Actors interested in auditioning should prepare a memorized monologue of one minute or less and a 30- to 45-second song. Photo courtesy of the Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

YUBA-SUTTER, CA (MPG) - Auditions for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the inaugural production of Stage 754, will be held Feb. 24 and 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Burrows Center for the Arts, 624 E St., Marysville.

Stage 754 is Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture’s newest in-house theater company, named after the address of its Yuba City performance venue, the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts at 754 Plumas St.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a comedic musical that follows a group of adolescent finalists competing in a county spelling bee, overseen by a panel of adults. As the competition unfolds, the characters share personal stories, awkward moments and unexpected emotions, creating a coming-of-age tale that balances humor with sincerity.

The production features roles for late teens through adults, including adult actors portraying middle school spellers, as well as several adult characters who serve as moderators, organizers and parents.

Actors interested in auditioning should prepare a memorized monologue of one minute or less and a 30- to 45-second song. Organizers ask auditioners to bring an MP3 accompaniment track. Auditions may also include cold readings from the script. Tanda Phelps, a well-known local performer, will serve as director alongside her husband, McCai Phelps. She said she is excited to work with a “great directorial team.” Performances are scheduled for May 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 22, 23 and 24 at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts in Yuba City.

Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture also supports additional performing arts programming in the region, including Center Stage, a youth-focused musical theater group. The organization previously housed Convergence Theatre Company, which recently announced it will separate from Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture and enter a yearlong hiatus.

“After thoughtful consideration, CTC has decided to separate from operating under the umbrella of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture,” wrote Matt DeMeritt, artistic director and co-founder of Convergence Theatre Company. “This next year will be a time for reflection, restructuring and planning what the next chapter of Convergence might look like.”

For more information about Stage 754 and upcoming auditions, email [email protected].