“Something’s Cooking” at Hurricane Theatrical
– By Aleina Lister –
April 7- May 6, 2023
As Southern Utah shakes off the surprising onslaught of winter rain and snow to welcome the rebirth and warmth of spring, director Kyle Myrick and his crew announce “Something’s Cooking” at Hurricane Theatrical and cannot wait to share it with the community.
Myrick expresses that after two years of large-scale productions for the community aimed at child audiences, he’s also excited to give the adults in the community something to enjoy. With recent productions focused on spectacle, “The Spitfire Grill” focuses on the deeper meaning of the story.
Inspired by the 1996 film of the same name, the musical “The Spitfire Grill” follows Perchance, or Percy, Talbot (played by Haley-Shea Benoit), who is recently freed from prison and goes to Gilead, Wisconsin. This little town caught her eye in a magazine ad and became her hopes, dreams, and a safe haven. Upon her arrival to Gilead, the town Sherriff, Joe Sutter (James David), arranges for her to have a job and somewhere to stay, which coincidentally is the only place available: The Spitfire Grill. The tough and gruff owner of the Grill, Hannah Fergusson (Chrystine Hyatt), takes Percy in, much to the chagrin of her bossy nephew Caleb Thorpe (Caleb Christensen) and the town’s busybody Effy Krayneck (Carolyn Murset). Shortly after Percy arrives in Gilead, Hannah has an accident that leads Percy to take over the Grill with the help of Caleb’s timid wife, Shelby. Fighting her past and the scars it left, Percy helps those around her see how wonderful Gilead is, despite the hardships that the world has thrown its way, and helps the town and the individuals “Come Alive Again.”
Kyle Myrick exclaims how important the story of “The Spitfire Grill” is and why our community needs it: “Contrary to other stories, the new character [Percy] doesn’t come in and change the town, rather she helps others understand what they have in Gilead. Outside of the show, we need the same correlation; to appreciate all we have in our lives. Like the characters in the show, we are all our own worst enemies. We put ourselves in these self-imposed prisons, made up of our challenges and dark moments. But we can let ourselves go; we don’t have to live in our dark times, and our dark times don’t define us.”
Come see “The Spitfire Grill” at the Hurricane Fine Arts Center. This beautifully human show opens April 7th and closes May 6th, with performances on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, including Saturday Matinees. For more information, go to www.hurricanetheatrical.com, or call 435-668-9753.
