[NEohioPAL]Clague Playhouse to open musical The Spitfire Grill

Mon Nov 6 10:59:07 PST 2006

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=20
The Clague Playhouse will present the  Cleveland area premiere of the =20
musical The Spitfire Grill, by James Valcq and Fred Alley, opening  Friday,=20=
November=20
10, for a run of 15 performances through December 3. =20
The musical is based on the 1996 film of the same  name starring Ellen=20
Burnstyn.  Written and directed by Lee David Zoltoff, it won the Audience Aw=
ard at =20
the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. =20
First produced on a  New Jersey stage in the fall of  2000, The Spitfire =20
Grill moved to Broadway in September 2001, playing only  three performances=20
before the tragedy that closed down much of  New York theatre on September 1=
1,=20
2001. The show lasted  four weeks longer in a city devastated by tragedy, bu=
t has=20
since enjoyed  numerous productions across the country.=20
The musical centers on the story of a girl named  Percy, an ex-convict who=20
decides to start a new life in a small town.  The musical covers many themes=
=20
including  unconditional love, and the bliss of small town  America.=20
=E2=80=9CRight away I thought it would be a better musical  than a movie,=
=E2=80=9D states=20
the lyricist Fred Alley.  =E2=80=9CYou want to know what is in these  charac=
ters=E2=80=99=20
hearts, which is of course what a musical allows you to do.=E2=80=9D  Adds c=
omposer James=20
Valcq, =E2=80=9CMore than  any other piece I have written, The  Spitfire Gri=
ll comes=20
closest to expressing my own voice.  I selected an American folk sound, usin=
g  a=20
guitar, cello and fiddle.=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CWe are very excited to be one of the first  theatres to showcase th=
e=20
Cleveland  premiere of this dynamic piece of theatre,=E2=80=9D states direct=
or Don Irven. =20
Irven, who has professionally directed  in Ohio and  Indiana, is directing h=
is=20
first  production in Cleveland.  =E2=80=9CThe story is like a good book you=20=
can=E2=80=99t  put=20
down.  It is a powerful tale of  healing and the ongoing power of forgivenes=
s.
=E2=80=9D=20
The ensemble cast of seven includes Heather Balogh of  Broadview  Heights as=
=20
Percy; Mary Jane Nottage of Solon; Sarah Portz of  Strongsville; Mitch Manth=
ey=20
of  North Olmsted; George Kukich of  North Royalton; Paige Reich of =20
Westlake; and Tyson Rand of  Cleveland.=20
John Franks is the musical director.  The rural timeless set is being=20
designed  by Ron Newell and the light design is by Lance Switzer. The entire=
=20
production is  being produced by Gig Giauque.  =20
Regular performances are scheduled at  8:00 p.m. on Thursdays-Saturdays and=20=
=20
at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays.  Tickets are $ 12.00 for all shows.  Free parking i=
s=20
available adjacent to  the theatre.  For further  information or reservation=
s,=20
call the Clague box office Wednesday through Sunday  from 1:00-6:00pm at =20
440-331-0403.
=20

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<DIV>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>The Clague Playhouse will present the=20
<st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> area premiere of the=20
musical <U=20
style=3D"text-underline: words">The Spitfire Grill<U=20
style=3D"text-underline: words">, by James Valcq and Fred Alley, opening=
=20
Friday, November 10, for a run of 15 performances through December 3.=20

<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>The musical is based on the 1996 film of t=
he same=20
name starring Ellen Burnstyn. =20
Written and directed by Lee David Zoltoff, it won the Audience Award=20=
at=20
the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. 
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> First produced on a=20
<st1:State><st1:place>New Jersey</st1:place></st1:State> stage in the fall o=
f=20
2000, <U=20
style=3D"text-underline: words"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">The=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Spitfire=20
Grill moved to Broadway in September 2001, playing only=20
three performances before the tragedy that closed down much of=20
<st1:State><st1:place>New York</st1:place></st1:State> theatre on <st1:date=20
Month=3D"9" Day=3D"11" Year=3D"2001">September 11, 2001</st1:date>. The show=
 lasted=20
four weeks longer in a city devastated by tragedy, but has since enjoyed=20
numerous productions across the country.
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>The musical centers on the story of a girl=
 named=20
Percy, an ex-convict who decides to start a new life in a small town.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  The musical covers many themes inc=
luding=20
unconditional love, and the bliss of small town=20
<st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</FO=
NT>
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>=E2=80=9CRight away I thought it would be=20=
a better musical=20
than a movie,=E2=80=9D states the lyricist Fred Alley.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  =E2=80=9CYou want to know what is=20=
in these=20
characters=E2=80=99 hearts, which is of course what a musical allows you to=20=
do.=E2=80=9D<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  Adds composer James Valcq, =E2=80=
=9CMore than=20
any other piece I have written, The=
=20
Spitfire Grill comes closest to expressing my own voice.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  I selected an American folk sound,=
 using=20
a guitar, cello and fiddle.=E2=80=9D
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>=E2=80=9CWe are very excited to be one of=20=
the first=20
theatres to showcase the <st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland</st1:place></st1:Cit=
y>=20
premiere of this dynamic piece of theatre,=E2=80=9D states director Don Irve=
n.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  Irven, who has professionally dire=
cted=20
in <st1:State><st1:place>Ohio</st1:place></st1:State> and=20
<st1:State><st1:place>Indiana</st1:place></st1:State>, is directing his firs=
t=20
production in <st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City>.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  =E2=80=9CThe story is like a good=20=
book you can=E2=80=99t=20
put down.  It is a powerful ta=
le of=20
healing and the ongoing power of forgiveness.=E2=80=9D
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>The ensemble cast of seven includes <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Heather Balogh of=20
<st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Broadview</st1:PlaceName>=20
<st1:PlaceType>Heights</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> as Percy; <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Mary Jane Nottage of Solon; <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sarah Portz of=20
<st1:City><st1:place>Strongsville</st1:place></st1:City>; <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Mitch Manthey of=20
<st1:City><st1:place>North Olmsted</st1:place></st1:City>; <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">George Kukich of=20
<st1:City><st1:place>North Royalton</st1:place></st1:City>; <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Paige Reich of=20
<st1:City><st1:place>Westlake</st1:place></st1:City>; and <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Tyson Rand of=20
<st1:City><st1:place>Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City>.
<o:p><=
FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3> </o:p>
<FONT=20
size=3D3>John Franks is the musical director.=
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  The rural timeless set is being de=
signed=20
by Ron Newell and the light design is by Lance Switzer. The entire productio=
n is=20
being produced by Gig Giauque. =20

<FONT=20
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> <o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
size=3D3>Regular performances are scheduled a=
t=20
<st1:time Hour=3D"20" Minute=3D"0">8:00 p.m.</st1:time> on Thursdays-Saturda=
ys and=20
at <st1:time Hour=3D"14" Minute=3D"0">2:00 p.m.</st1:time> on Sundays.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  Tickets are $ 12.00 for all shows.=
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">  Free parking is available adjacent=
 to=20
the theatre.  For further=20
information or reservations, call the Clague box office Wednesday through Su=
nday=20
from <st1:time Hour=3D"13" Minute=3D"0">1:00-6:00pm</st1:time> at=20
440-331-0403.<o:p></o:p></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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