On September 11, 2001 the world stopped. On September 12, their stories moved us all.
COME FROM AWAY is the breathtaking musical that reminds you of what good the human spirit is capable of. Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and directed by Christopher Ashley, this musical shines a lot on the best of what we are capable in the absolute worst of times.
In a heartbeat, 38 planes with 6,579 passengers were stranded in a remote town in Newfoundland on a devastating day in September 2001. The locals in Gander opened their hearts and homes to thousands of stranded strangers, spurring unexpected camaraderie in extraordinary circumstances.
Hein and Sarnoff are not Sondheim. The folksy songs in Come From Away are nearly all expository rather than revelatory (a key exception being the coming-of-age number 'Me And The Sky,' sung with perfect fervor by Jenn Colella as Beverley Bass, the first female captain of a commercial airline). The show, staged with kinetic enthusiasm by Christopher Ashley with Kelly Devine, positively reeks of integrity - positive being the operative word. In the company of 16, nearly all play multiple roles. The standouts, in addition to Colella, are Kendra Kassebaum as a novice reporter, Chad Kimball and Caesar Samayoa as boyfriends named Kevin, Rodney Hicks as a skeptic finally undone by generosity, and Astrid Van Wieren as a voice of reason. Come From Away eludes the jaded critic's arsenal of dismissive thrusts. It's necessary balm for this mean time.
Although the residual shock of 9/11 gives it a strong current of emotion, Come from Away's multiple narratives mostly have low stakes; it's essentially a show about a bunch of people inconvenienced at once. When it touches on weightier concerns-one passenger is the mother of a missing firefighter-it falters; it is better at celebrating less consequential things, like a rowdy evening of initiation at a local bar, where the visitors are urged to kiss a cod and try a local rum called screech. A band of eight plays the spirited, Celtic-accented score, heavy on fiddle and bodhran and flute. Under Christopher Ashley's fluid direction, the 12 versatile actors form a true ensemble cast, playing dozens of roles as both the Plane People and the plain people who welcome them to their rock...Despite minor stumbles of craft, Come from Away makes a persuasive case for the value of good intentions. For this kind of uplift you don't need planes.
| 2016 | Washington, DC (Regional) |
Ford's Theater Production Washington, DC (Regional) |
| 2017 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 2018 | Toronto |
Toronto Production Toronto |
| 2018 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
| 2021 | West End |
Original West End Production West End |
| 2023 | US Tour |
North American Tour US Tour |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Kelly Devine |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical | Toni-Leslie James |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Christopher Ashley |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Jenn Colella |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Come From Away |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | August Eriksmoen |
| 2017 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway of Off-Broadway Musical | Come From Away |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreographer | Kelly Devine |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Christopher Ashley |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Jenn Colella |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Come From Away |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Sound Design (Play or Musical) | Gareth Owen |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Kelly Devine |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Christopher Ashley |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Howell Binkley |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Howell Binkley |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Irene Sankoff |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Jenn Colella |
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