THOSE who missed the original staging of the hilarious but touching musical Spelling Bee will no doubt rejoice, as it will have a limited repeat run from July 3 to 12 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.

Spelling Bee is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical comedy about six adolescents vying for the top spot in a competitive county spelling bee. The kids are a lovable, disparate group of outsiders for whom the spelling bee is a way “to not feel rotten.”

As the competition moves forward, there is a series of emotional highs and lows, and the contestants sing and dance through these ups and downs. Add in a group of grown-up characters who haven’t quite grown up, members of the audience and surprise celebrity guests, and Spelling Bee is one enjoyable musical, with Bobby Garcia directing and produced by Atlantis Productions.

Featured in the musicale are Felix Rivera (who has appeared in a number of commercials and stage productions like Avenue Q and Fiddler on the Roof, among others) and Johann de la Fuente (of 14K fame and who has also appeared in Dreamgirls).

How does it feel that Spelling Bee is having a repeat run?

Felix Rivera (FR): Fantastic! Just like Avenue Q, it felt like one run wasn’t enough.  Sending home people laughing and rejuvenated is something that must simply be given another opportunity.  At the same time, though, it is challenging to find new things with this rerun, especially since we’re bringing in two new cast members.

Johann de la Fuente (JF): Much more fun and a new energy brought about by our new family members: Sheila and Loy Martinez, and also a new energy by the old cast by putting in new discoveries and realizations about the story and our characters. Of course, expect new celebrity guest spellers and tons of laughter combined with a truly touching story of growing up and living life.

How is it working with Bobby Garcia?

FR: Very, very challenging. He’s a very frank and up-front director who will not take “okay na ’yan” for a final product.  I’ve been pushed beyond my limits a lot of times, and I wouldn’t be who I am now if not for his patient but persistent and pounding guidance. I will always treasure the times I work with him.

JF: Direk Bobby scares me a lot (Laughs). He is very easy to work with, as long as you deliver in every rehearsal and show.  You cannot be lax at any point. You always need to give your 100 percent. I take his notes seriously because I know he knows what he’s doing, and he wants to make every show perfect! 

A normal run consists of 4 “spelling-bee finalists” from the audience. Who were the most memorable in the first run?

FR: I would have to say Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo because she misspelled a word accidentally and we were all dumbfounded by the incident. In fact, we had a mini version of us inside our heads screaming and panicking during that moment, because we had to adjust the flow of the show after that.

JF: The most memorable ones for me were Frenchie Dy, because she’s a good friend of mine, and Geneva Cruz, because we worked together when I was in 14K and she was in Smokey Mountain.

What is the best song for you from the musicale?

FR: The “I Love You Song” that’s sung by Olive, Rona and Mitch (who double as Olive’s parents). It’s just filled with such sincere emotions. Also, the way (composer William) Finn wrote its contrapuntal nature to symbolize much about how Olive views her family was brilliant.

JF: I don’t want to be biased but I enjoy singing my song “I’m Not That Smart.” It’s a challenge for me to balance a lot of things during my number—with all my props, the high notes and also playing dumb.  I also enjoy it when the people laugh at my song.

What are your dream roles onstage?

FR: I need to do The Last 5 Years before I turn 30.

JF: I’ve always wanted to be Mark Cohen from the musical Rent.  Or even be in Broadway and be part of Hairspray, Wicked and Legally Blonde.

Besides the exhilaration in performing before a live audience, what attracts you to theater?

FR: The ability to simply open up yourself to immediate and present people before you and be able to send them an honest, earnest message about the show you’re doing. Also the ability to fill the people with such powerful emotions and realizations. Not that TV or film can’t do that, but to witness it right before your eyes is truly magical.

How do you think you can make theater more mainstream and accepted by the public, especially in our country when TV and movies are the popular forms of entertainment?

FR: I guess the only way is to really promote theater arts to the public. Do free shows for the masses. Teach workshops and be a great example to others. Theater has been around for ages, and all we need to do is to develop and share the skill and passion to others who share the same enthusiasm that I have.

Felix, the press tags you as a theater heartthrob—how does it feel to be one?

FR: I thank the people who have tagged me as such but I really don’t see myself as one.  I’m simply someone who’s learning and growing in my craft, and someone who wants to share it with people.