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Barrett played Leaf Coneybear in the Broadway production of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at The Circle in the Square Theatre for ten months.

While still performing AVENUE Q at night, Barrett spent two and a half weeks rehearsing for SPELLING BEE beginning June 20th, 2006. He performed as Leaf for the week of July 11th, and (after a week off at his brother's wedding) became a permanent cast member on July 25th. His last performance was April 15, 2007.

In The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six young people in the throes of puberty (and four volunteer audience members), overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

The new William Finn, Rachel Sheinkin and Rebecca Feldman musical began previews April 15, 2005 and opened May 2. James Lapine directs the spellbinding showdown in its move uptown from an earlier Second Stage Off-Broadway run.

SPELLING BEE earned six Tony Award nominations including Best Score, Best Book, Best Direction, Best Featured Actor (Dan Fogler) and Featured Actress (Celia Keenan-Bolger) as well as for the top prize of Best Musical. Fogler and book writer Sheinkin took home awards for their work.

The musical recouped its initial investment of $3.5 million 18 weeks after opening on Broadway.

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