Northern Stage to produce folk and bluegrass musical The Spitfire Grill

The Spitfire Grill, music and book by James Valcq, lyrics and book by Fred Alley, based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff, runs live on stage at the Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, VT April 2-May 4, 2014. For tickets and information, call 802-296-7000 or visit www.northernstage.org. Tickets start at $23.

Catherine Doherty, who also serves at Northern Stage’s Producing Director, directs The Spitfire Grill; a musical celebrating the bonds of small-town life. A Wisconsin town rallies around a local restaurant, propelling the residents into a future filled with new optimism. Winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, this production features Susann Fletcher (last seen at Northern Stage as Martha Watson in White Christmas) whose Broadway credits include Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Kevin David Thomas, seen on Broadway in A Little Night Music and Les Miserables. Ben Sargent, an Upper Valley native most recently seen in Oklahoma! at the New London Barn Playhouse, also joins the cast.

Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays, sponsored by River Valley Club and Chippers, Inc. Discounted tickets are available for preview performances April 2-4, and a post-show reception with the cast follows the opening night performance on April 5. The company will host a free “Athena Series” lecture on Sunday April 6 from 3:30-4:30 PM, led by Steve Swayne, Professor of Music at Dartmouth College, as well as post-show conversation with the cast following the performance on Saturday April 12.