Scene 6 Summary

Soon after Artie's quasi run-in with Echo, she suggests (over the phone) that her daughter begin to prepare for the National Spelling Bee. It gives Artie an excuse to call her daughter more often, even if it is only to rehearse spelling words. Echo turns out to be a supremely gifted speller and makes her way easily to the national competition.

Echo's secret plan is to coax both her mother and her grandmother to attend the finals. Perhaps then she can reunite her family, however temporarily. Though Artie at first insists that she cannot leave her research long enough to make an appearance, she does show up, but is sitting so far from her mother that neither can see the other.

Echo stands onstage, spelling each word correctly and with absolute confidence. Finally, she is given the word that will decide her fate...