Sure, it’s easy to assume you could spell “onomatopoeia” when you can see it right here in print. But get up on stage, under scorching lights and in front of a crowd of restless parents, and then try. That’s right friend. Spelling bees are hardly an ease. Thankfully, there’s one spelling bee you can enjoy. It’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The Tony Award-winning musical comedy is the latest to hit the stage of the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. Produced in 2005, it tells the story of a spelling bee at an elementary school in the fictional Putnam County. It’s a simple premise, but the show is rich with complex, offbeat characters and some rather saucy songs. There’s even an interactive element, where audience members are invited to participate in the spelling contest.

Mind your p’s and q’s. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs through Nov. 23, at the SLO Little Theatre. Tickets range $15 to $29. For more information, visit slolittletheatre.org or call 786-2440.