford, who has previously worked on Dear Evan Hansen and Kimberly Akimbo. It tells the story of six impassioned contestants competing in their school spelling bee. With a dash of audience participation and many personal stories, the sellers vie for the crown.
The new production of Spelling Bee will feature Scenic Design by Teresa L. Williams, Costume Design by Emily Rebholz, Lighting Design by David Weiner, and Sound Design by Haley Parcher.
Spelling Bee runs from Nov. 7 to Feb. 15, 2026 at New World Stages on West 50th Street in New York City. For tickets and more information, visit here.
