Tickets are on sale for Bluffton University's May Day-weekend production of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

Dr. Melissa Friesen, associate professor and chair of communication and theatre at Bluffton, will direct the show-to be staged May 5-7 in Founders Hall-while David Sawatzky, an assistant professor of music, is music director and conductor. Curtain time is 8 p.m. nightly; tickets, $13 for reserved seats and $5.50 for bleacher seats, are available online at http://tickets.bluffton.edu, or by contacting the box office at 419-358-3239 or [email protected].

In the play, six quirky, overachieving adolescents-and four guest spellers pre-selected from the audience each night-compete for the chance to attend the National Spelling Bee. Struggling humorously with the social and biological challenges of puberty, they learn that winning isn't everything. Some of the material may not be suitable for young children.

Portraying the six student spellers are Jonathan Luginbill of Bluffton, as Chip; Joni Martin of Elida, Ohio, as Olive; Kim Rupert of Ottawa, Ohio, as Marcy; Meghan Sager of Ottawa, as Logainne; Zeke Tracy of Continental, Ohio, as Leaf; and Chris Welch of Fredericksburg, Ohio, as William. The cast also includes three adults, played by Sarah Diller of Bluffton, as Rona Lisa Perretti; Aaron Yost of Pinetop, Ariz., as Vice Principal Panch; and Brian Timpe of Swanton, Ohio, as Mitch.

Mervin Schrock is technical director for the production. Bluffton senior Brandon Fullenkamp of Wapakoneta, Ohio, is rehearsal accompanist, and the costume designer is Paula Unrau.

Other participating students are stage managers Jared Hudson of Cincinnati and Lydia Speicher of Marysville, Ohio; scenic artist Brittany Sinnema-Jackson of Ashland, Ohio; costume assistants Brittany Steele of Bluffton and Olivia Trumble of Jenison, Mich.; and lighting assistant Scott Troyer of Sugarcreek, Ohio.