Musical Director Steps In As Director Of ‘Spitfire Grill’

Noblesville’s Brenna Whitaker has found it easy to get caught up in the musical she’s directing at Basile Westfield Playhouse.

While “The Spitfire Grill” is a bit different from your typical “big Broadway” musicals, she said, with only seven characters and no chorus or ensemble, the show is a bit of a roller coaster. “Once it starts, it really doesn’t stop, outside of intermission.”

And the more than a dozen songs are so much fun.

“There isn’t a single song in the show that doesn’t get stuck in your head,” Whitaker said. “I’ll go home from rehearsal and find myself singing a different song each night.”

The show is a musical tale of redemption, perseverance and family. This heartwarming and inspirational musical — opening Thursday and continuing through April 27 — depicts the journey of a young woman just released from prison, who decides to start her life anew in a rural town in Wisconsin, and participates in a journey within the town toward its own tenuous reawakening.

Why did she want to be involved in this show?

“I was introduced to the show about 10 years ago,” Whitaker said. “I vocally directed a production of ‘The Spitfire Grill’ and was in the cast.” That performance was in June of 2013 at The Belfry Theatre in Noblesville. She not only vocally directed the show but also played the role of Shelby in the cast. That production won the Encore Association’s Best Musical award, and Whitaker won for Best Supporting Actress.

She said, “It has been a favorite (show of hers) ever since. The characters are compelling, the music is beautiful and the story truly resonates.”

Whitaker originally signed on to vocally direct the show about a year ago. But in January, she stepped in as play director after the original play director had to step away.

Providing both musical and overall directions has its pros and cons.

“The cast and I get to spend a lot of time together,” she said. “Usually, that time is split between a vocal director and the (play) director. But they haven’t had much of a break from me in this process.”

Whitaker said, “I think it can be difficult for the cast when they are trying to focus on other things (besides vocals) — (such as) scene work and blocking — but their vocal director is there and can see if the music slips as the other things temporarily take focus.”

She said, “On the positive side, it has allowed us to be much more holistic and flexible in our approach. If we need to take 15 minutes out of rehearsal to clean music or fix a cue, it’s easy to do because the vocal director is always around. And for this show, in particular, there is so much music.”

She said, “Directing both (the music and the overall play) allows a consistent, cohesive vision for both music and the overall performances. I do have to mention, the only reason I could possibly handle both vocal and overall direction is because of my two amazing assistant directors (Ryan Shelton and Amber Shatto). The extra sets of eyes have been invaluable.”

Whitaker said, “Seeing this show come together and the growth the actors have shown with their characters has been extremely satisfying. And just hearing their gorgeous voices sing this music that I love so much makes it all worth it.”

She said her cast is “truly wonderful” in this show. “I was incredibly lucky that they all came out and wanted to be a part of it. It’s a great combination of people I’ve worked with multiple times, some who I have had the pleasure to see perform but have never had the chance to work with, and some that are brand new to me. I couldn’t ask for better. This was also my first time working with this particular set designer (Ian Marshall-Fisher). He has created an absolutely beautiful space for us to play.”

Whitaker, herself, has been involved in theater since she was a child.

“I really can’t remember a time in my life without theater. My mom had me singing at church when I was 3. We have old, grainy videos of me bossing around other kids on stage during our school musical when I was 6,” she said. She began piano lessons in kindergarten. “Music and theater have always been a part of my life, and some of my best memories involve the stage and friendships I’ve made through it.”

Whitaker has had about a 20-year window of constantly doing theater, one show after another. She was mostly on stage but did quite a bit of vocal and music direction, as well.

“I have always loved directing but only started doing more of it in the last few years,” she said.

Whitaker was musical director for The Belfry Theatre’s musical revue, “Side by Side by Sondheim,” in February 2020, the last show at The Belfry’s building before Covid. (The Belfry has been a traveling theater, using other venues ever since.)

She met her husband, John Whitaker, in theater. They officially met during “Little Shop of Horrors” at The Belfry, and they worked together in The Belfry’s “Plaid Tidings,” both musicals that she vocally directed, and she also assistant directed the latter show. “But we didn’t really get to know each other until (The Belfry’s) “Noises Off.” She said, “That’s the first time we were both in the cast, as opposed to me vocally directing.”

She said, “This timeframe of becoming more interested in directing also coincided with getting married, having my son, and then my daughter. I took a couple of years off completely from doing anything related to theater, but (now) have started averaging one show a year. But it’s been a big part of my life, and I hope to always be involved in some capacity,” she said.

Yes, she definitely loves theater.

“It’s wonderful, exhausting, energizing, stressful, and incredibly satisfying,” Whitaker said. “There just isn’t anything else like it.”

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com.

MEET THE CAST

Chrissy  Crawley, as Percy Talbott; Scott Fleshood, as Sheriff Joe Sutter; Georgeanna Teipen, as Hannah Ferguson; Daniel Draves, Caleb Thorpe; Susan Boilek Smith, Effy Krayneck; Katelyn Maudlin, as Shelby Thorpe; and Tom Riddle, as The Visitor

MEET THE CREW

Director, Brenna Whitaker; producer, Teresa Otis Skelton; producer/tech director, Bill Miller; assistant directors, Ryan Shelton and Amber Shatto; vocal director, Brenna Whitaker; choreographer, Amber Shatto; stage manager, Tonya Rave; scenic designer, Ian Marshall-Fisher; set construction, Robert Rave, Ian Marshall-Fisher, Scott Marshall, Austin Marshall, Heidi Moranski; set decoration, Ian Marshall-Fisher; costumes, Karen Webster-Cones; properties, Kathy Watson, Georgeanna Teipen, Betsy Miller; lighting design, Eric Matters; lighting operator, James H. Williams; sound design, Rob Stokes and Geoff Lynch; sound operator, Rob Stokes; photography, Rob Slaven of Indy Ghost Light Photography; webmaster, Brandi Davis; social media, Ka’lena Cuevas; and programs/posters/graphics, Bill Miller