Susan Shively of Wauwatosa, WI To Participate in Ripon College's Production of the Award-winning Wisconsin musical "The Spitfire Grill," March 5-8

2014 Feb 27

Susan Shively of Wauwatosa, WI, will play the role of Effy in Ripon College's production of the award-winning Wisconsin musical, "The Spitfire Grill," held March 5-8 at the C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts. All performances start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free and may be reserved by calling 920-748-8791.

Shively is a First Year Undeclared major at Ripon College.

The musical follows the story of a young woman from her parole from prison in Fond du Lac County to her search for a new life in a small Wisconsin town. The musical is more than just a physical journey; it is the journey of the human spirit renewed and healed by power of forgiveness and reconciliation. "The Spitfire Grill" is tough, funny and affirming. It shows audiences a little bit of who we are and who we can become.

Filled with warmth, goodwill and soaring melodies, "The Spitfire Grill" was written by Wisconsin artists Fred Alley and James Valcq and won the Richard Rodgers Production Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. It has had 400 productions in New York, Germany and Korea over the last 14 years. The Ripon College theatre and music departments are glad to welcome it back to where it started and to the world that it celebrates.

The cast includes JaneMarie Erickson '16 of Redgranite, Wis., as Percy; Jerry Kurek '14 of Whitefish Bay, Wis., as Joe; Kally Gagnon '14 of Mount Horeb, Wis., as Hannah; Susie Shively '17 of Wauwatosa, Wis., as Effy; Emily Dozier '14 of Quincy, Ill., as Shelby; Dan Miles '14 of Milwaukee, Wis., as Caleb; and Brennan Kane '17 of Ramsey, Minn., as Eli. The understudies are London Mosher '16 of Sun Prairie, Wis., and Veronica DeLisle '17 of Shrewsbury, Mass.

Anders Goodwin '15 of Milwaukee, Wis., is the assistant director. Costume design is by Susan McDaniel Hill, visiting professor of theatre; set design is by John Dalziel, assistant professor of theatre; and lighting design is by Robert Amsden, professor of theatre.

The play is directed by Professor of Theatre Kenneth Hill with musical direction by Kyle Szabo, assistant professor of music, and Seong Kyung Graham, instructor of music.