Musicals made from movies, including "The Producers" often suffer in comparison to their on-screen sources. "The Spitfire Grill" (2000) based on Lee David Zlotoff's "Care of the Spitfire Grill", winner of the 1996 Sundance audience award, starts from the same premise, and uses the same characters, but stays with the personalities involved instead of haring off after a plot. Consequently, its sentimentality is more tolerable, and seems even realistic especially when expressed musically. James Valcq and the late Fred Alley have come up with songs which use the sincerity possible in country music without sounding like their tunes were intended for broadcast or concert. They've given the characters honest voices, and extended musical scenes, resulting in satisfying musical theatre.
The Lyric's Producing Artistic Director, Spiro Veloudos has lived up to his award-winning reputation for quality with a cast starting with Lyric veterans Christopher Chew, with leads in "Sunday in the Park", "It's All True", and "Side Show" as well as other major roles around town, playing Sheriff Joe Sutter and Maryann Zshau, who got the IRNE Best Actress for Dot in "Sunday..." and was one of the twins in "Side Show" as Shelby. Chew didn't make the original New York show, but played it the nest summer at Alley's American Folklore Theatre in Wisconsin. Veloudos also has award-winning actress Bobbie Steinbach, seen at the Lyric in "Assassins", "Lend Me a Tenor", and "Beyond Belief" as Hannah Ferguson, the owner of the Grill. Derek Stearns , showing his musical side, seen in Veloudos' award-winning "Glengarry Glen Ross", is Caleb, Hannah's discouraged nephew and Shelby's husband. Cheryl McMahon, another veteran of "Lend Me a Tenor" and "Beyond Belief", fresh from her annual stint in North Shore Music Theatre's "Christmas Carol" is droll as Effy, the town's noisy postmistress and storekeeper. New to the Lyric, Elizabeth Hayes brings a fresh sound as the central character, Percy Talbott, a young woman fresh out of jail for manslaughter. And lanky Floyd Richardson, from this fall's "Book of Days", is perfect as the mute stranger in the woods behind the Grill.
The cast's comfort with the Lyric's three-quarter space and acoustics, and with each other, adds to the effortless realism of their performances. Hayes's outsider fits in quite convincingly, with just enough of a West Virginia accent to mark her as a newcomer. Opening the show with an extended solo, "A Ring Around the Moon", barely accompanied, makes her familiar to the audience. The full cast number's, "Something Cookin' at the Spitfire Grill", "Ice and Snow", "Shoot the Moon", and "Come Alive Again" are really solid due to the accumulated experience onstage. Voices blend without sounding like run-of-the-mill musical comedy; the old-time harmonies ring true. The cast's acting ability makes their singing seem essential to the action, not merely embellishment. Chew and Zshau, who appear more regularly as musical theatre performers, nail their solo pieces--two each--without drawing attention to their seasoned abilities. Chew did two small musicals for Stoneham--where he's the Education director-- this fall. Zschau, the Lyric's marketing maven, was Phyllis opposite Len Cariou in "Follies in Concert" here this November. Steinbach, who was Carlotta in "Follies..." and the Mother in New Rep's "A Girl's War" earlier in the season, finds another seasoned voice for Hannah's two plaintive solos, and is an exuberant part, close harmonies and all, of major numbers.
For the multi-scene unit set, Veloudos went back to Brynna Bloomfield, who did last year's complex, "It's All True", where Chew played Marc Blitzstein. The Grill is the core of the scene, but there's nice work with the upper level and an abstract backdrop. The action flows very well from all quarters. Scott Pinkney's lighting, his third Lyric effort, could use more projections with some of the "Colors of Paradise" during Percy's climatic "Shine", but serves the show well throughout. Robert Russo's costumes, largely off-the-rack, reflect his eclectic design work and add to character definition, with little touches from head to toe. And Golberg's sure hand with the music direction and his synth gives the show a distinctive American sound, and most importantly, brings the vocal characterizations to the fore. No mikes are needed.
This is an excellent production of a good solid show. "The Spitfire Grill" doesn't give in to the temptation to make everything neat at the end. The possibility is certainly there. Hayes has a brief smile during her quick final encounter with Chew which speaks volumes. Zshau's Shelby displays new found confidence, which might just straighten out her failing marriage. And the audience surely wishes this group of somewhat worn small-towners the modest success they deserve. The final applause is not just for hard-working performers, but for the community ideals and the ability to forgive each other and themselves they may represent. Which should mean that this show, currently having its New England premiere, will keep coming back to Gilead.