The drama department recently announced the cast list for their production of the Tony Award-winning “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which they will perform May 3-4.

The musical, according to Music Theatre International, is about “an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents [who] vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime.”

Lani Casto, who played show-stealers Puck and Megan in Midsummer Jersey and Puffs respectively, plays Marcy Park, a contestant with a myriad of talents. Casto says they wanted the part because it differs from their previous roles.

“At this point, I like showing [the directors] more than what they’ve already seen of me, whether that’s in auditions or actually on the stage in roles I’ve previously gotten,” Casto said.

Casto describes Marcy as “a bit of a perfectionist” and know-it-all. “I think there’s some part of me who empathizes with that,” they said.

To prepare for the role, Casto has been asking friends and family to teach them new skills.

“One of the things about her song is that she’s good at a lot of things – and she frequently [uses] a multitude of skills,” Casto said. “One of the main things I’ve been doing is learning how to do the splits, how to cartwheel, I’m going to ask my dad to teach me to juggle, [and I’m learning] baton twirling. I’ve been generally working on my voice ’cause this is the first musical I’ve ever acted in. I’m very excited about that.”

Casto says Spelling Bee will be a “very funny, loose show” and features a “fantastic ensemble of people.”