Percy Talbott (Madison Washer) has just been released on parole from a five year prison sentence and accepts a position at a rundown diner called The Spitfire Grill in Gilead, Wisconsin. While in prison she came across an old travelogue that featured autumn in Gilead and fell in love with the image. In her opening song "Ring Around the Moon", Percy cautiously anticipates her new life with both a relish that she is now free of prison but unsure of what to expect. This trepidation is shared by the citizens of Gilead that she meets that feature the Sheriff and her parole officer Joe Sutter (Jacob Haury), her new boss the owner of the Spitfire Grill Hannah (Laura Iacometta), Hannah's nephew Caleb (Michael Sangregorio) and his wife Shelby (Kate Espada) and the town gossip Effy (Erica Kresch). The town members themselves share a wariness towards strangers and a longing to return to the glory days when the town was more prosperous. The days when the local quarry was open and their star citizen Eli went off to Vietnam.
Caleb has taken it upon himself to look after his aging aunt after her son Eli failed to come home from Vietnam and his nervous wife even though he's unemployed himself. For several years, Caleb has tried unsuccessfully to get a buyer for the diner so Hannah can divest herself of the responsibility and the memory of her dead son and husband. Caleb is quite suspicious of Percy and doesn't think that she's a good influence on his aunt or the town. His sentiment is shared by Effy who takes any opportunity to start some rumor or chatter about what a lowlife Percy is. Their concern is punctuated in the song "Something's Cooking at the Spitfire Grill". Initially Percy is quite the screw up and meets the expectations of her enemies in the town. Its only when Hannah falls and injures herself that Percy has to step up and take over the business. The nervous Shelby comes to help out with running the diner and Percy finally gets a friend and confidant to deal with the crabby Hannah.
One day after Hannah makes a remark that she would just give the diner away, Percy makes an a suggestion that she do just that. Percy suggests that Hannah should raffle off the restaurant to anyone who submits $100 and the best essay saying why they should get the diner. Shelby and Percy place an ad not thinking anything will really come of it. Percy is equally perplexed as to why Hannah has her put a loaf of bread out back of the restaurant each night that is until she encounters a strange man (Eric Parkin) who comes to collect the loaf but runs away from when Percy tries to question him.
Effy, also the town "post mistress", later delivers a letter for Hannah from Philadelphia and demands to know who its from. When Hannah won't say, her, Shelby and Percy see that it's the first response to their ad about raffling off the restaurant. Soon they are inundated with bags of letters each with an eloquent essay as to why the sender should have the restaurant.
Caleb Is angered that Percy has obtained lots of interest in the diner that he never could and that his wife Shelby is no longer dependent on him. He decides to research Percy's past and what he discovers in her murder conviction was not what people thought. His long suffering Aunt Hannah also harbors a secret concerning the man who comes around to collect the bread and that the town's glory days were not what they were cracked up to be.
This musical is based a 1996 film by the same name and starring Allison Elliot, Ellen Burstyn and Marcia Gay Harden. While the film itself was not a musical and has a very different ending, the transition from film to this medium doesn't lose anything. In fact, as a musical this production was a very nice change of pace from the genre's usual penchant of unrealistic situations and impromptu dance numbers. I admit, I'm not a very big fan of musicals as I often can't relate to people randomly breaking out in song accompanied by choreographed dancers and often with an air of pretentiousness. However, director Greg Liosi uses the more "casual" atmosphere of the "Spitfire Grill" and the smaller stage at the Hackensack Arts Center to great effect. At the top of the show, Madison Washer as Percy appears simply in a plaid jacket and jeans but truly sings her heart out with the first song and its worthy of any big Broadway show stopping solo. The biggest thing that I appreciated about this musical was that it was very moving, relatable and never treaded into the "big musical" territory.
Aside from a few company numbers most of the songs are solos or duets that nicely underscore the beats in the story of this character driven piece. This provides an opportunity for each character to really shine in their individual numbers and express their inner most feelings. Musical Director Michael Wada and his 4 person orchestra accompany and underscore most of the plays moments that range from jazzy riffs to a mournful mandolins and cellos. The varying styles of music and instrumentation show that despite the "down home" setting, the play has a very broad appeal musically.
Director Greg Liosi has assembled a cast that fits their characters very well and who also have tremendous chops when it comes to showcasing their various songs. Each member is really a stand out in their own part. Madison Washer and Kate Espada as Percy and Shelby were the funny and poignant heart and soul of the piece sharing their desires and regrets with both humor and gusto and it was equally countered by Laura Iacometta's Hannah who ranged from crabby boss to lamenting mother. Erica Kresch's Effy was hysterical as the town gossip and busy body but never making the character annoying or grating. Each woman's role is really drawn out and was a nice change from the stereotypical ingénues that live in many musicals showcasing a range of women of various ages but also making them very real. Not to be left out, I enjoyed Michael Sangregorio's Caleb who easily can be seen as unsympathetic in his antagonist role but who garners sympathy as he finds out the town's secrets. Jacob Haury as the sheriff was both fun and unexpected in his treatment of what can be a stock small town character.
The original musical unluckily premiered two days before 9/11 and was ignored in the aftermath. Also, unless you're a fan of independent movies of the 1990s your probably won't have seen the film so the musical as a result has not been widely produced. This really should change and hopefully this production will bring it to more people's attention, although the musical is not without some short comings. While the roles of the women in the play are very well drawn, Caleb and the Sheriff do at times feel underused. The characters are essentially lied to or left in the dark without any follow up or ramification. The phantom character of Eli is presented as the golden citizen of the town's glory days but its never really specified why he was so celebrated or why the town of Gilead was so much better off with him. The fall out the true nature of Percy's crime is a bit glossed over and falls into a stereotypical storyline that doesn't seem to match the fleshed out character.
Despite these character and plot shortcomings in the script, Teaneck New Theatre's company production is a must see simply for the great solos and performances. The use of the stage and well lived in set by set designer Patt Tanner is not to be missed either. The show runs one final weekend Friday and Saturday, November 14, 15 at 8pm and Sunday, November 16 at 3pm at the Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, 39 Broadway in Hackensack. Tickets are 18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and can be purchased by going to www.go-tnt.org.
