Bee-ing Profitable

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” becomes the first show of the 2004-05 season on Broadway to become profitable. The show’s producer said on Friday that he had returned his show’s $3.5 million capitalization 18 weeks after opening on Broadway, a remarkably quick return for a new musical. For David Stone, who is also a producer of the hit musical “Wicked,” the success of “Spelling Bee” is a testament to the power of word of mouth.”