Wilkes University Theatre Presents "The Spitfire Grill" On Feb. 20-23

by Vicki Mayk

Wilkes-Barre, PA (01/31/2020) — Wilkes University Theatre Presents "The Spitfire Grill" On Feb. 20-23

Wilkes University Theatre presents the award-winning musical, "The Spitfire Grill." Performances will take place on Feb 20, 21, and 22 at 8 p.m., and on Feb. 22 and 23 at 1 p.m. All performances are at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 239 S River St, Wilkes-Barre. General admission is $15, students and seniors are $10. Admission is free for all Wilkes students, with a Wilkes University ID.

The show features music by James Valcq and lyrics by Fred Alley, who both wrote the book.

Based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff, it follows the story of recently paroled convict Percy Talbott, who is looking for somewhere to start over, and rural Gilead, Wisc., seems just the place. She takes a job at the Spitfire Grill, a crumbling diner where the townsfolk congregate and gossip, run by a feisty widow named Hannah. Hannah has been trying to sell the diner to escape from the painful memories it holds, but the property has been on the market for a decade with no takers. Soon, Percy hatches a plan to hold a raffle for ownership of the Spitfire Grill-for $100 and an essay about why they might want the grill, anyone can enter the contest. As the contest entries begin to roll in, Percy starts to realize that she's not the only person in Gilead with a history.

The musical was the recipient of the 2001 Richard Rogers Production Award, presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. When it debuted off-Broadway in 2001, it also was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Drama Desk awards.

The cast includes Marcy Ledvinka as Percy Talbott, Maddison Black as Hannah Ferguson, Katelyn Sincavage as Shelby Thorpe, Alex Booth as Caleb Thorpe, Kris Tjornhom as Sheriff Joe Sutter, Kayla Bevacqua as Effy Krayneck, and Ori Shaner as The Visitor.

About Wilkes University:

Wilkes University is a private, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence through mentoring in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. Founded in 1933, Wilkes is on a mission to create one of the nation's finest doctoral universities, offering all of the programs, activities and opportunities of a large university in the intimate, caring and mentoring environment of a small college, open to all who show promise. The Economist named Wilkes 25th in the nation for the value of its education for graduates. In addition to 46 majors, Wilkes offers 24 master's degree programs and five doctoral/terminal degree programs, including the doctor of philosophy in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, doctor of education, doctor of pharmacy, and master of fine arts in creative writing. Learn more at www.wilkes.edu.