Theatre Fairfield's Spitfire Grill Anticipated to Be a Surefire Success | Press Releases

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Apr. 2, 2018) – Theatre Fairfield, Fairfield University’s resident production company, will culminate its 2017-18 season with six performances of Fred Alley and James Valcq’s Off-Broadway musical, The Spitfire Grill, based on the beloved 1996 film by Lee David Zlotoff. The musical will be performed in the Wien Black Box Theatre at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Wednesday, Apr. 11 through Saturday, Apr. 14 at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, Apr. 14 and Sunday, Apr. 15.

Tickets are $15 general admission, $6 for seniors and University staff, and $5 for students, and can be purchased in person at the Quick Center Box Office, by phone at 203-254-4010, or online at www.quickcenter.com.

The Spitfire Grill follows the journey of a young woman named Percy who is recently released from a prison and searching for a fresh start. Inspired by an ad she found in an old travel book, she settles in the small town of Gilead, Wisconsin, where she finds a job at the Spitfire Grill – the only eatery in the depressed town - and befriends strong-willed restaurant owner, Hannah. The Spitfire Grill is for sale, but with no interested buyers, Hannah decides to raffle it off. Entry fees are $100 and the best essay on why you want the grill wins. Soon, mail is arriving by the wheelbarrow full and things start getting hot at the Spitfire Grill.

At the heart of the musical is a story about discovering the unique beauty of small-town life, the heart-warming quirkiness of the people who make it special, and that while it has its ups and downs, home truly is where the heart is. Musical director Tom Schwans, an unabashed lover of The Spitfire Grill believes, "we often don't see the beauty of the things right in front of us. We take it for granted and reject its worth. Until, one day, something reminds us how fortunate we are."

During its 2001 Off-Broadway run, The New York Times hailed Spitfire as "a soul satisfying...work of theatrical resourcefulness. A compelling story that flows with grace and carries the rush of anticipation. The musical is freeing. It is penetrated by honesty and it glows."

Theatre Fairfield’s presentation of The Spitfire Grill is produced by Visual and Performing Arts Professor, Marti LoMonaco, PhD, and directed by Tom Schwans with musical direction by David Harris. Scenic design is being led by Fairfield Visual and Preforming Arts Program Director Lynne Porter with Julie Leavitt on costume design, Lynne Chase on light design, and Anne Kendall as technical director.

The production’s cast features Fairfield University students Liam Cahill ’18, Sean Larson ’18, Olivia Coe ’20, Fallon Sullivan ‘20, Kiersten Bjork ’21, Lena Mazzo ’21, and Maeve Moriarty ‘21.

For more information about the production, visit www.quickcenter.com. Pictured L-R: Kiersten Bjork '21 as Percy and Liam Cahill '18 as Joe