“The Spitfire Grill,” EMU’s spring musical, opens this Friday, April 13 in the Mainstage Theater. The production will feature folksy music including live guitar, piano, accordion, violin, and cello, as well as a spread of class levels and majors in cast and crew.
Created by James Valcq and Fred Alley, “The Spitfire Grill” is based on a namesake film by Lee David Zlotoff. The story’s setting is the small rural town of Gilead, Wisconsin. Percy, a woman who has just been released from prison, settles into Gilead and finds employment at the ramshackle Spitfire Grill diner. The musical follows her story as well as those of the town’s residents that she learns to know. Like Percy, many of these characters have troubled pasts and conflicted relationships with each other.
To convey the notably emotional narrative of “The Spitfire Grill” is no easy task, as observed by first-year cast member Lucas Wenger. “My character, Caleb, finds it tough to deal with the change coming to his town of Gilead and has trouble letting go of his past as foreman of the quarry that closed down ten years ago, so he spends much of the show frustrated,” Wenger said. “The level of anger and frustration he shows is somewhat unfamiliar to me, so I really had to dig in to discover what that was like.”
On top of that challenge, Wenger described the demanding rehearsal schedule that the students have been following. “Most of our rehearsals are 7 to 11 p.m., and we’ve been going for about two months. We had an eight-hour rehearsal last Saturday, and the week before the show, tech week, our rehearsals are from six to midnight,” Wenger said.
“The cast and crew have put in many hours to make this production an artistic success. I am in awe of their dedication and talent,” said Assistant Professor of Theater Justin Poole, who is working with Assistant Professor of Music James Richardson to direct the musical.
As for the fruit of these students’ labor, audience members have a great deal to look forward to. Junior Yoel Bobadilla, a psychology major and cast member, expressed his excitement for the unique freeing nature of the production. “I love the chaos and fluidity of all the scenes! I hope the audience can take away from this musical that it is okay to be a wild bird,” Bobadilla said.
“The music is fun and lively. The characters are vivid and the actors play them with authenticity and passion. The set is dynamic and beautiful,” Poole said. “I hope that this production leaves people with a sense of hope. I think it has a life-affirming message that will resonate with our community.”
Shows will take place on April 13-14 and 19-21 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on April 15 at 3 p.m.
