TNT's 'Kitchen Witches' spoofs cooking shows

By Milan Paurich

In our increasingly food-centric culture where The Food Network and cable cooking competitions like “Top Chef” and “Hell’s Kitchen” are ratings powerhouses, mounting a play dedicated to the culinary arts like Caroline Smith’s “The Kitchen Witches” seems like a no-brainer.

“Witches” director Chris Fidram took time out from a busy rehearsal schedule to discuss his upcoming production at Trumbull New Theatre.

Q. “The Kitchen Witches” isn’t a particularly well-known play. How did you happen to choose it?

A. TNT’s selection committee was kind enough to ask me if I’d be interested in submitting a show for their current season. I looked online at a bunch of play titles, and the premise of “The Kitchen Witches” just jumped out at me. I submitted the idea to the committee, they read the script and loved it. They actually read the play before I did.

Q. What’s the show about?

A. Dolly Biddle and Isobel Lomax are local cable TV cooking chefs and arch rivals — a past indiscretion with someone’s husband resulted in their decades-long feud. Both ladies are currently down on their luck jobwise, so someone gets the brilliant idea of teaming them up as co-hosts of a new cooking show, “The Kitchen Witches.” It isn’t long before tensions boil over and old family secrets spill out on live TV.

Q. How would you describe the play? Farce, situation comedy; a dramedy perhaps?

A. “Kitchen Witches” is good old-fashioned slapstick comedy all the way, with a dash of farce and just a hint of drama thrown in for good measure. It’s sort of a “show within a show,” too. I’m not only directing, but I also play the director of the cable cooking show. Stage manager Ben Gavitt portrays the station’s cameraman and “go-to” guy, and the theater audience “plays” the cooking program’s live studio audience. That way they can see firsthand how differently the lady chefs behave towards each other on and off camera.

Q. Because the play is about a local cable cooking show, have you incorporated any Youngstown/Warren references into the production?

A. “Kitchen Witches” is actually a Canadian play, but script notes urge directors to localize the setting and include home-town references. (In our version, Dolly receives fan mail from Howland and Leetonia.) But most of the play remains untouched.

Q. Who have you cast as the “Witches”?

A. The Witches are played by Denise Sculli (Dolly) and Crystal Niemi (Isobel). I’ve worked with Denise before, but this is my first show with Crystal. Denise is a ball of energy, a very physical actress who’s game for anything. Although Crystal is a classically trained opera singer who hasn’t done a lot of straight theater, she brings a wonderful range of emotions to Isobel. Her technique is very organic, and I’m surprised she hasn’t done more dramatic work. Crystal may have a great singing voice, but I think she has a true actor’s soul as well. Clyde Holmes and Art Smallsreed play the Witches’ assistants.

Q. What type of special challenges does a piece like “Kitchen Witches” present to your actors?

A. The lead actresses must prepare food onstage — and before the audience — in a two- minute, “Iron Chef”-style challenge. At present, the actresses haven’t quite mastered this concept (laughs). Originally we’d planned to only make it look like the food was being prepared while keeping the real dishes tucked away behind the counter. But we all agreed it would be a lot more exciting to watch the ladies frantically attempt the challenge without a safety net. So if ingredients splatter or cooking utensils hit the floor, all the better. It’ll probably be more fun to watch the chefs crash and burn anyway.