The National Tour of COME FROM AWAY
It is so fun to go see shows that you already know you are going to love before entering the theatre. It's even better when the show exceeds your expectations and winds up being one of the best shows that you have seen. That is the experience I had when I saw the national tour of the hit Broadway musical, Come From Away. I have loved the show's cast album ever since it came out in 2017 and have been a huge fan of the show ever since. When I heard that I was going to be in the same area as the touring production of the show, I knew that I could not miss the show while I was there. So, off I went with my aunts and one of my cousins to see the show at the Connor Palace Theatre, which is a part of Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. The show went above and beyond what I thought it was going to be. I was so amazed by the heart of the story, the staging, the choreography, and the design of the entire show. It is absolutely one of the best shows that I have ever seen.
When thirty eight planes are grounded in Gander, Newfoundland (Newfoundland is an island that is a part of Canada) on September 11, 2001, the small town with a population of around 7,000 people takes on 7,000 more people who were on the grounded planes, while the United States Airspace was closed for several days. The people of Gander convert schools, churches, among other public spaces to shelters. They even opened up their homes to the "plane people," who they did not know. Both the citizens of Gander and the people who were stranded there formed lifelong friendships, relationships, and proved to everyone that the world is full of wonderful things.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein wrote the show and they did a more than exceptional job. Come From Away is one of the most moving and poignant shows that I have ever seen. Although the show takes place in Canada, the show is a love letter to the United States of Ameirca, in addition to also loving Canada. There are so many touching moments in this show, some of which brought me to tears. The score is phenomenal, filled with many Newfoundlander sounds, each one presented very well through August Eriksmoen's lively orchestrations. Each number is completely thrilling and catchy. There are many highlights, but a very notable one to me is "Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere," which is where I think the very heart of the show lies. That number made me cry. The book is simply stunning. The way that the story is presented in the writing is enthralling. Watching these people open their hearts and their homes to these people that they do not know gave me so much faith in humanity and reminded me of how much good there is everywhere.
Christopher Ashley's direction of this show, combined with Kelly Devine's choreography (it's called "Musical Staging" in the Playbill, but it's choreography) is what I would call pure genius. Ashley's staging is incredibly engaging and I found it more than pleasurable too look at. The lighting design (by Howell Binkley), the use of a turntable, chairs, and props, truly brought Gander to life on a unit set. The show is not what everyone would call a big musical, due to the physical production, but Ashley makes it feel so big and there is so much energy and life in the work that is being done onstage, by both the actors and every single member of the creative team. The cast consists of twelve actors, all of whom take on multiple roles throughout the story. Even though all of the actors looked more or less the same throughout the show, their performances, combined with the way that Ashley staged and directed the show, made it feel as if each actor was a totally different person in every single role that they played.
Kelly Devine's work on the show is beyond superb. The way she had the cast moving while they were on the plane was captivating. There was no physical plane in sight, but I felt as if they were on a plane, thanks in part to how they were moving. Each dance number was choreographed so impeccably. This show has some of the smartest choreography that I have ever seen in a musical. I was entranced by every single move each actor made. Devine's work on the show was swift and eye popping in every single way. There aren't very many shows where the choreography is as brilliant or spectacular in the same way that it is in Come From Away. I want to write so much more about the choreography, but I don't have much else to say about it other than that it was insanely magnificent.
The touring company for Come From Away was completely remarkable. Each member of the cast stood out in their own ways and I loved the performances of each and every single person on that stage. Kevin Carolan delivers the very first line in the show, as the mayor of Gander, Claude. Throughout the show, Carolan plays a plethora of roles, all of which he completely stands out in, but you've got to have a soft spot for his warm portrayal of Claude, especially as he invites the "come from aways" to become honorary Newfoundlanders. Harter Klingman is delightful in the role of Oz, who is a police officer in Gander, as is Emily Walton, who plays the role of Janice, a reporter in Gander. James Earl Jones II also made quite the impression as Bob, delivering one of the funniest comedic bits in the show and also one of the most heartwarming.
Megan McGinnis was quite lovable as Bonnie, an animal lover in Gander. Christine Toy Johnson played Diane, a woman from Dallas, Texas, who befriends the charismatic Chamblee Ferguson, who plays Nick. Johnson and Ferguson played alongside each other very well and everything they did was excellent and they held their own against their ten other talented cast mates. Andrew Samonsky has a beautiful voice as Kevin T. Samonsky sings a song that is called "Prayer" and his rich, warm, and gorgeous voice made the number one of the most beautifully performed songs in the show. Although I loved everyone in the cast equally, the cast members that I named in this paragraph are the ones who immediately come to mind when I am thinking about who I just ADORED in this show.
Julie Johnson plays Beulah, a local woman who befriends a woman named Hannah (Danielle K. Thomas), who is attempting to get in touch with her son, who is a firefighter in New York City. Johnson is a delight as Beulah and the chemistry that she shares with Thomas is sheer sweetness and perfection. Thomas has an incredible singing voice. Her number, "I Am Here," and her other scenes in the show broke the hearts of each member of the audience. Another very memorable part of the show is Nick Duckart who in addition to many other roles, plays the role of Ali, who is a middle eastern man who was one of the people who was stranded in Gander on September 11. Duckart's performance is layered and he plays the role with such realism and he delivers one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the show with such emotional disparity. The show deals with the reality that middle eastern people are automatically stereotyped and labeled as "terrorists," despite their complete innocence. Duckart's performance (and the show) realistically displays how these harmful stereotypes and labels hurt people in the days following the attacks on September 11 and continue to hurt people to this very day.
I would be completely remiss if I did not make note of Becky Gulsvig, who plays the role of Beverley Bass, who was the pilot on one of the planes that was grounded in Newfoundland, and coincidentally, the first female captain of an American Airlines aircraft. Gulsvig stops the show late into the evening with the big number, "Me and the Sky," where in she recounts her history working with planes and how her work has connected her to each aspect of her life. Gulsvig stops the show with the number, which I think is the girl power anthem that everyone needs and deserves. She also plays the role of Annette, a man crazy citizen of Gander. Once again, the entire touring company of Come From Away is brilliant. I think that if every single company of this show is even half as good as this one was, then you are going to be in for one of the best theatrical nights of your life.
Beowulf Borritt's scenic design for the show was minimal, but it is utilized flawlessly. There is a scene in the show where Bonnie enters an airplane's cargo area and even though the set does not change during the show, it really did feel as if there was an airplane onstage and that she had just gone inside of its cargo. Every now and then, stars would appear on the set and they were such a lovely touch to the scenic design. Howell Binkley's lighting design complements the scenic design wonderfully and there were even moments in the lighting design that took my breath away. I truthfully cannot think of a bad thing to say about this show. The entire show is completely top notch.
Every single aspect of Come From Away was simply marvelous. It is one of the most profound and moving shows that I have ever seen. The show may surround the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but the show is completely uplifting, while still honoring what was lost on that terrible day. The story is awe inspiring and I can truly say that it is one of the best shows that I have ever seen. Every single moment of the show is exhilarating. I would say that this is a must see show. Most of the audience at the performance that I attended would likely agree, as I have never seen an audience leap to their feet faster than they did when I saw the touring production of Come From Away. Go see this show. Go buy the album. Just support this show. It is a HIT.
COME FROM AWAY
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
For more information on COME FROM AWAY, please visit https://comefromaway.com/
At the time I saw the show, the cast of the national tour of COME FROM AWAY consisted of:
Claude and others- KEVIN CAROLAN
Oz and others- HARTER CLINGMAN
Kevin J./Ali and others- NICK DUCKART
Nick/Doug and others- CHAMBLEE FERGUSON
Beverley/Annette- BECKY GULSVIG
Beulah and others- JULIE JOHNSON
Diane and others- CHRISTINE TOY JOHNSON
Bob and others- JAMES EARL JONES II
Bonnie and others- MEGAN McGINNIS
Kevin T/Garth and others- ANDREW SAMONSKY
Hannah and others- DANIELLE K. THOMAS
Janice and others- EMILY WALTON
Standbys- MARIKA AUBREY, JANE BUNTING, MICHAEL BRIAN DUNN, JULIE GARNYE, ADAM HALPIN, and AARON MICHAEL RAY
Performance Reviewed: July 14, 2019 (1:00 P.M.)
When thirty eight planes are grounded in Gander, Newfoundland (Newfoundland is an island that is a part of Canada) on September 11, 2001, the small town with a population of around 7,000 people takes on 7,000 more people who were on the grounded planes, while the United States Airspace was closed for several days. The people of Gander convert schools, churches, among other public spaces to shelters. They even opened up their homes to the "plane people," who they did not know. Both the citizens of Gander and the people who were stranded there formed lifelong friendships, relationships, and proved to everyone that the world is full of wonderful things.
 |
| The touring company of Come From Away. Photo by Matthew Murphy. |
Irene Sankoff and David Hein wrote the show and they did a more than exceptional job. Come From Away is one of the most moving and poignant shows that I have ever seen. Although the show takes place in Canada, the show is a love letter to the United States of Ameirca, in addition to also loving Canada. There are so many touching moments in this show, some of which brought me to tears. The score is phenomenal, filled with many Newfoundlander sounds, each one presented very well through August Eriksmoen's lively orchestrations. Each number is completely thrilling and catchy. There are many highlights, but a very notable one to me is "Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere," which is where I think the very heart of the show lies. That number made me cry. The book is simply stunning. The way that the story is presented in the writing is enthralling. Watching these people open their hearts and their homes to these people that they do not know gave me so much faith in humanity and reminded me of how much good there is everywhere.
Christopher Ashley's direction of this show, combined with Kelly Devine's choreography (it's called "Musical Staging" in the Playbill, but it's choreography) is what I would call pure genius. Ashley's staging is incredibly engaging and I found it more than pleasurable too look at. The lighting design (by Howell Binkley), the use of a turntable, chairs, and props, truly brought Gander to life on a unit set. The show is not what everyone would call a big musical, due to the physical production, but Ashley makes it feel so big and there is so much energy and life in the work that is being done onstage, by both the actors and every single member of the creative team. The cast consists of twelve actors, all of whom take on multiple roles throughout the story. Even though all of the actors looked more or less the same throughout the show, their performances, combined with the way that Ashley staged and directed the show, made it feel as if each actor was a totally different person in every single role that they played.
 |
| The touring company of Come From Away with Christine Toy Johnson, James Earl Jones II, Harter Clingman front and center. Photo by Matthew Murphy |
Kelly Devine's work on the show is beyond superb. The way she had the cast moving while they were on the plane was captivating. There was no physical plane in sight, but I felt as if they were on a plane, thanks in part to how they were moving. Each dance number was choreographed so impeccably. This show has some of the smartest choreography that I have ever seen in a musical. I was entranced by every single move each actor made. Devine's work on the show was swift and eye popping in every single way. There aren't very many shows where the choreography is as brilliant or spectacular in the same way that it is in Come From Away. I want to write so much more about the choreography, but I don't have much else to say about it other than that it was insanely magnificent.
The touring company for Come From Away was completely remarkable. Each member of the cast stood out in their own ways and I loved the performances of each and every single person on that stage. Kevin Carolan delivers the very first line in the show, as the mayor of Gander, Claude. Throughout the show, Carolan plays a plethora of roles, all of which he completely stands out in, but you've got to have a soft spot for his warm portrayal of Claude, especially as he invites the "come from aways" to become honorary Newfoundlanders. Harter Klingman is delightful in the role of Oz, who is a police officer in Gander, as is Emily Walton, who plays the role of Janice, a reporter in Gander. James Earl Jones II also made quite the impression as Bob, delivering one of the funniest comedic bits in the show and also one of the most heartwarming.
Megan McGinnis was quite lovable as Bonnie, an animal lover in Gander. Christine Toy Johnson played Diane, a woman from Dallas, Texas, who befriends the charismatic Chamblee Ferguson, who plays Nick. Johnson and Ferguson played alongside each other very well and everything they did was excellent and they held their own against their ten other talented cast mates. Andrew Samonsky has a beautiful voice as Kevin T. Samonsky sings a song that is called "Prayer" and his rich, warm, and gorgeous voice made the number one of the most beautifully performed songs in the show. Although I loved everyone in the cast equally, the cast members that I named in this paragraph are the ones who immediately come to mind when I am thinking about who I just ADORED in this show.
 |
| The national touring company of Come From Away. Photo by Matthew Murphy |
Julie Johnson plays Beulah, a local woman who befriends a woman named Hannah (Danielle K. Thomas), who is attempting to get in touch with her son, who is a firefighter in New York City. Johnson is a delight as Beulah and the chemistry that she shares with Thomas is sheer sweetness and perfection. Thomas has an incredible singing voice. Her number, "I Am Here," and her other scenes in the show broke the hearts of each member of the audience. Another very memorable part of the show is Nick Duckart who in addition to many other roles, plays the role of Ali, who is a middle eastern man who was one of the people who was stranded in Gander on September 11. Duckart's performance is layered and he plays the role with such realism and he delivers one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the show with such emotional disparity. The show deals with the reality that middle eastern people are automatically stereotyped and labeled as "terrorists," despite their complete innocence. Duckart's performance (and the show) realistically displays how these harmful stereotypes and labels hurt people in the days following the attacks on September 11 and continue to hurt people to this very day.
I would be completely remiss if I did not make note of Becky Gulsvig, who plays the role of Beverley Bass, who was the pilot on one of the planes that was grounded in Newfoundland, and coincidentally, the first female captain of an American Airlines aircraft. Gulsvig stops the show late into the evening with the big number, "Me and the Sky," where in she recounts her history working with planes and how her work has connected her to each aspect of her life. Gulsvig stops the show with the number, which I think is the girl power anthem that everyone needs and deserves. She also plays the role of Annette, a man crazy citizen of Gander. Once again, the entire touring company of Come From Away is brilliant. I think that if every single company of this show is even half as good as this one was, then you are going to be in for one of the best theatrical nights of your life.
 |
| The national touring company of Come From Away. Photo by Matthew Murphy |
Beowulf Borritt's scenic design for the show was minimal, but it is utilized flawlessly. There is a scene in the show where Bonnie enters an airplane's cargo area and even though the set does not change during the show, it really did feel as if there was an airplane onstage and that she had just gone inside of its cargo. Every now and then, stars would appear on the set and they were such a lovely touch to the scenic design. Howell Binkley's lighting design complements the scenic design wonderfully and there were even moments in the lighting design that took my breath away. I truthfully cannot think of a bad thing to say about this show. The entire show is completely top notch.
Every single aspect of Come From Away was simply marvelous. It is one of the most profound and moving shows that I have ever seen. The show may surround the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but the show is completely uplifting, while still honoring what was lost on that terrible day. The story is awe inspiring and I can truly say that it is one of the best shows that I have ever seen. Every single moment of the show is exhilarating. I would say that this is a must see show. Most of the audience at the performance that I attended would likely agree, as I have never seen an audience leap to their feet faster than they did when I saw the touring production of Come From Away. Go see this show. Go buy the album. Just support this show. It is a HIT.
 |
COME FROM AWAY
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
For more information on COME FROM AWAY, please visit https://comefromaway.com/
At the time I saw the show, the cast of the national tour of COME FROM AWAY consisted of:
Claude and others- KEVIN CAROLAN
Oz and others- HARTER CLINGMAN
Kevin J./Ali and others- NICK DUCKART
Nick/Doug and others- CHAMBLEE FERGUSON
Beverley/Annette- BECKY GULSVIG
Beulah and others- JULIE JOHNSON
Diane and others- CHRISTINE TOY JOHNSON
Bob and others- JAMES EARL JONES II
Bonnie and others- MEGAN McGINNIS
Kevin T/Garth and others- ANDREW SAMONSKY
Hannah and others- DANIELLE K. THOMAS
Janice and others- EMILY WALTON
Standbys- MARIKA AUBREY, JANE BUNTING, MICHAEL BRIAN DUNN, JULIE GARNYE, ADAM HALPIN, and AARON MICHAEL RAY
Performance Reviewed: July 14, 2019 (1:00 P.M.)
Comments
Post a Comment