The Spitfire Grill
September 17-26, 2021

Music and Book by James Valcq, and Lyrics and Book by Fred Alley
Based on the Award-winning film, The Spitfire Grill

With autumn leaves and rolling rivers, the rural town of Gilead, Wisconsin is a picturesque daydream of Percy Talbott. After her release from prison, she discovers Gilead is as breathtaking as she imagined it to be. However, as Percy begins her work at a small rustic diner called The Spitfire Grill, she learns that being the new kid in town can sometimes leave you feeling more secluded than if you were locked behind bars. Struggling to be accepted by the residents of a small town, Percy attempts to save the one place they really love from economic hardship, The Spitfire Grill. With American folk music, and the spirit of the Midwest, you will reel with passion as the residents of Gilead learn to accept the stranger and build a better future as a community.

*Trigger Warning: Please be advised this production contains themes of sexual assault and domestic violence. The presentation and discussion of sexual assault and domestic violence may be difficult and traumatic to experience. Viewer discretion is advised.

Fridays & Saturdays:
September 17, 18, 24, 25 at 7:30 pm ET

Sundays:
September 19 & 26 at 2:00 pm ET

Location:
The Granada, 211 N Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601

The Cast & Crew

Michelle Miller………………………………Percy Talbot
Dawn Hagerty………………………………Hannah Ferguson
Mimi Bell……………………………………….Shelby Thorpe
Ben Ganger…………………………………..Caleb Thorpe
Ryan Schisler………………………………..Sheriff Joe Sutter
Stephanie Perrin…………………………..Effy Krayneck
Daniel Grey……………………………………The Visitor

Dr. Aaron Albin……………………………..Keyboard
Andrew Nowicki……………………………Violin
Kyle Miller……………………………..……….Cello

Mark Albin……………………………..………Director
Dr. Aaron Albin………………………………Music Director
Alexandria Ganger………………………..Stage Manager
Mary Burley……………………………………Costume Design
Derrick Null…………………………………….Light Design
Terry & Chad Albin…………………………Set Design
Alicia Van Es……………………………………Program &Graphic Design

Safety at Art 4
As Live Performances Return,
Your Safety is Our Priority

VACCINATION POLICY

Updated: August 28, 2021

In consultation with public health officials and along with many of our peer organizations in the theater community, as we return to live performances at full capacity, Art 4 will require that all audience members provide a photo ID and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to attend an Art 4 production. This vaccine requirement will also apply to Art 4 artists, staff, and volunteers. Exceptions will be made for children under 12, who are not currently eligible for the vaccine and accompanied by an adult that meets the above vaccination requirements. 

FACE MASKS

Additionally, facial masks, worn properly over the nose and mouth, will be required for all patrons (including children under 12) in all areas and for the duration of their time in the theatre, including while seated during performances. Patrons arriving without appropriate face masks will be provided a disposable face mask.

Please note that shows will be performed at full length, including intermissions, and houses will be seated at full capacity.

Biographies

Dawn Hagerty as Hannah Ferguson
Dawn Hagerty (Hannah Ferguson) is thrilled to be making her Art 4 debut in The Spitfire Grill! Miss Hagerty studied at the International School of Performing Arts, is an All American Vocalist & was a Vocal Performance major/Theatre minor at Simpson College. She has experience in classical, contemporary, and musical theatre, Shakespeare, opera, and improv.  She has performed across Europe & spent four & a half years as Director of English Music at St. James Parish, in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Locally, Dawn has performed with South Bend Civic Theatre, The Acting Ensemble, Theatre in the Woods, Firefly Festival, and Indiana Opera North, and recently directed The Bad Seed at Tinshop Theatre & Emma at South Bend Civic Theatre. 

Mimi Bell as Shelby Thorpe
Mimi Bell (Shelby Thorpe) Since the beginning of her theatre career in 2017, Mimi Bell has performed in numerous productions with South Bend Civic Theatre and Elkhart Civic Theatre, as well as a show with Art 4 (Next to Normal as Diana Goodman). Mimi is absolutely thrilled to be working with Art 4 again and she hopes to make the audience, directors, and her castmates proud! Her favorite things to do are eating snacks and asking questions. She would like to thank her moms, her best friends, and her pets, Sofie, Katie, Max, Londyn, and Stewart, for their never-ending love and support.

Ben Ganger as Caleb Thorpe
Ben Ganger (Caleb Thorpe) is a lyric baritone from Goshen, Indiana. Most recently, he performed the role of Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana with South Bend Lyric Opera. Favorite previous engagements include The Count in Le nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, The Duke of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers, and the title role in Mary Carol Warwick’s The Velveteen Rabbit, a children’s opera production that toured Ohio and Michigan. Ben can also be heard singing with the St. Joseph Valley Camerata and The Open Fifths. Ben currently lives in Goshen with his wife Alexandria, their German shepherds River and Pippin, and orange tabby Bingley.  Ben has spent his summer obsessing over the new rose bushes he just planted and is always looking for more people to play board games with.  

Ryan Schisler as Sheriff Joe Sutter
Ryan Schisler (Sheriff Joe Sutter) is an actor/singer/director from Nappanee, IN and is thrilled to be performing in his first show with Art 4. A graduate from Murray State University, Ryan studied Television Production and there discovered his love and passion for Theatre. Ryan has worked at numerous theatres around the US, including an east coast national tour of A Christmas Carol. Ryan would like to thank his beautiful fiance Amber and his family for their continued love and support. 

Stephanie Perrin as Effy Krayneck
Stephanie Perrin (Effy Krayneck) is thrilled to debut with Art 4 in this production of The Spitfire Grill. Since moving to Indiana a few years ago, she has appeared as Mrs. Mayor in Seussical and originated the role of Ma Skelton in Goodnight and God Bless: The Red Skelton Show. She has also appeared in Shrek, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Footloose, Amazing Grace, and Newsies. Stephanie has also been the hair and makeup designer for Shrek, Frozen Jr., Red Skelton, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Hunchback of Notre Dame. She has loved making Gilead come alive with this cast and crew--huge thanks to all! She is forever grateful to her family and friends for their continual love and support. 

Daniel Grey as The Visitor
Daniel Grey (The Visitor) is excited to be returning to in-person performances after more than a year of waiting. His last in-person performance was SBCT's Emma, which was put on hold for a few months during the early stages of the pandemic, then ended prematurely during the summer when the pandemic started ramping up. However, the last performance of any kind was Art 4's virtual production of Ragtime, in which he played Henry Ford and a few background characters. Daniel is a graduate of Bethel College with a Liberal Arts major, focusing on theatre, music, and art. Some of his favorite roles include Dr. Neville Craven in both Premier Arts and SBCT's The Secret Garden, Gandalf in Bethel's The Hobbit, and James Appel in SBCT's Red Herring. He hopes very much that everyone enjoys this little bit of time we have been afforded to perform in a safe and secure environment, and that for the moment the pandemic is put from peoples' minds.

Alexandria (Alex) Ganger (Stage Manager) joins Art 4 for the first time with Spitfire Grill. She graduated from Goshen College, where among other technical credits, she stage-managed their productions of Godspell (2012) and Julius Caesar. Previously Alexandria has stage-managed for Bowling Green State University and the Ohio Light Opera before settling in Goshen. When she’s not working, Alex can usually be found curled up on the couch with a game controller or a knitting project. Alexandria lives in Goshen with her husband, Ben Ganger, their two German shepherds, River and Pippin, and their cat, Bingley.

Mary Burley (Costume Designer) is the costume designer for the Spitfire Grill. She is a senior at Indiana University South Bend majoring in Costume Design and Technology. Her credits include working on wardrobe crew, props crew and carpentry for Nortre Dame Shakespeare's Mid-Summer Nights Dream (2021), a stitcher for Medora's Medora Musical (2021) and a stitcher and wardrobe for Trollwood Performing Arts Freaky Friday (2019). At Indiana University South Bend Mary has worked as wardrobe for Evil Dead (2019), Meet Vera Stark (2018), Mama Mia (2018), she has been an assistant costume designer for Almost, Maine (2019), and costume designed Incognito (2021). Mary would like to thank all her family and friends for all the support!

Derrick Null (Light Design) is excited to be working with Art 4 for the first time. He works as a freelance scenic and lighting designer. His favorite productions have been Diary of Anne Frank (directing) & And Then There Were None (scenic design, directing), both with Bethel University and A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder with the 574 Theatre Company (lighting design, founding Board President). He loves to travel with his wife Lavon Dean-Null.

Kyle Miller (Cello) is the Orchestra Director at Pierre Moran Middle School and the Assistant Orchestra Director at Elkhart High School in Elkhart, IN. The Pierre Moran Middle School Orchestras have received consistent Gold Ratings “With Distinction” at ISSMA Festivals, and Elkhart Central High School has made Indiana Orchestra State Finals appearances the past three out of six years. Kyle has been a clinician and presenter for the Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA) Professional Development Conference, Conn-Selmer Institute, and the Linda Luebke Strings Festival. He has conducted the Indiana All-Region Honor Orchestra and was the Elkhart County Youth Honors Concert Orchestra at Goshen College for four years.  Kyle is also an active cellist with a large cello studio in the Elkhart area and plays with the Elkhart County Symphony Orchestra. He serves as treasurer for the State Chapter of the American String Teacher’s Association and is an active member of IMEA. Working in an urban school, Kyle works with the School Improvement Team, School Leadership Team and the PRIDE Team to help improve the school culture and community. In 2015, he was award the Indiana ASTA “New Teacher of the Year,” the “Michiana Outstanding Music Educator Award” from Quinlan and Fabish music company in 2017, was named “Teacher of the Year” for Pierre Moran Middle School in 2018 and was the Indiana ASTA “Middle School Teacher of the Year” for the 2019-2020 School Year.

Andrew Nowicki (Violin) is a native of the Elkhart area and has been involved in the musical community here since he began violin at the age of 4. While in school Andrew performed with many ensembles including the South Bend Youth Symphony, Elkhart Youth Symphony as well as several chamber ensembles. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2017 and then taught orchestra and performed in St. Louis Missouri, as a first violinist in the St. Louis Metropolitan Orchestra. Andrew has had the opportunity to perform as a featured soloist several times with the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra. Andrew is now a permanent member of the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony of the Lakes in Warsaw Indiana, and first violinist of the Elkhart Symphony String Quartet. He is also currently pursuing a Master’s in Music under Jameson Cooper at IUSB.

The Granada

Lower Level, The Morris Performing Arts Center

211 N Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601

Pay What You Can

We believe in making art accessible to everyone, everywhere. That’s why we subsidize 10% of our ticket sales to every Art 4 show for our Pay What You Can ticket program, and have been since we started in 2017. On a first-come, first-served bases, audience members can set the price of their ticket. Limit one ticket per order. For additional questions, email ask@art4sb.org. Want to help support this program? Click HERE to find out how.