Three women working in a small town restaurant sing about their lives while supporting each other through significant transitions. And the ownership of their workplace becomes a pivotal plot point.
No, I’m not talking about the splashy summer smash, “Waitress,” currently running at Virginia Rep. In an example of curious theatrical kismet, down the road at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, there’s yet another major local musical set in the world of food service.
And while the vibes are distinctly different, “The Spitfire Grill” proves just as charming as its Broad Street counterpart. Thanks largely to some knockout performances, “Grill” is sure to delight audiences looking for an uplifting story delivered with first-class vocal firepower.
Based on a popular but more maudlin, 1996 movie of the same name, the stage version moves the action from Maine to Wisconsin, but keeps the provincial attitudes of the rural townsfolk intact.
As you might expect in any close-knit community, the people of idyllic Gilead, Wisconsin are wary of outsiders. So when Sheriff Joe (Jeff Ashworth) pressures Hannah (Joy Williams), the aging owner of the town’s only restaurant, to give a job to a newly arrived ex-convict, Percy (Lindsey Zelli), the gossip starts flying.
Most of the talk is stoked by local busybody, Efffy (Tara Calahan Carroll), but Hannah’s nephew, Caleb (Scott Melton) isn’t too happy about Percy’s presence either. His resentment only grows when his heretofore acquiescent wife, Shelby (Grey Garrett) gets drafted to help at the Grill after Hannah takes a fall.
It turns out that Hannah has been trying to unload the Grill for years and when Shelby and Percy sell her on a scheme to raffle the restaurant off, diffidence dissolves between the three of them and friendships grow. But a one-two punch of revelations, first about Hannah’s war hero son then the truth behind Percy’s imprisonment, threaten to shatter the newly formed bonds.
The story swerves toward cloying sentimentality along the way and director Tom Width sometimes seems determined to push it further in that direction. But the steadfast work of his cast keeps the show earthy and sincere.
As befits an ex-con, Percy is resolutely taciturn and Zelli doubles down on her prickliness, only revealing her vulnerability exquisitely slowly. The measured pace of her emotional thaw pays dividends late in the action, her heart finally breaking open as she sings “Shine.” Zelli’s voice has a fervent clarity that fits the earnest folk and country-inflected tunes just right.
Though you know Hannah has a heart of gold, Williams keeps her stubbornly crotchety to great effect, delivering her songs with grizzled intensity.
And while Garrett has the chops to play big and bold, her embodiment of Shelby’s gentle empowerment journey demonstrates a subtler, sure-footed strength. Her voice soars as gloriously as ever and, when complimented by Williams and Zelli, the results are exhilarating.
Carroll and Melton also get moments to shine but among the great performances, the sweetest surprise is Ashworth as Percy’s inevitable love interest, Sheriff Joe. As Joe starts to see signs of softness under Percy’s scarred exterior, Ashworth (Zelli’s real-life husband) modulates the standoffish Joe into a downright endearing suitor. The couple coalesces wonderfully in their performance of “This Wide Woods” as their character’s values start to align.
With his rustic restaurant set, Width shows his usual savvy as a scenic designer, particularly through the integration of a back-porch area where some key scenes unfold. That area is often awash in soft blue light, thanks to Steven Koehler’s straightforward lighting design that effectively highlights emotional moments.
Music director Shellie Johnson’s tight, four-piece band does a fine job interjecting welcome splashes of violin and mandolin to spice up songs that are heartfelt, while never quite distinctive.
There aren’t a great many surprises here: You can guess the trajectory of almost every strand of plot as soon as it is introduced. But predictability doesn’t breed any ill will with this production. The menu at “The Spitfire Grill” may be full of familiar fare, but served up by this level of talent, you’ll leave more than satisfied.
“The Spitfire Grill” is playing at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 17401 US-1 in South Chesterfield, through Aug. 2. Tickets and information available at https://www.swiftcreekmill.com/.
