News
Meet our 2019-2020 officers
Front Row: Aubrey Bagley (Secretary), Jacob Nemitz (President), Emily Lehman (Treasurer)
Riley Winum (Historian), Chris Bode (Vice President), Chase Bond (Public Relations)
Our 2019-2020 Season
MARCH 13-15, 2020
THE SPIT FIRE GRILL
Music and Book by: James Valcq
Lyrics and Book by : Fred Alley
Based on the Film by: Lee David Zlotoff
MARCUS WHITMAN VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS The Regional High School Premier production of THE SPITFIRE GRILL MARCH 13-14, 2020 @7:30PM MARCH 15, 2020 @ 2:00PM What would you give to start all over again? A feisty parolee follows her dreams, based on a page from an old travel book, to a small town in Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah's Spitfire Grill. It is for sale but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed town, so newcomer Percy suggests to Hannah that she raffle it off. Entry fees are one hundred dollars and the best essay on why you want the grill wins. Soon, mail is arriving by the wheelbarrow full and things are definitely cookin' at the Spitfire Grill. The Spitfire Grill is an American musical with music and book by James Valcq and lyrics and book by Fred Alley, based on the 1996 film of the same name by Lee David Zlotoff. The Off-Broadway production by Playwrights Horizons and won the Richard Rodgers Production Award, administered by The American Academy of Arts and Letters The melodies are a blend of country, folk, bluegrass and pop, an infectious and hummable collection of tunes that range from the spirited Act I finale, Shoot the Moon, to the winsome ballad, A Ring Around the Moon, that opens the show to the tender number, Wild Bird, sung by Shelby to the sleeping Percy. In 2000, The Spitfire Grill was presented with the Richard Rodgers Production Award, which is administered by The American Academy of Arts and Letters. Stephen Sondheim chaired the committee that chose the The Spitfire Grill as the winner. Other members of the committee included Lynn Ahrens, Jack Beeson, John Guare, Sheldon Harnick, R. W. B. Lewis, Richard Maltby, Jr., and Robert Ward. In The New York Magazine, John Simon wrote, “It is not often that material moves me to tears, but this was one of those occasions. The Spitfire Grill has the heart and soul that your big splashy musicals cannot begin to approach. What even in normal times would be a joy is, in these troubled ones, sheer nourishment.” The Off-Broadway production featured Phyllis Somerville as Hannah, Garrett Long as Percy, and Liz Callaway as Shelby and was directed by David Saint. The show received Best Musical nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League, as well as Drama Desk nominations for Garrett Long as Outstanding Actress in a Musical and Liz Callaway as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. With Direction/Staging by Mr. Damian Grzeskowiak and Musical Direction by Mrs. Holly Blueye, performances will be MARCH 13-14, 2020 @7:30PM and MARCH 15, 2020 @ 2:00PM. Tickets are $7.00 for students and seniors, and $9.00 for adults for presale. All tickets increase $1.00 at the door. For further information or to reserve tickets call the Marcus Whitman High School Office at 585.554.6441 or email dgrzeskowiak@mwcsd.org. The cast includes Chase Bond as Hannah Ferguson; Emily Lehman as Shelby Thorpe; Jacob Nemitz as Joe Sutter; Aubrey Bagley as Percy Talbot; Ameila Rasmussen as Effy Crayneck; Chris Bode as Caleb Thorpe; Riley Winum as the visitor; and Robbie Abel, Quinn Blair, Austin Kephart, Maddie Mekeel, Kai Kolz, and Carl Parsons as members of the ensemble. This year’s crew includes Taylor Rodgers and Leah Aaron as stage managers, Kaitlyn Hopper, Mikayla Baker, Devin Sampson, Emma Gang, Hannah Gang, Shea Brown, Lilly Chrysler and Troy Foster
