New `Spitfire Grill’ a Gem
at Utah Shakespearean Festival
by Laurie Williams Sowby
For those fans of musical theater who think they’ve seen it all — over and over again — there’s a fresh, new show that’s sure to win their hearts.
The Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City is offering “The Spitfire Grill,” a charming new musical, in its fall season which also includes the venerable “Macbeth” and “Blithe Spirit.” The three are performed in rotation, Tuesdays-Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., in the indoor Randall L. Jones Theatre, through Oct. 30. (Call 1-800-PLAYTIX or see www.bard.org to order tickets.)
According to festival managing director R. Scott Phillips, the musical — about a young woman paroled from prison who wants to start life anew in a small Wisconsin town — deserved a second chance itself. It opened off-Broadway just four days before September 11, 2001, and died a quick death in the aftermath when no one was attending shows. But Phillips heard the sound track CD and knew he had to produce it in Cedar City.
Misty Cotton as Percy, Pat Sibley as Hannah, and Afton Quast as Shelby liven up “The Spitfire Grill.” (Photos courtesy Utah Shakespearean Festival)
The audience at the opening matinee Sept. 25 seemed to agree wholeheartedly with him, giving the production a long standing ovation.
It was well deserved. The show itself is an affirmation of life, the value of relationships, and the importance of second chances. An able ensemble cast brings off the upbeat tunes and catchy rhythms with aplomb, aided by an adept orchestra which includes fiddles, guitars, and keyboards that simulate harmonicas. The actors/singers use just enough twang to fit the tunes. Percy and Shelby’s vocal duets are especially notable.
Kudos to Misty Cotton as Percy Talbot, the ex-prisoner looking for a new life; Pat Sibley as the cranky cafe owner Hannah who offers Percy a job along with terse advice; Danforth Comins as Sheriff Joe Sutter, who falls in love with his parolee; Afton Quast as the shy Shelby, in whom Percy finds a confidant; Erik Stein as Caleb, Shelby’s controlling husband; Paris Bradstreet as Effy, the town’s postmistress and confirmed gossip; and Timothy Casto as the silent stranger.
