This week’s ”Stage” review declares that Theatre Arlington’s current production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is spelled “h-i-t.” If you’re looking for something that’s both light and scalpel sharp — especially when it portrays the pressures and indignities suffered by kids in competition for adult approval – then head over to TA. (This is also the perfect production for theater newbies who’ve been wanting to see a show but haven’t yet taken the plunge). Putnam County Spelling Bee puts me in mind of the superb – and far more sober – Oscar-nominated 2002 documentary Spellbound, about eight kids from diverse backgrounds shooting for the championship trophy at a prestigious national bee.
