Spring. S-P-R-I-N-G. Spring.

Spring is the season of new beginnings. Flowers, pastel colors, allergies and bees. More specifically, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Cal High’s first musical in five years where the choir, drama and band departments collaborate for this show.

This play, which runs Wednesday through Saturday in the school’s theater, is about a dynamic and quirky group of students in a school spelling bee run by a similar group of adults. Drama teacher Laura Woods and choir teacher Nick Patton are co-directing the show, which starts at 7 p.m. each night. Tickets cost $12 for students and $15 for adults.

Woods said the musical will be one to remember.

“It is one of my favorite shows,” Woods said. “It will be funny and quirky and I’m looking forward to the audience reactions as a lot of participation is required on their part.”

Auditions for the musical were open to all students who wanted to try out. One didn’t necessarily have to be a part of Play Production, drama, or choir to join. Of the 60 people who auditioned for a part in the musical, the final cast consists of only 16 people.

There are 10 characters and six more students who make up the ensemble, whose role is to play minor characters and background singers.

Audience participation is a key factor of this production and the actors all have pressure to improvise upon seeing each audience volunteer.

“When the volunteers come up [on the stage] to do their part, the actors have to improvise on the spot and we all have to be on our feet all the time,” said freshman ensemble member Noorain Patel. “The play is a very intense and edgy spelling bee filled with a plethora of drama and surprises on every corner.”

Other cast members in the play agree that the play is not what it seems to be. It contains some elements of more deeper and darker themes as well as lighter and comical scenes.

“It’s really surprisingly funny,” said senior Vincent Egawa, who portrays Dan Dad and Jesus, two of the 10 characters in the musical. “At the beginning, I thought it was going to be a regular musical but not anymore. I approve one hundred percent.”

The musical is not just about a spelling bee, but it’s more about each character’s individuality and how they affect the overall atmosphere.

“I love working with the cast and all different people,” said senior Bryce Woodward, who plays two characters, Leaf Coneybear and the father of Olive, a competitor in the spelling bee. “We all have a lot of fun with it.”

The roles of the characters were carefully handpicked by Patton and Woods, who revealed how the characters were specially and finally chosen.

“We were looking for people who could fit the roles, had a good presence, could act and sing, and had good enunciation and diction,” she said.

Production stage manager senior Sam McMillan runs the show behind the scenes alongside assistant director, senior Sam Gershik.

“My job is to help design, build, and manage the set as well as give advice and manage all communication by making sure everyone knows what they’re doing and that everyone meets all deadlines,” said McMillan.

The play’s set will be similar to the one of “Multiplex”, Play Production’s last performance in February.

“We literally took the movie theater bleachers and recreated it to fit this play,” McMillan said.

The final word for the lights, camera and action are all that awaits the debut of this promising play.

So get ready for the s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g b-e-e!