[NEohioPAL]Berko review: SPITFIRE GRILL (Porthouse)

[Roy Berko]

‘SPITFIRE GRILL ‘ A WELL-CRAFTED CROWD PLEASER AT
PORTHOUSE

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


In 1997 Lee David Zlotoff’s film version of ‘THE
SPITFIRE GRILL’ received the  Audience Award at the
Sundance Film Festival.  When writers James Valcq and
Fred Alley transformed the screenplay into a musical
for the stage, the off-Broadway production won the
Richard Rogers Production Award.   As attenders at the
opening night of Porthouse Theatre’s 2005 season
discovered, the production is everything it is
trumpeted to be.

As the play starts, Percy, an ex-convict, is getting
off a bus.  She has decided to start a new life in
Gilead, Wisconsin, a location she selected because of
a picture she found in an old travel book.  The
authors’ choice of the city’s name is not accidental. 
In the Old Testament a reference is made to a salve
noted for healing--the balm of Gilead (Jeremiah
46:11).  This allusion supports the play’s themes of
healing and hope.

Sheriff Joe Sutter takes Percy to the Spitfire Grill,
since it has the only guest room in town.  Here, Percy
meets Hannah, a seemingly hardened woman, who
reluctantly takes her in, but eventually gives her a
job.

Effy, the town postmistress and busybody, is
immediately suspicious of Percy, as is Caleb, Hannah’s
nephew.  They make it known that a jailbird isn’t
welcome in their midst.  It is the shy Shelby, Caleb’s
wife, who is the only one willing to suspend judgment.
  Hannah accidentally falls and injures her leg, Percy
gets her medical help, Effy spreads the story that
Percy pushed Hannah down a flight of stairs, Hannah
puts Percy in charge of the grill, Percy’s cooking
proves to be nearly lethal, Shelby helps out, Percy
also takes over Hannah’s unexplained ritual of leaving
a loaf of bread next to a stump behind the grill.  
Hannah has been trying to sell the grill for years
with no luck.  Percy and Shelby, come up with a scheme
for an essay contest with an entry fee of $100 and
award the restaurant to the writer of the best “Why I
Want the Spitfire Grill” essay.  And so, the pieces
are all set in place for an obvious, but audience
pleasing climax.   

One of the keymarks of a well-crafted book musical is
that each of the songs focuses on the development of
the story line.  “THE SPITFIRE GRILL’ fulfills that
definition as throughout, there is a perfect flow of
lyrics and script that carry the story along.

Why did such a wonderful little musical not get its
deserved attention?  In reality, theatre audiences
never really got the opportunity to experience the
production because the show opened only three days
before the 9/11 tragedy.  The calamity closed down
much of New York theatre. The show lasted only four
weeks, but has increased in popularity as it is done
by some of the country’s leading community and
regional theatres.

The music of ‘THE SPITFIRE GRILL’ is appropriately
rife with the sounds of banjos, guitars, fiddles, and
the other instruments closely associated with American
folk music.  

Terri Kent’s directing is right on target.  The pacing
is crisp, with just enough stress on pathos and comedy
to make the show pleasing without being maudlin or
trite.  

The cast ranges from outstanding to adequate.   As she
did in her Times Tributes performance as Lauri in
Porthouse’s ‘OKLAHOMA,’ Kayce Cummings lights up the
stage with her wonderful singing voice and fine acting
skills as Shelby.   Her “When Hope Goes’ was not only
well sung, but well-interpreted.

Lenne Snively makes Hannah a real person with her
textured acting.   Her singing versions of “Come
Alive’ and “Forgotten Lullaby’ were perfectly
interpreted.   

Another Times Tribute Award winner, MaryAnn Black, is
delightful as Effy, the town gossip.  Everything from
her prissy walk to her controlled over-the-top 
characterization works. 

As the sheriff, Steel Kurkhardt displayed a nice
singing voice, but demonstrated some
character-development shallowness.  Lisa Marie
Schueller seemed miscast in the role of Shelby.  She
had difficulty with the singing requirements and
stayed on the acting surface.  There was little visual
and oral transition as she traveled from the hardened
released criminal to the town savior.  Eric van Baars’
singing showed some raggedness which was countered by
his fine character development as Caleb.

Melissa Fucci and her orchestra were excellent, Steve
Pauna’ set design worked well, and Cynthia Stillings
lighting aided in proper mood development.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  ‘THE SPITFIRE GRILL’ offers some
mystery, a little romance, lots of nice music, some
views of friendship and familial love mingled with
themes of starting over, unconditional love, and life
in small-town America.  In the hands of Terri Kent and
her wonderful cast, Porthouse’s version is a must see
production!

The show runs Tuesdays through Saturday evenings and
Sunday matinees through July 2 at the Porthouse
Theatre, located on the grounds of the Blossom Music
Center in Cuyahoga Falls.  The 500-seat, outdoor,
covered pavilion theatre is a wonderful setting. 
There isn’t a bad seat in the house.  For tickets,
which range in price from $18 to $24, with special
prices for students and seniors,  call 1-800-304-2363
or 330-929-4416 or visit www.porthousetheatre.com.


Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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