Amber Riley Joins GLEE Co-Star Kevin McHale in SPELLING BEE

There was a special Glee reunion at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Amber Riley, who played Mercedes Jones in the hit musical series, joined co-star Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams, as a guest speller in the hit Off-Broadway musical. 

In a new video posted to their social media, Spelling Bee shared footage of Riley hitting the stage with McHale, who is making his Off-Broadway debut as William Barfée. An introduction line as she was walking to the mic joked that she “was pressured by one of the members of her Glee club to spell tonight.”

Watch Riley compete in the musical’s Spelling Bee, also performing in the interactive song “Pandemonium.”

The production also stars Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers as Olive Ostrovsky, Grammy & Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear, Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino, Autumn Best as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper as Rona Lisa Peretti, Jason Kravits as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, and Matt Manuel as Mitch Mahoney.

Rounding out the cast as understudies are Brandon L. Armstrong, Jahbril Cook, Emily Nicole Rudolph, and Cecilia Snow.

Featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes) and a vibrant score by Tony Award winner William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), this new production of the musical is directed & choreographed by Danny Mefford (Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced and funny D-E-L-I-G-H-T. As six wonderfully unique and impassioned contestants vie for the championship by spelling their way through vexing vocabulary, hilarious and poignant personal stories unfold…along with a dash of riotous audience participation.