NEW MILFORD — How do you spell fun? Try this: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, now running at TheatreWorks New Milford.

This delightful show by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin had its original incarnation not too far away from us nearly 20 years ago, at Barrington Stage in the Berkshires. There, a team of skilled improvisers, led by Sarah Saltzberg honed a piece originally known as C-R-E-P-E-S-C-U-L-E. The piece followed six elementary school children (played by adults) as they navigate the trials and tribulations of an annual spelling bee.

From that production, the show went to New York, ran a month off Broadway and nearly three years on Broadway, launching the careers of Josh Gad (Frozen), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), and so many more.

The concept is simple. It’s a spelling bee. The end. Interwoven are backstories of each of the contestants and improvised moments as some unsuspecting audience members are tasked with participating in the bee themselves.

Director Kate Kovacs has brought together a rag tag group of talented and energetic young people to play our six spellers and two adults to play … well … the adults. Kovacs has done a great job of keeping up the fast-paced nature of the show and creating some memorable moments. Many shows live or die by casting. Kudos to Kovacs for her impeccable casting decisions.

This is a true ensemble piece. The whole cast works effortlessly together to bring joy and heart to this quirky musical. For many of the cast, this was their first show with TheatreWorks New Milford. For some, it’s their first show ever. The energy brought by these newcomers is a joy to watch.

There are no “lead” characters per se, but two that get a little more attention are William Barfee (pronounced “Bar-fay”) and Olive Ostrovsky, played by Jimmy Collins and Rosalie Pena, respectively. Collins brings a very enjoyable self-deprecation, which perfectly captures the awkwardness of being a child. Pena plays smart, shy Olive with not only beautiful heart, but a voice to match. The moments between the two of them were some of the best in the show.

Bob Roda plays Vice Principal Panche and Tanya Wills plays Rona Lisa Peretti, the moderators of the bee. Both of them have wonderful comedic timing and play their roles with authority, bringing a kind, parental tone when needed.

Willis returns to the stage after a theater hiatus while Roda is making his first appearance in a show ever. Both are wonderful and it is hoped that we will be seeing much more of both of them in future shows in the area.

Marcevan Costanzo plays Chip Tolentino, last year’s spelling bee champion, who is eliminated relatively early in the bee for his unfortunate … situation. No spoilers here, but it makes for a very funny through line.

Costanzo is a master of bringing real moments to life in an absurd way and it is fantastic to watch. Don’t worry, while Chip is eliminated early, Costanzo returns in Act 2 in a hilarious way that has the audience almost cry laughing.

Alyssa Schneider takes on the role of Leaf Coneybear, the homeschooled contestant, who makes their own clothes and has siblings named Pinecone and Landscape. You get the idea. She brings a lovely weirdness to her role. The audience is blown away when during her big number “I’m Not That Smart,” Schneider also reveals an unexpected operatic voice, hitting notes that seem to be a nod to Candide’s “Glitter & Be Gay.”

The cast is rounded out by Amayah Zimboski, Amy Lamberti and Eliana Russotti. Zimboski plays the no-nonsense, Marcy Park; Lamberti plays the social justice warrior Logainne Swartzandgrubinierre; and Russotti takes on the comfort counselor role of Meg Mahoney. All three bring exuberance and enthusiasm to their roles.

All in all, if you are looking for a great night out, Spelling Bee is the perfect choice.

Readers have three more weekends to catch the fun as the show closes December 31 with a New Year’s Eve gala. For tickets and more info visit theatreworks.us.