Every time I see the 2017 Tony-nominated* musical
Come From Away, I love it even more. I saw it for the 5th time last night, and its themes affected me even more deeply now in this time we're living in. A time when the ideals that many of us hold dear - compassion, empathy, kindness, equality, justice - are being attacked, ideals that are so beautifully expressed in this one-of-a-kind musical. As I wrote when the tour came through the Ordway last summer,
Come From Away is "the perfect marriage of music, text, and performance, brilliantly constructed into 100 solid minutes of constant storytelling, flowing from music to dialogue and back again, with only two applause breaks to break the spell. And the story it tells is remarkable: the heart-warming true story of how the people of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 7000 strangers when their planes were diverted there on 9/11. Canadian married couple Irene Sankoff and David Hein (
and producer Michael Rubinoff) have woven the true stories from dozens of people who were there, gathered at the 10th anniversary in Gander. Now, past the 20th anniversary of the unfathomably horrific events of that day, and the extraordinary actions of ordinary humans in its wake, this musical continues to be necessary. It reminds us that despite what we see on the news every day, the human capacity for good knows no bounds, if only we could remember that we all have the same wants and needs, and helping each other is the only way through." These words that I wrote nine eventful months ago strike an even deeper chord now. If you need to be reminded of the good in humanity, do not miss
Come From Away,
which is only here through Saturday! Keep reading for
my review of last year's tour, with a few updates.
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| photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade |
Come From Away is a documusical that tells many true stories (or amalgamations thereof): the inspiring story of American Airlines' first female captain, a woman with a NYC firefighter son she can't get ahold of, a Middle Eastern man unfairly profiled, an SPCA worker determined to get inside the stalled planes and care for the animals on board, a couple finding love, and a couple breaking up. All of them are such beautiful and truly human stories, that everyone can find something to relate to. The musical takes us through those five short days that changed the people of Gander, and the world. From a typical routine Tuesday morning filled with the busyness of everyday life, to hearing the unfathomable news on the radio, to the sudden appearance of 38 planes in an airport that usually sees half a dozen in a day, to the mass donations and volunteering to provide food, shelter, and necessities for 7000 strangers (almost matching the population of Gander), to the planes finally being cleared to leave on Saturday, and finally to the after effects of the experience on those who left and those left behind. The creators did was not fall into the usual musical structure of dialogue-song-applause-repeat, rather constructing it as continuous storytelling that flows seamlessly from dialogue to songs and back again. The show is only 100 minutes (no intermission), but it feels like we've been on an epic and emotional journey.
Twelve performers play all of the characters in the story; each has sort of a main character with a throughline story, but they also all play passengers and/or residents of Gander. This is a true ensemble piece, with complex overlapping stories, and constant motion on stage, and this touring cast is fantastic, making the cast feel larger than it is with their quick changes of costume pieces and accents. Another thing to love about this show is that the cast is refreshingly diverse in age and body type; meaning they look like real people, and are all the more beautiful for it. It's really impossible to call out highlights in the cast because every one is fantastic, but the closest thing this show has to a starring role is Beverley, the pilot (which earned Jenn Colella a Tony nomination). New to the role in this tour is Kaitlyn Jackson, and she's fantastic in this inspirational role, her rendition of "Me and the Sky" truly moving. Also great in multiple roles are returning cast-members Kathleen Cameron as Bonnie from the SPCA, Erich Schroeder as the town cop (STFD!), Andrew Hendrick as the mayor, and Kristin Litzenberg as lead volunteer Beulah, joined since last year by John Anker Bow and Tyler Olshansky-Bailon as the couple falling in love, Ryaan Farhadi and Richard Chaz Gomez as the Kevins falling out of love, Jordan Hayakawa as the local reporter on her first day, Hannah-Kathryn Wall as the firefighter's mother, and Andre Williams as the city dweller whose fear of the rural area turns to love and comfort.
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| photos by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade |
The story is simply staged, with one set dominated by giant tree trunks on either side of the stage, reminding us of the rural wooded location of Gander. A door in the wood-planked back wall opens occasionally, but otherwise all of the action takes place around a few tables and a dozen chairs smoothly moved around to form planes, buses, meeting rooms, diners, or any number of locations, with just a touch of imagination added. The show features beautiful and subtle choreography, or chairography, not just the movements of the actual chairs in their placement on stage, but also the movements of the cast while seated. Every element of production is so thoughtful and finely honed to tell this story in the best and most efficient way (scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, musical staging by Kelly Devine, and Tony award-winning direction by Christopher Ashley).
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the best band in musical theater!
(photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade) |
The
Come From Away band is the best band in musical theater. Maybe it's because I love the Irish and folky sound of this group of musicians, but truly, they are such an important part of this show. The eight-person band (conducted by Sarah Pool Wilhelm on keyboard, accordion, etc.) is onstage for the entire show, mostly in the shadows of the trees, but coming out to center stage for the super fun pub scene. These multi-instrumentalists play traditional instruments like Irish flute, bouzouki, and bodhran, giving the score a sound that's authentic to the heritage of the region, and also really fun to listen to. After the curtain call, the band comes out to center stage for a proper session, and it's a joyous cathartic release after the heavy emotions of the story.
The events of 9/11, now unbelievably more than 20 years ago, changed all of us. The experiences of the residents and passengers in Gander show us a microcosm of what the world experienced. The grief and sorrow, the shock and uncertainty, but most importantly, the community spirit and feeling of togetherness that followed that awful day. It's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to bring us together and remind us of our shared humanity, but Come From Away is a gift that reminds us that we are all islanders, we are all one. It's infuriating to think that benefits for 9/11 survivors and first responders are being threatened by cuts in federal funding by this administration, when they should be celebrated as heroes and taken care of in whatever way they need. And that our Canadian neighbors, who accepted so many planes diverted from landing in the U.S. that day, literally taking thousands of strangers (many of them Americans) into their homes, feeding and clothing them, are now being treated as enemies. Come From Away shows us that we cannot survive on our own, we need our neighbors and allies to step up and help us when tragedy strikes, as we would do the same for them. Maybe that's why I needed four tissues this time, because the love and connection in this story is so beautiful, and feels so far away right now.
