Review: The Heavyweights Present a Plus-Size 'Putnam'

When my community theatre in Wyoming announced we were putting on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, I was thrilled. We rarely did edgy shows, and this show had gays, an erection song, and modern humor! At this point in my life, my young body-dysmorphic heart was set on any role but Barfée... because I didn't want to be "the fat one."

(I know, I'm sorry. It was a tough time.)

Of course, that's where I was cast, yet it ended up being one of my favorite roles to tackle. The role quickly evolved out of some predetermined size I'd given it based on original casting, and I found the soul of the weird stuffy kid with a magic foot. Really, any of these roles could have been the fat kid, and it wouldn't have mattered. Our cast was happily filled with various body types.

That's what makes me so thrilled to see theatrical ventures like The Heavyweights, a troupe dedicated to featuring the talents of plus-size character actors. Formed in 2017 by Jeremy Geller, the theatre group aims to keep their shows body-positive and inclusive, showcasing why size truly doesn't matter when it comes to casting. Previously the troupe has performed Little Shop of Horrors.

Also featuring Polanco Jones Jr. and Max Wilcox, their three-man production of "Putnam," currently playing at the DCPA's Garner Galleria Theatre, does just that. It's a hilarious romp through a familar show where the size of the cast is both larger and smaller than traditionally performed.

Usually featuring up to 10 performers -- some already taking on multiple roles -- this production makes it even more challenging as the actors quickly switch between characters, layering a simple costume piece on top of coveralls.

Audience members are still featured and eliminated, keeping with the vibe of the original version. Not much is different there, you get what you get with who they pick.

The already maniacal tone of the show is heightened, but not necessarily too hard to follow. It does help going in with previous knowledge of the show, as it often feels more like a tribute than a fully realized production.

There's already the added layer of adults playing children -- but when there's 3 guys bouncing between multiple roles, sometimes the same character would be played by multiple actors in a single song. Just watching it was a bit exhausting, and an entire 90 minutes of it felt like the skit of it all was already overplayed in the first 30.

The musical's heart gets slightly lost in the camp of everything. Sentimental moments like "The I Love You Song" and "My Friend the Dictionary" felt more about the performers reaching for falsetto notes than the stories behind them.

The performers are generally wonderful and hilarious, bringing a lot of new takes on the roles and jokes I'd heard so many times before. It's impressive to watch them going between different characters, and the way they do it is cleverly mapped out.

Ultimately, my love of this show and the representation I saw in it was my takeaway. If you love The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee already, The Heavyweights' three-man version is a fresh dive back into the script, showcasing performers you don't often see in many of these roles.

Playing now through April 8.