Six quirky middle schoolers compete for the spelling championship of a lifetime, sharing hilarious and heartfelt stories from their lives along the way.

As they tackle a series of (possibly made-up) words, they do everything they can to avoid the dreaded “ding” of the bell—that soul-crushing sound that signals a spelling mistake. In the end, only one will be crowned champion… but hey, at least the losers get a juice box!

About the show

Show Length: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Auditions: August 22 & 24 2025

Rating: PG-13

Seating: Choose your seats when you purchase your tickets.

Handicap Accessible

Cast

Alyssa White DiDonato Rona Lisa Peretti View Bio
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Alyssa White DiDonato

Alyssa DiDonato is buzzing with excitement to return to the Meroney stage for the second time! She was last seen as Marian Paroo in PPT’s The Music Man. Other recent credits include Sister Mary Robert (Sister Act), Heather McNamara (Heathers), Miss Honey (Matilda), and Portia (Something Rotten) at the Little Theater of Gastonia. Endless thanks to the cast and crew for such a joyful experience, and to her wonderful husband for letting her “bee” a little busy during their newlywed months. Enjoy the show!

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Gavin Perry Henthorn Mitch Mahoney View Bio
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Gavin Perry Henthorn

Gavin Perry Henthorn (AMD, Mitch Mahoney) is excited to return to PPT with his fourth production, first as assistant musical director. He received his B.A. in Musical Theatre from Emory & Henry College in association with the Barter Theatre conservatory program. Gavin also studied and performed with the Studio Conservatory program in Washington, D.C. where he portrayed Tom in The Glass Menagerie. Most recently he performed in Sweeney Todd (Beadle Bamford), Music Man (Jacey Squires), and Murder on the Orient Express (Samuel Ratchet/Bruno Casetti). Gavin would like to thank his wife Jamie and son Dorian for their support in his return to the stage.

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Haley McLaurin Marcy Park View Bio
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Haley McLaurin

Haley McLaurin (Marcy Park) is excited to make her PPT debut! She’s a UNCG alum with a BA in Theatre and a Yale Summer Acting Conservatory alum. Some of her past stage productions include Phoebe (As You Like It), Diana/Augur (Galatea, Or Whatever You Be), Autumn Sprite (Wake Up Brother Bear), and ensemble/ Mimi US (Rent). Along with acting on stage, she also has done a promotional web series for the Carolina Theatre of Greensboro and various shorts films through Edgewood Studios (shout out).

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JC Britt William Barfèe View Bio
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JC Britt

Jc Britt (William Barfèe) is ecstatic to be making his 1st appearance at P.P.T. A Few Credits from the surrounding area include Vince Lombardi in Lombardi, and Ben Hecht in Moonlight and Magnolias at Lee Street theatre. Jc is from Hendersonville, NC where he spent alot of his highschool years at Flat Rock Playhouse in various shows such as Baltus Van Tassel in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Mr. Darling in Peter Pan Jr., and James in The Orphan Train.

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Jessie Rey Jax Olive Ostrovsky View Bio
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Jessie Rey Jax

Jessie is E-C-S-T-A-T-I-C to finally be a speller in THE Bee. She has been waiting to do this show for over 15 years and is so incredibly happy to be doing it with this incredibly lovely group of people. Thank you to Jessie for allowing her to play a bucket list dream role and the entire cast and crew for making this experience fun each and every single day. Previous notable roles: Snow White (Disenchanted!), Annie Wilkes (Misery), and Paulette Bonafonté (Legally Blonde). Folks, grab your dictionaries and let the spelling begin!

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Jovey Kay McFarland Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre View Bio
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Jovey Kay McFarland

Jovey McFarland (she/her) is thrilled to be making her PPT debut! Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, she is a sophomore at Catawba College pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. Some of her recent credits include Woman 2 (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), Olympe de Gouge (The Revolutionists), and Kate Monster (Avenue Q) at Catawba College, as well as Agnes (She Kills Monsters) at Lee Street Theatre. She wants to thank her family for their continued support as she pursues her passion, even if it means being far from home. She also wants to thank both Jessie and Nicholas for creating such a fun and welcoming rehearsal process, as well as everyone for coming to see the show!

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Keiran Mouritsen Vice Principal Doug Paunch View Bio
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Keiran Mouritsen

Kieran Mouritsen is ecstatic to return to the stage with this amazing and talented cast! College librarian by day, Kieran enjoys playing D&D and video games with his friends, and reading sci-fi & fantasy novels. His recent roles include Buster in Lee St.'s Misery and Constable Locke in PPT's The Music Man. Kieran hopes that you enjoy the show; whether it is your first or twenty-fifth viewing of the production, you are guaranteed to have a great time!

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Monarch Rey Leaf Coneybear View Bio
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Monarch Rey

since their official return to the stage! They portrayed Hector MacQueen in Murder on the Orient Express this past Spring, and worked behind the scenes on several PPT shows before that. They’ll be doing the same for PPT’s next musical, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, as the show’s stage manager. But for now, they’re putting their all into bringing Leaf Coneybear to life! They hope you have a very very very nice time!

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Noah Haberacker Chip Tolentino View Bio
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Noah Haberacker

Noah Haberacker is a Senior Studying Popular Music with a Minor in Musical Theater at Catawba College. You may have Seen him in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Man 1), Carrie The Musical (Mr. Stevens), or Avenue Q (Princeton). Noah is buzzing to make his Piedmont Players debut and hopes your experience is a treat! He gives special thanks to his loving girlfriend, friends, family, and to the creative team.

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