Play review
Something tasty is cooking at 'Spitfire Grill'
By Sally Carpenter sallyc@theacorn.com

"The Spitfire Grill," now playing at Camarillo Community Theatre, is no Rodgers and Hammerstein romantic musical- and that's good.

This dynamic story began as a 1996 movie written and directed by Lee David Zlotoff. Later, the film was adapted into a play with book and music by James Valcq and lyrics and book by Fred Alley.

The play eliminated several characters and subplots from the film, added songs and changed the location from Maine to Wisconsin for some inexplicable reason. Nevertheless, the changes produced a tight, absorbing character study of seven people.

Watching the show is like peeling an onion, stripping away the individuals' crusty exteriors to reach the tender cores. It's well worth the journey.

Perchance Talbot (Erin Fagundes), known as Percy, is leaving prison after a five-year term. With no place to go, she heads for tiny Gilead, Wis., due to a magazine ad boasting of the area's bright fall colors- though she arrives in the dead of winter and late at night.

An old hymn speaks of "the balm of Gilead" and here is where Percy- and the townfolk- find healing for their sin-sick souls.

Joe (Adam DeWinter), Gilead's sheriff, is irritated by his assignment as Percy's parole officer. He takes her to the only place in town that might offer a job- the Spitfire Grill, a greasy spoon run by Hannah (Juanita Seavey), who gives Percy the cold shoulder and protests that she doesn't need the help, especially since the glory days of both diner and town are long gone.

The citizenry quickly hears about Percy, thanks to the town gossip and postmistress, Effy (Valorie ParadiseLant). The residents don't take kindly to strangers and as a waitress, Percy serves up arrogance along with the coffee. Nobody gets off on the right foot.

Things change when Hannah breaks her leg and can't run the grill. Percy takes over in the kitchen and a shy stay-at-home wife, Shelby (Alexandra Lastort), helps out. Shelby's overbearing husband, Caleb (Das Baker), isn't happy to see her waiting on others instead of tending to his needs.

Eventually the town's skeletons come out of the woodwork. Hannah's physical ailment proves to be nothing compared to the emotional wounds of local residents.

Joe's counting the days until he can inherit his uncle's land, sell it, and get out of town. Caleb, now a real estate agent, lost his old job as foreman when the stone quarry closed, and he's been unable to sell the grill for Hannah, his aunt.

Caleb also can't measure up to the legacy of Hannah's son, Eli, a war hero who never returned from battle.

Percy suggests selling the rundown grill through a raffle. Letters arrive from across the nation from bruised souls yearning to start life anew at the Spitfire.

Joe's wish to leave fades as he grows fond of Percy- but she has her reasons why she can't love him. Then a mysterious man (Mark Heulitt) shows up one night, and the plot thickens.

The lives of the characters interweave and deepen as we learn of everyone's pains. Spring comes, bringing growth to the plants and the people.

Much of Act 2 takes place at night, where in the darkness some try to hide the truth. But the characters must pass through this "dark night of the soul"- literally and emotionally- to find forgiveness, release and acceptance.

The score contains 15 songs packed with poetry, expression and catchy melodies. Fagundes belts out a funny novelty number, "Out of the Frying Pan," as she demonstrates her lack of culinary skill. She also does justice to the dramatic numbers with a rich, strong voice, especially in the haunting "Ring Around the Moon" and "Shine."

Baker, DeWinter and Paradise-Lant moan about the hard winter in "Ice and Snow" and provide imaginative percussion by tapping shovels and hoes, rattling chains and striking a flint in time with the music. DeWinter expresses his love for Percy in "Forest for the Trees" and Lastort offers a touching ode to Percy's pain, "Wild Bird." Seavey dreams about her lost son in "Forgotten Lullaby."

Fagundes gives a standout performance as the toughasnails excon who gradually reveals the tenderness inside. Seavey's Hannah is joy to watch as well. Paradise-Lant provides comic relief and Heulitt builds his voiceless character through effective nonverbal acting.

Lastort sings sweetly but too softly. When she stood upstage and sang the tender song, "When Hope Goes," her voice didn't carry and I missed the number's important disclosure.

Zachary Spencer, the music director, provides ample accompaniment on the keyboard during the songs and between scenes. At times his energetic playing overpowered some of the singers.

The otherwise terrific show was somewhat marred by the theater's habit of turning off all the lights between scenes. Even in the dark the audience could still see and hear the stagehands at work. Blackouts are an oldfashioned convention no longer used in modern theater, where sets are changed and furniture moved in clear view of the audience. Leaving the audience literally in the dark is distracting and disrupts the play's rhythm.

Jeff Wallach directed and choreographed the show. He kept the action moving and made good use of the stage in depicting different locations with minimal scenery.

The show continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 18. The theater is at 330 Skyway Drive, inside Camarillo Airport. For tickets, call (805) 388-5716.