Spelling Bee’s Lilli Cooper Shares Pre-Show Playlist of “Epic Voices“

Though she’s not playing a prepubescent devotee of the dictionary, Lilli Cooper spells the very first word in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (For the record, the word is syzygy: that’s “S-Y-Z-Y-G-Y,” syzygy.)

In the brand-new revival of the cult-loved musical, the Broadway veteran — who earned a Tony nomination in 2019 for her role in Tootsie — plays Rona Lisa Peretti, Putnam County’s number one realtor and moderator of the spelling bee.

The high-stakes role is one Cooper’s character doesn’t take lightly as she guides champion spellers like Olive Ostrovsky, William Barfée, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre and Leaf Coneybear through the twists, turns and utter pandemonium (“P-A-N-D-E-M-O-N-I-U-M”) of the annual contest.

“It’s a marvelous memory/ If you win the spelling bee/ Once life improves from A to Z/ The minute you are crowned here/ I see a trophy held by me,” she sings in the musical’s opening number before reminding the audience that she, in fact, is a former winner of the very spelling bee she’s now responsible for moderating.

However, while she’s in charge of the spelling competition, Cooper confesses that it’s actually her first experience with the musical, which took home two awards out of six nominations at the 2005 Tony Awards.

“Since I never got to see the original production of Spelling Bee on Broadway, I feel incredibly lucky to have fallen in love with this show in real time as we’re mounting this revival at New World Stages,” she tells Ticketmaster.

To prepare for the bee each night, Cooper has curated her perfect pre-show playlist, explaining, “The music that I’ve loved to listen to as I prep to walk onstage doesn’t necessarily connect to the show or my character specifically, but it certainly pumps me up and gets me excited to step on that stage.

“It’s all music I can sing along to,” Cooper continues, “and music I think the other ladies in my dressing room will love, because we all like to jam out together. My playlist is filled with epic voices and funky beats that I’m really drawn to.”

Some of those picks include a double dose of Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend with “Manchild” and “Tears” as well as Teddy Swims’ breakout No. 1 hit “Lose Control” and a throwback to the ‘90s with the Ginuwine classic “Pony.” Both HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys of KPop Demon Hunters are represented as well, thanks to “Golden” and “Soda Pop,” respectively.

Along with Cooper, the freshly revived (“R-E-V-I-V-E-D”) Spelling Bee also stars Jasmine Amy Rogers as Olive Ostrovsky, Kevin McHale as William Barfée, Philippe Arroyo as Chip Tolentino, Autumn Best as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Justin Cooley as Leaf Coneybear, Leana Rae Concepcion as Marcy Park, Matt Manuel as Comfort Counselor Mitch Mahoney and Jason Kravits as Vice Principal Douglas Panch.

Now in performances at New York City’s New World Stages, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has already been extended through April 12, 2026.

Below, dive into Cooper’s dressing room playlist featuring tracks by Chappell Roan, Yebba, Vulfpeck (“V-U-L-F-P-E-C-K”) and more.