Original Broadway Cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Pandemonium
[PANCH, spoken]
Please spell, "telephone."
[SPELLERS all react to the easy word with assorted grumbles, e.g. "Aw, what! C’mon! Telephone?!"]
[CHIP]
My oh my
[CHIP & OLIVE]
That word’s so moronic
[SCHWARZY]
I could cry
I want words as lame!
[PANCH, spoken]
Mr. Coneybear...
[LEAF]
Semper fi
I feel supersonic
[MR. PANCH, spoken]
Spell "hospital."
[SPELLERS grumble.][MARCY]
That is why
I despise this game[CONEYBEAR]
H-o-s-p-i-
T-a-l, "Hospital."[PANCH, spoken]
That is correct. Mr. Tolentino...
[CHIP & CONEYBEAR]
Life is random and unfair
Life is pandemonium
[PANCH, spoken]
"Staphylococcus."
[CHIP, spoken]
Aww!
[ALL SPELLERS]
That’s the reason we despair
[CHIP]
Life is pandemonium
[CONEYBEAR]
Life is pandemonium
[CHIP]
Life is pandemonium
[BARFEE]
Life is pandemonium
[PANCH, spoken]
"Broccoli."
[CONEYBEAR]
I knew that word
[OLIVE]
I knew that word
[BARFEE]
I knew that word
[ALL SPELLERS]
Goddamn it!
[CHIP]
It is such a calamity
[ALL SPELLERS]
Where should we begin?
The best spellers[CHIP]
Don’t necessarily
Win
[SPELLERS]
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium[MARCY]
Set your sights
I am on a mission
[MR. PANCH, spoken]
Miss Park, "Antediluvian."
[SCHWARZY]
We have rights
(spoken to audience volunteer)
We have rights!
(sung)
That’s why we complain
[PANCH, spoken]
Mr. Barfee, "Halitosis."
[BARFEE]
Damn, life bites
But I like competition
[PANCH, spoken]
Miss Ostrovsky: "Schematic."
[OLIVE]
In these lights
Can you feel our pain?
[PANCH, spoken]
Somebody spell "crayon."
[SPELLERS, spoken]
Crayon?!
[MITCH]
Life is random and unfair
Life is pandemonium
[ALL SPELLERS]
That’s the reason we despair
[CHIP]
Life is pandemonium
[MITCH]
Life is pandemonium
[CHIP]
Life is pandemonium
[BARFEE]
Life is pandemonium!
[PANCH, spoken]
"Dinosaur."
[CHIP]
I knew that word
[ALL SPELLERS]
I knew that word
[CHIP]
I knew that word
[ALL SPELLERS]
Goddammit!
It is such a calamity
Where should we begin?
The best spellers[CHIP]
Don’t necessarily win
They don’t win
They don’t win
They don’t win[SPELLERS]
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium[BARFEE]
No, they don't!
[CHIP & OTHERS]
Life is random and unfair[CHIP]
Life is pandemonium
Yes, it is
Oh, yes, it is![OTHER SPELLERS]
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium![CHIP]
Yes, it is!
[OTHER SPELLERS]
Yeah!