COME FROM AWAY To Attempt The World's Largest Screech-in July 6

To celebrate COME FROM AWAY's monumental run in Toronto, the company is having the World's Largest Screech-In - 1,000 people, all together at one time.

This will take place following the evening performance of COME FROM AWAY on Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Toronto's Elgin Theatre, and will involve the entire audience at the show that night.

The multi-award-winning Best Musical has become Canada's calling card to the world. Set in Gander, Newfoundland, and telling the story of the 7,000 stranded airline passengers that arrived at the town's airport after air space was closed on September 11, 2001, COME FROM AWAY is a smash-hit in Toronto (now its second year), Broadway (now in its third year), London (now in its first year) and on tour across North America (about to enter its second year). In July, it will have its Australian premiere in Melbourne on the other side of the planet.

What is a Screech-in?

When Newfoundlanders want to initiate non-Newfoundlanders (also known as "come from aways") into the island's gregarious culture, they perform a ceremony that includes many of the culture's unique rituals. These include downing a shot of screech (a high-alcohol Jamaican rum blended and bottled in Newfoundland), kissing a cod (the fish that has defined the island forever), and reciting a short speech full of local expressions in answer to a few questions ("Are ye a screecher?" or "Is you a Newfoundlander?," with the proper response being, "Yes b'y. Indeed I is, me olcock! And long may yer big jib draw!").

This very special screech-in will be officiated by Brian Mosher, who will travel from Gander for this event. Brian is now retired, but in 2001 he was a high-school media teacher and local broadcaster. The character 'Janice Mosher' in COME FROM AWAY is a composite of two real-life people, Brian Mother and Janice Goudy. Brian also has the distinction of being an expert in screech-ins, having done the honours for many of the cast members of the various COME FROM AWAY companies around the world.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy