By Jennifer Mustoe and Madeline McBeth
Come From Away, now playing at the Eccles in Salt Lake, is a show that combines hope, laughter, and joy with sorrow, horror, and despair, accompanied by some amazing vocals and a remarkable Bluegrass-type onstage band. Come From Away tells the story of the passengers that were re-routed after the 9/11 tragedy and American airspace was shut down. 7000 passengers from all over the world, unaware of what had happened, touched down at the little-used airport in Gander, Newfoundland in Canada, a town with 9000 citizens who rallied to help these castaways.
This is one of the first shows I’ve seen where there is no star. Come From Away is an ensemble piece where each actor plays multiple parts by putting on and taking off certain costume pieces and takes place on one set throughout the show. Scenic Design by Beowulf Borrit is interesting backdrops–a large wall with cells that can flip over to look like concrete, wood, and other materials. Tall Aspen tree trunks line the perimeter. And set pieces involve a table and all kinds of chairs, no one alike, that are moved to look like an office, a bus, an airplane, and other structures. That each chair is unique is meaningful, as this show highlights the uniqueness and often the initial separateness of each individual involved in this experience. Each actor has a few key roles and they flip from being passengers and Gander citizens, back and forth, but you’re never confused because they really become these characters, flip, flip, flip, in one second, by using accents (kudos to Dialect Coach Joel Goldes), mannerisms, and the relationships they have. For instance, Nick Dukart plays Kevin, a “freaking out” gay man involved with Kevin (Andrew Samonsky) (yes, both have the same name), and then flips to Ali, the Muslim chef who makes everyone afraid simply because he is a Muslim. Megan McGinnis, Harter Clingman, Becky Gulsvib, James Earl Jones II, Kevin Carolan, Chamblee Ferguson, Danielle K. Thomas, Julie Johnson, and Christine Toy Johnson all work together and I am surprised that I never once thought, what is going on here? I imagine the rehearsals with Director Christopher Ashley as each actor fleshes out the many varied characters they are called to play. Ashley gives this piece the tightness and balance required to keep the pace moving quickly, and a deftness that keeps the show believable and real.
Toni-Leslie James created costumes that work in a serviceable way that help us identify characters but bring color to the basic tones of the set. For instance, when Thomas and Jones play a couple from Africa, they don small costume pieces that have enough color and authenticity that we know they are from Africa, though both actors had been completely different characters the moment before. It also is helpful that the costume pieces that taken on and off and on again are able to be donned easily. No fussing and fooling around with tricky costume pieces.
Lighting Design by Howell Binkley plays a large role in Come From Away. When certain characters are telling their story, either spoken or in song, a spot highlights them, and this is necessary as the show moves so fast. There are happy moments and sad moments in the show, and the lighting aids in this perfectly. It is such an organic aspect of this show that you don’t really notice it if you’re not looking (but of course, we’d be looking at nothing without the lighting, so there’s that.) Sound Designer Gareth Owen brings beautiful sound to the large Eccles Theater without a blip.
There is no choreographer listed, so I assume it’s Musical Staging Kelly Devine‘s creations that bring so much movement to the stage. Remember, there are only a bunch of chairs used in different iterations to create a bus, an airplane, and so forth. But there is a lot going on in those possibly static sets. The passengers move as one as if going around a corner or stopping. Characters move individually to tell their story and define their individuality. The show moves, moves, moves. Even the band (listed below) hop onstage from time to time to add to the movement.
And the music–oh, the music! Show creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein have brought us fun tunes, sad tunes, lively tunes that make us want to dance, and very raw songs that make us cry. Orchestrations by August Ericksmoen, arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, and Music Coordinator David Lai usher in the most remarkable feast of music for us. And that band–oh my goodness! These players took Come From Away to great heights, an obvious and rather lame pun, but it’s totally true. Because I come from a family of musicians, I’m always fascinated by the show’s musical group and the Come From Away band is amazing.
- Cynthia Kortman Westphal–Conductor/Keyboard/Accordian/Harmonium
- Isaac Alderson–Whistles/Irish Flute/Uilleann Pipes
- Kiana June Weber–Fiddle
- Adam Stoler–Electric/Acoustic Guitars
- Matt Wong–Acoustic Guitar/Mandolins/Bouzouki
- Max Calkin–Electric/Acoustic Bass
- Ben Morrow–Drums/Percussion
- Cameron Moncur–Associate Music Director
Though it’s been 17 years since 9/11, it is still a difficult, heart-rending part of America’s history. The story of Come From Away addresses this tragedy, but it is truly remarkable what the people of Gander, pop 9000, did for these stranded people. Yes, there could have been a documentary about it, and maybe there is. But I am so grateful that the musical’s creators brought this to life in this form. So. Much. Love and giving and hope. So much compassion. So much depth, and pure kindness, and quirky upbeat personality. My first thought was, I want to go to Gander. (And who knows? Maybe I will.) But after that and ever since, I have just thought–let me be a better person. Let me have that kind of love and giving, with no promise of being repaid. Let me love, bring hope to others, be kind just because. Come From Away, playing at the Eccles, is a remarkable story about a remarkable experience in Newfoundland, but it is a lesson for us all.
Note: I would rate this just over PG-13 for a few uses of profanity, including the F word. There is no intermission, so go before you sit down, if you know what I mean. And because of the no intermission, I wouldn’t recommend this show for younger children, but maybe nine or up would love it.
Broadway at the Eccles Presents Come From Away, by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101
November 6-11, 2018, see here for times and ticket prices ($65+)
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There was a NBC documentary done on this event in Gander that was presented during the 2010 Winter Olympics. It follows a few of the story lines in the musical. You can find it on YouTube by searching for “operation yellow ribbon gander”.