[Capdist-announce] Spitfire Grill Not So Common Players

[Sally Burke]

October 10, 2008

For Immediate Release

The Spitfire Grill

October 31, November 1, 2, 7, 8, 9.

Friday/ Saturday @ 8 PM

Sunday matinee at 2 PM

 

Clifton Park: Not So Common Players opens The Spitfire Grill  October 31st
at the Shenendehowa HS East Little Theater. Performances continue November
1, 2, 7, 8, 9.  Friday and Saturday @ 8 PM, Sunday matinee at 2 PM.  Free
musical theatre sponsored by the Town of Clifton Park.

 The Spitfire Grill is an American
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theater> musical with music and book
by  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Valcq> James Valcq and lyrics and
book by  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Alley> Fred Alley, based on the
film by  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_David_Zlotoff> Lee David Zlotoff.
The  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-Broadway> Off-Broadway production by
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playwrights_Horizons> Playwrights Horizons
began previews at the Duke Theatre on 42nd Street on September 7.  It won
the Richard Rodgers Production Award, administered by
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Academy_of_Arts_and_Letters> The
American Academy of Arts and Letters. 

A feisty parolee sets out on a journey to follow her dreams, based on a
picture from an old travel book she saw in prison, to a small town in
Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah's Spitfire Grill.
It is for sale but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed
town, so newcomer Percy suggests to Hannah that she raffle it off. Entry
fees are one hundred dollars and the person who writes the best essay about
Gilead and the Grill wins the grill and the two-story house attached.  Soon,
mail is arriving by the wheelbarrow full and things are definitely cookin'
at the Spitfire Grill.

Produced by Sally Burke, directed by Don Countermine with musical direction
by Vince Bonafede, The Spitfire Grill, a modern folk tale set in the
fictional town of Gilead, Wisconsin gets its title from the town’s "only
place to eat", the Spitfire Grill. Soon after Hannah (Barb Mahlman)
grudgingly gives Percy (Alana Sangiacomo) a job at the Grill, Hannah is
injured and is forced to depend on Percy to keep the Spitfire open. Percy’s
cooking leaves much to be desired and she is assisted in the kitchen by
Shelby (Laura Tortorici).  Percy, thwarted by Shelby’s husband Caleb (Dennis
Chmura), courted quietly by parole officer Joe (Matt Streifert) and gossiped
about by the townspeople, led by the irascible Effy (Debbie May) by story’s
end, all the characters have learned many of life's lessons and achieved
“freedom from their self-imposed imprisonment,” which becomes the play’s
resolution. There is also a “visitor” played by Bill Depew. 

Critique:  In  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Magazine> New York
Magazine, John Simon wrote, “It is not often that material moves me to
tears, but this was one of those occasions. The Spitfire Grill has the heart
and soul that your Producers and Full Monty’s cannot begin to approach. What
even in normal times would be a joy is, in these troubled ones, sheer
nourishment.” He later included the show in his “Best of 2001” list. Other
critics also commented on the show’s poignancy vis-à-vis the
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11%2C_2001_attacks> September 11,
2001 attacks. “If after the events of recent weeks you need any reason at
all to embrace life again, the musical you've been waiting for has arrived.
The Spitfire Grill is one of the most heartfelt musicals of recent years,
its homespun charms as inviting as a warm winter blanket” wrote Matthew
Murray reviewing the show for Talkin’ Broadway.

For more information, contact the Sally Burke, 877-5648; Pat O’Donnell @
371-6681.

 

L/R Top:  Debbie May, Laura Tortorici, Bill Depew, Alana Sangiacomo

Bottom:          Dennis Chmura, Barb Mahlman, Matt Streifert

At  The Spitfire Grill

 

PA060138.JPG

spitfire%20top%20sm.jpg        

The Spitfire Grill

October 31, November 1, 2, 7, 8, 9.

Friday/ Saturday @ 8 PM

Sunday matinee at 2 PM

Shenendehowa HS East Little Theatre Free

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://capdisttheater.org/pipermail/capdist-announce/attachments/20081010/e8b4c468/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 27258 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://capdisttheater.org/pipermail/capdist-announce/attachments/20081010/e8b4c468/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 10913 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://capdisttheater.org/pipermail/capdist-announce/attachments/20081010/e8b4c468/attachment-0001.jpg>