Rockwall High School Theatre students open "The Spitfire Grill" with two performances they built almost entirely on their own.
The musical runs at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, in the Rock 9 Blackbox on the Rockwall High campus. Tickets are on sale through the Rockwall ISD website.
"The Spitfire Grill" follows Percy Talbott, a young woman released from prison who moves to the small town of Gilead, Wisconsin, hoping to start over. She finds work at a local restaurant where her arrival stirs curiosity among residents who seem to know everyone else's business, according to the Rockwall County Herald-Banner, which first reported details of the cast and production.
Students run the entire production.
Hesara Wickramasinghe leads the cast as Percy Talbott. Emery Abbott plays Shelby Thorpe, Landry Sharp plays Hannah Ferguson, and Justin Prince plays Joe Sutter. The Herald-Banner has the full cast and crew roster.
Behind the curtain, Kennedy Kirby serves as student director and Ava Bailey is stage manager. Amelia Mullen and Natalie Ross are co-student music directors. Jessie Prince doubles as movement director and fight captain.
On the technical side, Kensley Goldstein designed the sound, Gabe Martinez designed the lighting, and Daphne McEvoy designed the set. Emma Salazar handled costumes, and Eli Merrill is shop foreman. More than two dozen students fill the full production roster, covering everything from scenic carpentry to hair and makeup.
The district's announcement, posted by Jessica Applegate, said students built the show themselves, handling every part of the process from design and staging to the smallest details. The production is part of the school's Revue and Musical Theatre class, which spent several weeks preparing the show.
The musical explores themes of community, judgment and connection as a small town reckons with an outsider. Families can purchase tickets for either performance through the Rockwall ISD site.
