This show is part of our
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An eclectic group of sixth-graders arrives at the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, each eager to win for very different reasons. Sweet and shy Olive brings only her best friend (the dictionary) with her to the bee; bold and hyperallergic speller William Barfee uses his “magic foot” to propel him to greatness; former champion Chip is struggling with his burgeoning puberty; easily distracted Leaf is unconvinced that he’s smart enough to be a challenger; overachiever Marcy is disappointed by her consistent success; and politically aware Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre only wants to impress her gay dads. In hilarious, touching, and catchy songs, each speller reveals his/her hopes, struggles, and passions as they make their way through the competition. With an engaging, tuneful score by William Finn and a sweet, funny book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee causes audiences to fall in love, both with the show itself and its “perspicacious,” “jocular,” and “effervescent” spellers.
NOTE - this show is rated PG-13.
The Z’s 2021/22 season is on sale to Z Supporters starting July 13. Join our community of supporters and get access before the public on July 27!
Headliner: East Coast Soul
Opener: Ivory Jones & White Chocolate ft Pat Loomis
Living Muse by Ten31
Aerialist Gina DeFreitas
Close-Up Magician TJ Rorschach
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Wicked Queer Puppet Theatre
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Festival Theatre is a professional regional not-for-profit performing arts organization dedicated to producing a varied selection of the best of musical theatre – from the classics to the contemporary. We engage the best local and national talent available, thus nurturing theatre artists. Responding to the diverse needs of the artistic community and the public, we serve as a cultural resource to enrich the community, the state, and the region. Festival Theatre is the winner of the NETC Moss Hart Award as Best Theatrical Production in New England for Les Miserables, Hairspray, and Mary Poppins.
Festival Theatre founder Armand Marchand and Artistic Director George Charbonneau were at the helm of the organization for 30 years. Their final production, Mama Mia, was in 2018 and broke the Zeiterion's house record with over 9,000 patrons. In May 2023, Armand and George were awarded Honorary Doctorates from Bridgewater State University for their exemplary 50-year record of presenting and producing the highest level of professional theatrical work for the Southcoast.
Visit New Bedford Festival Theatre at NBFestivalTheatre.com.
The box office opens 1 hour before each performance. You can also reach the box office by phone during business hours during the week.
Buy with confidence! If an event is cancelled or postponed, you will have the option to receive a refund or credit, or you may donate the value of your ticket back to The Z.
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The Zeiterion does not authorize its tickets for resale through third party sellers, including eBay, StubHub, TicketMaster, Craig’s List, and other similar websites.
Tickets purchased through sources other than the Zeiterion box office or official website (www.zeiterion.org) may have substantial service fees above face value and are purchased at your own risk. We do not replace fraudulent tickets. Duplicate, counterfeit or altered tickets will not be honored. We reserve the right to cancel orders linked to predatory scalping practices. On occasion, Zeiterion tickets may be sold via Groupon or an artist through their official site or fan club website.
There is a limit of 9 tickets for each show at the Zeiterion.
Groups and organizations that require more tickets to an event may purchase them directly through Group Sales. Not all events are available for discounts, but we'd be happy to assist you with the purchase. Customers who are not making a group sale but attempt to manipulate or exceed ticket limits may have the entirety of their order(s) for that event cancelled. Ticket limits are in place to ensure fairness in the market and to mitigate the possibility of large numbers of seats being stockpiled by third party sellers. We appreciate our patrons’ cooperation in keeping tickets out of the hands of re-sellers and we are always available to answer questions and provide personal service through our Box Office at (508) 994-2900.
The Zeiterion prohibits cameras, sound recorders, and video equipment at performances, unless otherwise stated by the artist.
Patrons are welcome to take photos before and after a show.
Include your accessibility requests at time of reservation or purchase.
Please indicate your accessibility requests, including number of accessible seats, at time of reservation or purchase. For online purchases, leave a note in the comments at check-out. We'd like to accommodate all requests, but please note that accessible seating is on a first come, first serve basis and cannot be guaranteed.
No refunds, no exchanges, unless the event is cancelled or postponed.
If you are unable to attend a performance for which you have tickets, please consider giving those tickets to a friend or family member. The Zeiterion does not authorize its tickets for resale through third party sellers.
Please arrive 40 minutes prior to showtime.
While The Z's Schooltime series is off-site, please arrive at least 40 minutes before the show to ensure orderly seating of each school group.
Please bring one chaperone for every 10 students.
We strongly recommend bringing one chaperone for every 10 students to ensure child safety and an enjoyable viewing experience for all. We welcome one free chaperone ticket per 10 student tickets with code TEACHER at check-out or reservation.
Adults without children are not permitted at Schooltime shows.
Unaccompanied adults are welcome to attend the mainstage presentation when available, but Schooltime performances are for Pre-K through 12 students and teachers, home school communities, neurodiverse community organizations, and caregivers with children.
Schooltime is on the road at UMass Dartmouth or NB High School.
While The Z is under renovation, all Schooltime shows are either at UMass Dartmouth or New Bedford High School. Please refer to each show page for more information.