The Spitfire Grill

Who’s Who (Cast)

ELSA MILLER (Effy Krayneck) is so grateful for the opportunity to be doing live theatre again. As life is finally starting to look normal again, it’s important to recognize the importance of kindness and respect towards all people, and to not be afraid to mess up a little bit. Enjoy the show!

IAN BARTLETT (he/him) (The Visitor/Male Ensemble) is excited to perform in this touching musical! Some of his favorite roles include Flounder in The Little Mermaid and Pinocchio in Shrek the Musical. He would like to thank his family and friends for all their love and support, and he hopes you enjoy the show!

IAN DUARTE (he/him) (Caleb Thorpe) is thrilled to be a part of his first show with KIDSTAGE! He would like to thank his parents for their support, his friends for their encouragement and the rest of cast, crew and production team for making this such a wonderful process. Enjoy!

JESUS BAUTISTA-FELIBERTI (he/him) (Sheriff Joe Sutter) Over the moon now that we’re all back in action! So proud and thankful for everyone involved throughout the process in order to bring this show alive! Special thanks to family, MW and all those who came out for this show!

NICOLE MCMILLAN (she/her) (Percy Talbott) is thrilled to be back on the stage at Village Theatre! Favorite roles include Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting and Eponine in Les Misérables. She looks forward to sharing this story with you and thanks her friends and family for their support.

NINA ROMANO (she/her) (Hannah Ferguson) is thrilled to be back! This is her fifth production at Village Theatre KIDSTAGE and she loves the community. She is a rising senior at her high school where she recently played Rizzo in Grease and Katherine in Newsies. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Adam, and Rachel.

SANJANA ANAND (she/her) (Female Ensemble) is thrilled to be doing her seventh KIDSTAGE production! Most recent KIDSTAGE credits include Aladdin, Jr. (Jasmine) and High School Musica,l Jr. (Cheerleader, Taylor U/S). Sanjana is passionate about representing South Asians in theatre by performing and creating. Thanks to family and mentors. Enjoy the show!

TENILLE MANSON (she/her) (Shelby Thorpe) is thrilled to be a part of her first post-quarantine show! Her other KIDSTAGE credits include In The Heights and Tuck Everlasting. Tenille plans to study musical theatre at NYU Tisch this fall and thanks her loved ones for their endless support!

Who’s Who (Production Team)

RACHEL FARIA (Director) is going into her senior year of undergrad at the University of Northern Colorado where she is currently pursuing her bachelor’s in musical theatre with a minor in dance. Most recently she was the assistant director of last summer’s virtual production of Tuck Everlasting, but onstage you may have seen her in Rent (Maureen) or Sister Act (Deloris Van Cartier). She is incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity to direct a wonderful show that she has cared about for so many years.

TRACY ANDERSON (she/her) (Choreographer) is beyond thrilled to be choreographing this year’s Summer Independent Production, The Spitfire Grill! Her love for dance comes from contemporary improvisation, & she is passionate about the magic of your ability to tell a story through movement. She is currently studying musical theatre in NYC at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Endless love to Rachel and Rhyonna for doing something we’ve been dreaming of for six years. It is a blessing to be a part of the much-needed awakening of live theatre.

RHYONNA ROSALES (she/her) (Music Director) is thrilled to be music directing not only her first show, but her first production at Village Theatre as well. She is entering her fourth year at Pacific Lutheran University as a music education major with a secondary choral emphasis. At PLU, Rhyonna has sung in University Chorale and University Singers, and has played piano for the Jazz Ensemble. Rhyonna has studied piano for sixteen years, and voice for six years. Rhyonna feels so lucky to share this amazing show with you!

MATT WITTRESS (Assistant Director/Dramaturg) is thrilled to invite you back to live theatre with this production! Matt has been involved at Village as an actor and stagehand, but this year Matt is excited to showcase his work as a production intern for The Spitfire Grill. Matt is honored to work alongside Director, Rachel Faria, the production team, and talented cast. Matt also encourages you to explore the dramaturgy page in your program for more information about his research throughout the production. Enjoy the show!

REBECCA STROM (she/her) (Scenic Designer) is a scenic designer and artist from the PNW, who graduated from Cornish College of the Arts ‘21 with a BFA in performance production. This is her fourth year in the Summer Independent Program. Past Village Theatre credits include Rent School Edition, Tuck Everlasting, and Bring it On: The Musical (costume designer). Most recently, she was the scenic designer for The Drowsy Chaperone at CCA (2021). She’s overjoyed to be back in the theatre!

SANSKRUTI TOMAR (they/them) (Costume Designer) is a newcomer to Village Theatre this year. They are studying criminology and theatre arts at Gonzaga University currently. In the past, they’ve primarily been an actor in college and high school. They have also dabbled in directing and makeup design but have found their passion in costume design. They are very proud of the work every member of the team has put in and cannot wait for audiences to see it come together after a year without Village Theatre performances.

KEVIN PORTILLO (they/them) (Lighting Designer) Originally from Miami, Kevin recently graduated from Cornish College of the Arts in the Performance Production Department with a focus in lighting design. Kevin’s interests do extend further than just lighting to include drag performance and photography.

ROBIN LOGERSTEDT (they/them) (Properties Designer) is excited to continue their KIDSTAGE journey with The Spitfire Grill and Urinetown this year. They are very excited to be able to enrich the shows with properties. As their 4th and probably final Summer Independent as a student, it is amazing to be closing out their time as an intern while returning to theatre in a triumphant way. Enjoy the show!

LINNEA FIELDS (Sound Designer) is excited to be returning to Summer Independent for her fourth year. She currently attends the University of Arizona, where she is pursuing a double major in theatrical sound design and speech & hearing sciences. She would like to thank her friends and family for all of their support!

ANDREW LONG (he/him) (Technical Director) comes back to KIDSTAGE after working on Tuck Everlasting last summer and could not be more thrilled to be live theatre again. The only difference is that he now has his BFA in performance production, focusing in technical direction, from Cornish College of the Arts. He was astonished at what the team was able to accomplish last year and is ecstatic to see what this team does.

ETHAN SWIM (he/him) (Stage Manager) This is Ethan’s first production as a stage manager, and he would love to thank everyone on The Spitfire Grill team for being a part of this memorable experience. This is Ethan’s third show at Village Theatre and you may have seen him selling concessions as the lead lobby attendant. He would like to thank his team members Quinn, Lindsey, and mentor Laurel for their support in this process. Ethan is 19 and will be a senior at WWU. Instagram: @ethan_swim22

QUINN CHASE (Assistant Stage Manager) is a stage manager and technical theatre artist from the east coast, currently based in Seattle. Ever since growing up in the community theatre, Quinn has been passionate about original works, collaboration, and coming up with creative solutions to unique problems. Recent Seattle credits include Uncharted Waters: Twelfth Night, directed by Rosa Joshi (Stage Manager, Seattle University) and Everything is Illuminated, adapted and directed by Josh Aaseng (Production Assistant, Book-It Repertory). Quinn is absolutely delighted to be working with Village Theatre KIDSTAGE!

MEGAN COOPER (she/her) (Production Manager) is excited to be a part of her first KIDSTAGE Summer Independent Program! Recent credits include: Love and Information (assistant stage manager) with Syracuse University Department of Drama, Radioactive Musicals, and West Side Story (producer) with The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Rising Star Project. She will be entering her second year at Syracuse University earning her BS in theater management. She is ecstatic to start doing live theatre again! Thank you to the Village Theatre team for being so welcoming!

The Spitfire Grill is a show that, in all aspects of the word, satisfies the soul. I first saw the production in my freshman year of high school, instantly falling in love during the opening song. It is a show that masterfully weaves together the sobering reality of war and abuse with the jubilant release of forgiveness. Each character is so unique even as they sit as words on the page, teeming with nuanced complexity and each carrying vivid pasts that still consume them in their present. It is truly a wonderful look into the mosaic of humanity.  

This past year under lockdown and the events of last summer’s social justice movement left many curious about what the future held for theatre. Like many around me, I found it hard to remain optimistic, but when I thought about shows like this one, I could see a vision of where our industry could go. I could see what beautiful, poignant art we could create if we simply opened our arms to diversity. Diversity in mind and body.  

Change is a central theme in The Spitfire Grill; this concept of being trapped by your past is one I know can be shared by many. A past can be hard to wrestle with, leaving a messy trail of self-doubt and shame. It always feels easier to ignore its tapping in our chest, but stagnation is not the answer. While chained to the weight of our failures and mistakes, we cannot move forward to fix our future. We all deserve forgiveness; friendship; hope; love. The only way out, is through.  

I hope this show can help you see the forest for the trees. I know it helped me. 

—Rachel Faria 

“I regard theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way a human being can share with another the sense of what it means to be a human being.” -Thornton Wilder 

Special Thanks

Carey Wong

All mentors for all your support and guidance throughout this process!

We could not have done it without our wonderful parents. Thanks to each and every one of you for your time, support, and encouragement.

The Summer Independent program is a professionally mentored program unique to Village Theatre. It is the pinnacle theatrical experience for students in the KIDSTAGE program and provides autonomy, resources, and mentorship to aspiring theatre professionals to produce their own full-scale show from start to finish. Unlike other KIDSTAGE productions, emphasis is put on the design, creation of the show, and peer-to-peer mentorship. Students take on every aspect of producing; from directing to designing and building sets, creating costumes, running sound and lights, marketing, management, and more.

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