The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is Coming to Needham! (Updated)

There's a special event happening on Opening Night, May 13! Sarah Saltzberg, who grew up in Needham, will be inducted into the Needham Theater Hall of Fame.

Sarah Saltzberg grew up in Needham, attending Broadmeadow Elementary School, Pollard Middle School and Needham High. She began acting early, appearing in productions while at Broadmeadow. She credits a fifth grade production of Alice in Wonderland as igniting her passion for theatre.

After graduating from Boston University in 1998 where she studied acting, Sarah began her professional acting career in New York City. While working as a waitress and a weekend nanny, Sarah helped develop and then was cast in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, where she originated the role of Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre.  The show opened on Broadway in 2005 and played for almost three years.

Sarah subsequently produced and starred in the improvisation and sketch comedy show Don't Quit Your Night Job at Joe’s Pub in New York City and wrote the Off-Broadway comedy Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage.

She has also appeared Off-Broadway in The Donkey Show, Sinfully Rich, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in her one-woman show Dear Diary: The Making of Logainne Schwartzandgrubenairre. Sarah also co-created the 2018 Broadway musical Getting the Band Back Together.

2012 Sarah founded Bohemia Realty Group. While that is now her principal professional focus, she continues to create theatre.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical that will be presented this spring on the at The Presbyterian Church, 1458 Great Plain Avenue in Needham on the following dates:

Friday May 13, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, May 20, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

Marianne Lonati (director and choreographer) and Alan Rodi (musical director) will return for their third NCT production, having previously worked on Oliver! (2017) and The Little Mermaid (2018). Producers Heather Daley, Dan Henderson and Kathy Magni recently announced the following talented cast:

Lydia Bailey (Logainne)

Spencer Bernard-Kriegl (Barfee)

Vanessa Calantropo (Rona)

Dan Goldstone (Mitch)

Cara Guappone (Marcy)

Hubert Hwang (Chip)

Jeff Mitchell (Panch)

Nate Parkman (Leaf)

Elle Sciore (Olive)

This production is geared to older teens and adults. For ticketing and NCT's COVID-19 policy, please see www.needhamtheatre.org.

NCT will produce Shrek the musical in November, returning to the Newman stage for the first time in three years.