"The Spitfire Grill: The Musical"

[jam_man]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 3:15am

I remember at the Illinois All-State Festival seeing the 2nd act of The Spitfire Grill being done (I believe) by a performing arts school. I had been seeing a short show before, and at intermission of Spitfire, some of my friends told me to come and see the 2nd act. After a quick brining up to speed, I watched the 2nd act and loved it, especially the two leading ladies. I was just thinking about it, and looked at some of it's reviews (OK, only 2, one being a different production), and it seemed to be pretty well received, not to mention that it's fairly new. I was wondering, why don't we hear more about it? Just from the 2nd act I saw, the material seems better than that of some show recently.

[Justice]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 3:24am

It briefly ran Off-Broadway, and there was a recording made of it...but, i think because the show was written so soon after the film, it didn't get that much attention. i am curious myself to hear it, because i really liked the film.

[Urban]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 3:38am

A couple of the songs are in the regular rotation on Broadway World radio. I cannot comment other then those few I have heard, I did enjoy them.

[Sheri]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 5:13am

I saw a production of this show in Laguna Beach a few years ago and I loved it. The songs were very "folksy" in nature and the cast that I saw was superb - the whole show was extremely heartfelt and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[zoran912]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 5:41am

Liz Callaway and Garrett Long were involved Off-B-Way, if memory serves me.

[Le Prince Rebel]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 9:19am

I directed this production that performed at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. The show opened Off-Broadway not long after 9/11, and though it received positive reviews, theatre business, in general, was off, and many smaller shows couldn't survive, and the show closed. It's a great little musical about sins and redemption, and the music is fantastic, quite different from most scores: folk, country, bluegrass, etc . . . The cast loved doing the show; it's intimate and poignant, and I got a feeling a lot of high schools and colleges will be doing this show in the future.

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 9:25am

Yeah, it really is a great show. The ending is very different from that of the movie, however.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 9:52am

i think this show will become one of those "cult" shows that a small group of theater lovers will always champion. whenever i talk to people about shows they love and that have impacted them, someone invariably mentions this show. even wendy, the snapple lady (an enthusiatic theater booster) said she listens to this cast album over and over.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 10:03am

I saw the off-Broadway production and thought it was superb.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 12:36pm

i have seen it twice regionally, once in north Missouri (believe it or not) and then again here in Houston at Stage Repertory. A little simplified in plot, but wonderful score...i would have loved to have seen Calloway, Pasquale, and Mary Gordon Murray in the original off-B'way version.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 12:49pm

I'm playing "Joe" in a college production later this year.

It's a fun, good old family fun musical. Like the classics. A solid story with great a perfect speed pace. We get piece by piece of the mystery and plot of the show. A love story not between people - but of the sentimentalism of living in a small town.

It consists of a small cast of seven. Each character has their own sub-plot going on, but are all connected to The Spitfire Grill.

[jam_man]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:04pm

Okay, then we mostly agree, it's a very good show that fell into some bad luck and has a nice following.

Any chance ever at a Broadway run?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:12pm

Unless it's rewritten, I can't see it on Broadway.

It's relatively shorter than the average show. Plus - it's such a small cast and lacks "spectacle" to draw in the crowds.

It's perfect for off-Broadway, tours, and regional productions. But I don't see it succeeding on Broadway, despite it's being a very good show.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:24pm

my "wonderment" is if the composing team has written enything else. ...anyone know?

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:34pm

the original offbroadway production was short because it was a limited engagement at Playwrights were it sold very well.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:38pm

I looooooove the movie, and would love to see it performed.

Too bad it was caught up in the post 9/11 world, along with Reefer Madness.

Maybe they should re-mount both...in rep!

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:46pm

I have been trying to locate the Cast Recording to this show and can't. I was told it is out of print. Does anyone know where I can find it?

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:48pm

You can still order it through playwrights horizons website.

http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/store_music.htm

Updated On: 7/22/05 at 01:48 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:18pm

Thank you umgeoboy

[eslgr8]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:20pm

It's a wonderful "off-broadway" sized musical which I saw twice last year at Actors Co-Op in Hollywood. The downer ending in the movie has been changed. It wouldn't have worked in the musical context. I have the cast recording and love it!

[roquat]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:27pm

I managed to order the recording through Samuel French.

I believe this is a wonderful, quintessentially American show, with lovely melodies. I prefer it to the movie, especially with the changed ending, which isn't as pious and tearjerking. I also agree that both this and "Reefer Madness" deserve a second hearing--both are kickass, and both got lost in the post-9/11 chaos!

Someone asked if this team had written anything else. They did--the equally unlucky, shortlived off-Broadway sci-fi parody "Zombies from the Beyond". Off-Broadway had a mini-flood of such shows for a brief period ("Weird Romance", "Return to the Forbidden Planet", etc.) and "Zombie Prom" is the one that survived; however, I'm a fan of the limited charms of "Zombies from the Beyond." The score is forgettable, but the book is often very funny and shows a detailed knowledge of the staging and conventions of 1950s alien-invasion movies. (the Act One finale features the entire cast, male and female, in Judy Jetson garb with pink hair and skirts, singing the title song--it's that kind of show.)

"Spitfire Grill" was, sadly, the last work of its lyricist, Fred Alley, who had a fatal heart attack during the last weeks of rehearsal.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:32pm

I have to Original Cast Recording and saw a regional production a few years back. I love this show. Great score. I love the opening number so much.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:33pm

Great great great music.

The Act One finale is semi-cheesy but a classic!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:36pm

I know. I usually don't like country music or sentimental musicals but for some reason I find this show hard to resist.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/22/05 at 2:39pm

thanks, now i remember reading of Alley's passing. What a loss. ZOMBIES BEYOND sounds fun---i am not a fan of ZOMBIE PROM really, but i agree that REEFER MADNESS kicks ass. i was hoping that the HBO version would draw attention to it and result in regional productions (kind of like HEDWIG and HOUSE OF YES experience) but so far no go. Haven't seen the HBO version either...