Review: COME FROM AWAY at the Eccles Theater is Captivating

The first national tour of COME FROM AWAY brings an exceptionally special show to the Eccles Theater in a captivating, pitch-perfect production.

COME FROM AWAY (book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein) was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 2017. It tells the true stories of the citizens of Gander, Newfoundland and the "plane people" who landed in their town when their flights were grounded on September 11, 2001. The locals rallied together to provide food and shelter for their thousands of guests, with both sides finding connections and healing along the way.

Salt Lake City is only the second destination of the accoladed musical's national tour, which features a Broadway-quality ensemble cast. It's almost impossible to separate the tightly knit group for individual praise, as each thread works together to weave a tapestry of storytelling.

Becky Gulsvig as Beverley, Julie Johnson as Beulah, Andrew Samonsky (Phoebus in the original cast of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME) as Kevin T., Megan McGinnis (Jerusha in the original cast of DADDY LONG LEGS) as Bonnie all stand out in memorable moments, but so do essentially all members of the absolutely incredible cast.

The Tony-winning direction by Christopher Ashley is unique and compelling. On the surface the production seems deceptively simple, but it is much more than it initially seems with layers of scene work, movement, enthralling musical staging by Kelly Devine, and bold lighting design by Howell Binkley that perfectly complements Beowulf Boritt's appealing, versatile unit set.

There's a reason COME FROM AWAY became such a breakaway hit on Broadway. It strikes a chord due to its humanity, humor, and emotional connections. Salt Lake City is blessed to be one of the first cities to experience it.

COME FROM AWAY plays the Eccles Theater for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 11, 2018. For tickets, call ArtTix at 801-355-ARTS (2787) or visit www.artsaltlake.org.

Photo Credit: COME FROM AWAY cast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.