Come From Away is the musical we need right now. As political tensions mount, we need to remember the kindness shown by our neighbor Canada during a most critical time for our United States. Director Rick Bumgardner tells us the “spine” of this show is the word “Goodwill.” We would do well to remember the lessons of 9/11, as well as the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Come From Away based on an idea by Michael Rubinoff, a Toronto lawyer, producer, and professor. Sankoff and Hein traveled to Gander to interview the residents of the Canadian town in Newfoundland that hosted diverted planes after the US closed their airspace after the 9/11 attacks.. The musical was originally developed in 2013, at the Canadian Music Theatre Project in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and was further workshopped in the US at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists in East Haddam, CT. After the workshops, Come From Away was co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, in 2016 in Washington DC at Ford’s Theatre, and then in the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. The musical finally landed on Broadway in 2017 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre until March 2020, when COVID-19 forced a Broadway lockdown. At the 71st Tony Awards, Come From Away was nominated for seven Tonys, and won one for Best Direction for Christopher Ashley.
It’s the morning of September 11, 2001, and the twin towers of the World Trade Center are hit by hijacked passenger airliners, a horrific incident sparking a lockdown of the airspace in the United States. I’m sure you remember what you were doing when this tragic incident occurred. The people of Gander certainly remember. Gander, a tiny town with the only airport on the island of Newfoundland in Canada, finds itself a host to 38 planes, after inbound US flights are diverted to Gander International Airport. The islanders now have to tend to 7,000 stranded “plane people.” The stories that emerge from this incident range from hilarious to heartbreaking.
Roxy’s production of Come From Away is a beautiful story beautifully told. This 100 minute one act musical has no intermission, and rightfully so. There is so much action jam-packed into this 100 minutes that you become thoroughly absorbed in the stories and never notice how quickly time has passes. I barely touched my drink, I could not take my eyes off the stage. From the strong opening, Welcome to the Rock, to the Finale, this fine ensemble delivers a strong performance that moves you to both laughter and tears.
Director Rick Bumgardner keeps the pace brisk, but speed does not sacrifice depth. Instead, we have a gorgeous multitude of well rounded characters with myriad accents. There are 12 actors in all, with 11 actors playing at least 3 separate roles, and the 12th actor playing EIGHT roles, and they all can turn on a dime! Simon Hill’s musical direction is outstanding, creating a well blended ensemble out of the very individual voices in this group. Hill’s six piece orchestra in the Sky Pit navigated the Irish-tinged score with ease, keeping the proceedings on track. Sound Designer Jason Huffman made sure the music and the orchestra and the voices were crystal clear and could be heard throughout this complicated piece. Choreographer Courtney Wages’ marvelous staging is smart and inventive, and keeps everyone moving in a fast paced game of musical chairs. Set Designer J Branson has kept the setting simple and rustic, with the feel of an up north barn of wood and rusted tin, to accommodate the complex onstage maneuvers. The stage is well lit by Jamison Rhoads, and there are some neat surprises, like the strip lights in the back of the stage that resemble runway lights. Chadwick Armstrong’s costumes are usually gorgeous, brilliant creations, with glittering details and sumptuous fabrics. This time he outdoes himself by pulling all his costumes from Goodwill, and is asked to choose one key piece of clothing for each actor to nail all the archetypes in this show. He absolutely understood this assignment, as his costume choices help us understand and recognize the multitude of unique characters. Finally, Louise Brinegar’s prop choices help us recognize instantly the characters and situations.
The actors were tasked with representing both the Islanders and the Plane People. In the introduction Welcome to the Rock, we get introduced to the Islanders first, and get our expository information. Beulah, the head of the Gander Legion, with a firefighter son, played by Jenny Mitchell, learns of the diverted planes, and works with Gander’s Mayor, Claude, played by David Raehpour, to prepare for hosting the Plane People. Rachel Downs plays Bonnie, Head of the Gander SPCA, gets busy taking care of the animals on the planes. No one asked her to do it, she just took it upon herself. Paul Knapp plays Oz, the constable on the Gander police force. Paul is the guy who plays EIGHT roles, and does a splendid job! Paul also portrays the the leader of the HOT Cardiologists, who volunteer for a less than savory duty.
London Holliday portrays the earnest but inexperienced local TV reporter, Janice, whose first assignment is covering the 9/11 disaster. MJ Harper plays 2 roles. We first meet Harper’s giddy Islander Annette, who falls for the SEXY Pilot, played by Nicholas Perry. Then we meet the totally serious, by the book Beverly, a no nonsense woman who is the first female captain for American Airlines. Harper sings Me And The Sky, at first confident, sharing the joys of her career, eventually sliding into terror as she realizes what the future of flight may hold.
Kennedy Staiger plays the wide eyed and glowing Diane, a Texas divorcee who falls into a quick relationship with fellow plane mate, Nick, a buttoned down English oil engineer, played skillfully by Nick Albrecht. This odd couple’s relationship intensifies, culminating in a cliffside walk where they sing Stop The World, knowing they might not see each other again.
Shaun-Michael Morse portrays Kevin T, the amiable head of an environmental energy company in LA. He’s on vacation with Kevin J, his carefree boyfriend and secretary, played by Nathaniel Lee. While Kevin T is interested in taking in and living in the moment, we watch Kevin J quietly but gradually reassess his entire life, which is what many did after 9/11. When faced with death, people chose to live a more authentic life.
Nicholas Perry plays Bob, a jaded New Yorker who doesn’t trust the Islanders one iota, but softens after he experiences the islanders’ kindness. Nicholas also plays Ali, the Middle Easterner who is primarily ostracized from each group, and endures humiliation due to the growing distrust of his ethnic group after the the 9/11 attackers are found to be Arabs.
Rounding out the cast is Vonda Schuster, who plays the Irish American mom Hannah with great tenderness and care. Hannah’s son is a firefighter in Manhattan, and she waits anxiously to find out if he survived the Twin Tower attacks.
There are a combination of incredibly moving and incredibly laugh out loud scenes. The song Prayer shows the complexity religion plays in a communal tragedy, and is juxtaposed with the most rambunctious On The Edge, where the Islanders invite the plane people for a night of drinking at the Legion. This includes a variety of activities including the enduring the Ugly Stick, Karaoke, and an invitation to become an honorary Newfoundlander.
The plane people have spent a total of 5 days in Gander, and finally the government of the US allows the planes to return home. The plane people thank the islanders. The Islanders say “You would have done the same.” Would we?
The Finale is a raucous, joyous ending for this fast moving show, and the audience lept to their feet at its conclusion. The work this ensemble does is worth more that the price of admission. They are absolutely astounding. Get tickets for this show now or regret it forever.
Don’t forget there is food available at the venue. Check the website for food options. Since the sponsor for the show is Goodwill, Roxy’s is taking donations at the door.
Come From Away runs until September 26th. Tickets are available through www.roxysdowntown.com The show runs weekly, Thursday through Saturday. Matinees are at 2pm, and evening performances are at 7:30pm. Roxy’s Downtown is located at 412 1/2 E. Douglas Ave., (316) 265-4400.
What’s up next for Roxy’s? The Woman in Black, which runs October 9 - November 7, 2026. Visit Roxy’s website for tickets.
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