Limestone College will present 'The Spitfire Grill'

Limestone College students Katie King and Sara Ferguson rehearse a scene from "The Spitfire Grill," which will be performed Nov. 8-11 at Fullerton Auditorium. Limestone College students will support a good cause while entertaining audiences with the musical "The Spitfire Grill."

Performances are scheduled for Fullerton Auditorium Nov. 8-10 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and students. Limestone College students and staff may attend at no charge.

"The Spitfire Grill" is based on a drama that won the Audience Award at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. Writers James Valcq and Fred Alley adapted the film into a musical in 2000 that centers on the efforts of Percy Talbott to rebuild her life after she is released from prison.

Limestone music and theater students will donate a portion of ticket sales to the Safe Homes Rape Crisis Center. The nonprofit organization operates an emergency shelter for women who are victims of domestic violence in Gaffney and Spartanburg. A donation box will be available during all of the performances.

Percy moves to the small town of Gillead, Wisconsin, where she helps bring new life to the town and "The Spitfire Grill" restaurant. She develops powerful friendships with restaurant owner Hannah Ferguson as well as Shelby Thorpe, the wife of Hannah's nephew Caleb.

"This is a beautiful musical with a lot of heart. It's really a story of relationships and hope," said Limestone College theater professor Dr. Carrie Ameling, who serves as the show's director. "The town has almost become a ghost town where the residents have become opposed to outsiders. When Percy comes there to turn her life around, she brings new life to the town and the restaurant while creating a sense of hope in the residents that wasn't there before."

Domestic violence is one of the themes addressed in the musical.

"I feel very strongly that we need to protect women from domestic violence by providing a safe haven. It takes a lot of strength and courage by women to leave an abusive situation," Ameling said. "This is a theme that runs through the musical. Our hope is to promote awareness of this issue and help support the work done by Safe Homes."

"The Spitfire Grill" musical has been produced nearly 200 times in regional theaters and school productions. Foreign language versions have been presented in Germany and South Korea.

Limestone College students perform all the roles. Cast members are Katie King (Percy), Evan Goetz (Sheriff Joe Sutter), Sara Ferguson (Hannah), Daniel Sean Smith (Caleb), Krista Patella (Shelby), Sarah Kier (Effie), Tommy Bednar and Kwayera Wheeler.

Performances are scheduled for Nov. 8-10 at 7:30 p.m. each night and at 3 p.m. on Nov. 11 at Fullerton Auditorium.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for senior citizens. There is no charge for Limestone College students and staff.

Part of the ticket sales will be donated to the Safe Homes Rape Crisis Center.