The musical "The Spitfire Grill" will be presented by the Piccadilly Players over the next two weekends as a fundraiser for the Grand Island Senior High fine arts department.
Director Mark Gloor said that he, Norbert Wenzl and Jeanne Mueller formed the Piccadilly Players a little more than a year ago as a not-for-profit organization.
Its goal was to put on theatrical productions to benefit various groups. Last year, the Piccadilly Players performed "Smoke on the Mountain" to benefit the Central Catholic fine arts department.
Next year, it likely will be another group.
"We'll try to spread the wealth," Gloor said. "It won't necessarily be for another high school, but it probably will be fine arts related."
"The Spitfire Grill" was first a movie and was then made into a theatrical musical.
Both tell the story of Percy, a young woman who has just been released from prison and goes to a small Wisconsin town in an attempt to restart her life. Part of the drama comes from whether the small town's residents will accept the newcomer in their midst.
Percy goes to work for Hannah Ferguson, owner of the Spitfire Grill.
Ferguson decides she wants to retire but has been unsuccessful in finding a buyer for her grill. An idea is hatched to create a special kind of lottery to win the grill. Each person must pay $100 and write a letter about why he or she should be chosen as the new owner.
The winner gets the Spitfire Grill, and the $100 from all the other people is slated to finance Hannah's retirement.
Gloor noted that the newly released Percy is struggling to start a new life. But in many ways, "The Spitfire Grill" is also the story of whether other people -- Hannah, Shelby Thorpe, Caleb Thorpe, Sheriff Joe Sutter, Effy Krayneck and the visitor -- will be able to break out of the prisons they have built for their own lives.
Co-director Norbert Wenzl said "The Spitfire Grill" contains a great deal of music, in several styles.
"Some of the music is folksy," he said. "There are ballads, and it has some toe-tapping songs."
Wenzl said "The Spitfire Grill" has a fantastic closing musical number, which he predicted will stay with audience members long after the final curtain has dropped.
"They may be whistling it as they leave the theater," he said.
Wenzl noted that this production of "The Spitfire Grill" has been blessed with a musically talented cast, which at some points in the play are singing in five-part harmony.
Suzanne Phillipi is serving as musical director for the show.
Wenzl said members of the Grand Island Senior High Fine Arts Booster Club also are providing lots of help with the production.
IF YOU GO
"The Spitfire Grill"
- Where: Grand Island Senior High auditorium
- When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 18 and July 19; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 20; 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26; and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 27.
- Cost: $10. Tickets available at Ace Hardware, Skagway North and South, and the Pump and Pantry at Highway 281 and Capital Avenue.
- Proceeds to benefit: Grand Island Senior High fine arts department.
- Cast members: Percy, Calla Lomax; Hannah Ferguson, Linda Adler; Shelby Thorpe, Crystal Kuzma; Caleb Thorpe, Dave Hulinsky; Sheriff Joe Sutter, Grant Pyper; Effy, Wendy Carlson; and the visitor, Greg Ulmer.
