4 out of 5 stars

This revival of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” finds the show in as precociously ingenious form as ever. Despite disappointingly weak orchestrations, William Finn’s catchy songs still instantly establish the array of quirky characters competing, as does the excellent cast. The youngsters are aptly played by some of Broadways rising stars, including Jasmine Amy Rogers and Justin Cooley. But veteran actors Lilli Cooper and Jason Kravitz, who handle a couple of grown-up parts (namely, bee officials), get some of the biggest laughs with their hilarious adlibs. The only novice element is the surprising number of pitchy notes. — Justin McCallum

At New World Stages, through April 12, 2026; spellingbeenyc.com. (Review date: Nov. 23, 2025)