By John Lyle Belden

A balm for hard times, Carmel Community Players returns us to Gilead, Wis., with a new production of “The Spitfire Grill” at The Switch Theatre in Fishers.

Based on the 1996 film, this musical by old friends Fred Alley and James Valcq premiered Off-Broadway in 2001 and has seen many community stagings, including at Westfield in 2023. However, according to licensing agent Concord Theatricals, the show is “newly revised in 2024.” A quick Google didn’t yield details; it appears to us that any changes are subtle, as this is still an uplifting story of redemption – personal and community-wide – with a charm more genuine than the typical “Hallmark” movie romance.

Set around 1990, Percy (Breanna Helms), a young woman released on parole, arrives in this small forest town which she saw featured in an old travel magazine. Though peaceful and located on a trout stream, Gilead is dying as the nearby quarry closed, a major highway bypassed the town, and the celebrated foliage was diminished by logging. Sheriff Joe Sutter (Zach Hoover), the lone lawman and thus Percy’s parole officer, dreams of selling the plot of land he’ll inherit and taking the next bus out. Hannah Ferguson (Susan Boilek Smith) runs the Spitfire Grill, which she has had on the market for 14 years since her husband died.

The Grill is also the only boarding house, and job, for Percy, who takes on serving duties, then is cast almost literally “into the fire” with cooking when Hannah is injured in a fall. We also meet Hannah’s nephew Caleb Thorpe (John Whitaker), who was a foreman at the quarry and is not doing much better in local real estate; his wife, Shelby (Sarah Marone-Sowers), the one thing he feels control over, who he grudgingly allows to help Percy at the Grill; and Effy Krayneck (Christine Sanserino), proprietor of the local combination general store and Post Office, as well as voracious town gossip.

In addition, every night, Hannah leaves out a fresh loaf of bread for a mysterious visitor (Brandon Wentz).

The plot turns on a scheme, introduced by Percy and embraced by Shelby and Hannah, to give the Spitfire Grill to a worthy new owner in a mail-in raffle (Sheriff Joe sings that it’s legal, so don’t come at us with any contrary Wisconsin law). What this does for the town and its residents is fairly predictable, but really nice to watch play out – with only a couple of dramatic bumps on the way.

Under the expert direction of Kathleen Clarke Horrigan, Helms bravely tests the limits of her singing voice while perfectly portraying both Percy’s ex-con attitude and the tenderness she becomes comfortable to reveal. Hoover handsomely presents the Mayberry-esque demeanor appropriate to Sheriff Joe. Marone-Sowers gently portrays good-natured Shelby’s personal growth arc complementary to Percy’s. Whitaker keeps Caleb more stressed than sinister. Sanserino makes Effy a pill, but not entirely unlikable as she acts not out of spite, but her own odd way of striving to belong. Wentz’s mute role speaks volumes.

Smith, a steady stage veteran, is excellent as Hannah in all her maternal aspects. Considering she was Effy in the Westfield production makes an interesting contrast and tribute to her skill that she nailed both roles.

The simple stage set by Jonas Hildreth is enhanced by backstage projections designed by Cassidy Lane, adding atmosphere to the opening number and awe to Percy’s second-act number, “Shine.”

Behold CCP’s “colors of paradise” at The Switch Theatre in Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy, 10029 126^th Street, Fishers. Performances of “The Spitfire Grill” are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 5-8. Get tickets at carmelplayers.org.