Come From Away. Book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Directed and choreographed by Richard J. Hinds. Music Direction by Sam Groisser. Scenic Design by Nate Bertone. Lighting Design by Richard Latta. Costume Design by Michelle J. Li. Sound Design by Kevin Heard. Wig/Hair & Make-Up Design by Emilia Martin. Presented by Ogunquit Playhouse, Maine, through June 14, 2025.
By Linda Chin
The award-winning musical Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of the tiny town of Gander (population 9,000) in Newfoundland, Canada – approximately 1,500 miles from NYC – that garnered global attention nearly 25 years ago. In 2001, the isolated community played host to nearly 7000 ‘come from aways’ (what Newfoundlanders called non-locals) on 38 international flights that were diverted there when the skies over the United States were shut down on September 11.
Director and Choreographer Richard J. Hinds, who was the associate director for the Broadway and West End productions, has gathered a diverse and versatile cast of twelve actors who each portray multiple characters, including townspeople who opened their doors, hearts (and bars) with open arms, to the “plane people” (what the locals called the stranded passengers and crew). The plane people have diverse identities, including a Muslim passenger Ali (John El-Jor), whose presence causes tension in the group, and a young Black man from NYC, Bob (Isaiah Bailey), who’s been conditioned to be wary of suspicion or discrimination because of the color of his skin. Being thrown together in the throes of an unusual circumstance can put stress on, or illuminate differences between romantic partners – a gay couple from California both named Kevin (El-Jor as Kevin G. and his partner Kyle Nicholas Anderson as Kevin T.) grow distant and drift apart during their stay in Gander, but Diane (Liz Pearce), a housewife from Texas and nervous, never-married British businessman Nick (Kent M. Lewis) try donated clothes and new identities on for size and end up falling for each other.
Come From Away also tells the stories of several strong female characters whose resilience is inspiring, and in the Ogunquit Playhouse production are played by Broadway/off-Broadway veterans: Beulah, head of Gander Academy (a buoyant Joy Hermalyn), takes charge of coordinating logistics for the mass relief effort, including food, clothing, and places to sleep, and securing adequate supplies of diapers and feminine products. She befriends Hannah (Danya Jarae Dantzler), the mom of a firefighter stationed at Rescue 2 near the World Trade Center, who is desperate to reach her son. Dantzler’s heartfelt and riveting rendition of “I Am Here,” in which she laments the fact that she is stuck very far away and can’t check the hospitals, post signs, or support the search effort to locate him, is the show’s only solo number and is a showstopper. One of the most notable characters is Captain Beverly Bass, a pilot of one of the grounded planes and the first female captain for American Airlines. Mary Kate Morrissey’s portrayal of Beverley is pitch-perfect, and she (and the Company) sing “Me and the Sky” – about her desire to fly since she was a young girl, and the barriers she had to overcome to achieve her goals – like a dream.
The show also includes some lighter moments. Morrissey also plays Annette, a schoolteacher who fantasizes about some of the plane people. Janice (Hashini Amarasinghe) plays the new TV reporter in town, and morphs into an employee at one of the town’s big box stores without missing a beat, greeting the come-from-aways who’ve descended on the town and practically doubled its population, with “Welcome to Walmart. Do you want to come to my house and take a shower?” SPCA worker Bonnie (Erica Spyres) and police constable Oz Fudge (Ben Roseberry) tend to the town’s residents and come-from-aways (human and animal) with a blend of seriousness and humor. Mayor Claude (David Benoit) holds court every morning in the town’s donut shop, Tim Horton’s, and in one of the show’s most entertaining (and educational) scenes – leads several come-from-aways through the symbolic gesture of becoming an honorary Newfoundlander by kissing a cod.
Newfoundland is known for its cultural vitality, vibrant music scene, and Ogunquit Playhouse’s Come From Away is imbued with a distinct sound. In the six-musician band, music director Sam Groisser plays keys and accordion, associate music director Jarred Lee plays fiddle and keyboard, and the other band members play whistles/Irish Flute/Uilleann Pipes, Bouzouki, Fretless Bass and Bodhran, reflecting a blend of Celtic, European, Indigenous, and seafaring traditions. Notably, each of the twelve cast members is an actor-musician who plays one or more musical instruments on stage, expressing emotions through music as part of their character’s persona.
Musical theater is a collaborative art form, and no theater maker is an island. The village that it took to craft Come From Away includes scenic, lighting, costume, sound, wig/hair and make up designers. I am familiar with costume designer Michelle J. Li’s artistry (Broadway’s Job) and her thoughtful attention to supporting the time, place, and storytelling – as well as the storytellers’ quick costume changes is evident here. Scenic, lighting, and sound designers Nate Bertone, Richard Latta, and Kevin Heard’s appreciation for this story and love of (and familiarity with) Ogunquit Playhouse shows in the excellent execution of every cubic inch, choice, and cue.
OP prides itself on its original productions and interpretations of beloved Broadway shows. Whereas set designer Beowulf Britt (one of my heroes) took a minimalist (and green design) approach, with real trees, chairs and tables, and lighting to depict wide-open skies, that is iconic and impactful, Nate Bertone’s brilliant set design is hardly bare. The Playhouse stage is literally packed with hundreds of suitcases, of different sizes and vintages, from floor to ceiling, the walls are lined with signs (Tim Horton’s, Gander), and have window-sized cut-outs – that change from a school bulletin board to glimpses of blue, slightly cloudy skies. Panels on the stage’s back wall slide open to reveal the band. A platformed structure with wheels (like mobile boarding stairs) is used by the performers, and connects the ground and upper-level playing areas.
I had but a few quibbles with this production. In the show’s 100 minutes, there was a lot of emphasis on alcohol – understandable given the cultural context, but I (and my sober plus-one) could have done with less. (Or, if there had been an intermission, it would have been a fine opportunity for me to buy a drink!). Also, I wish we knew how Kevin G was faring, as he wasn’t at the reunion with Kevin T. Lastly, the younger generation wasn’t present in the story – neither the plane people nor locals included their perspective.
Come From Away is bookended by “Welcome to the Rock” – the first number when the plane people arrive, and that is reprised when the locals and come-from-aways, now forever bonded, reunite at the 10th anniversary of their meeting. After the curtain call, the cast leaves, but the band stays on. This actor-musician-centric production is worth traveling for. You will come away from this musical with a skip in your step, a grin on your face, and renewed faith in the kindness of strangers and the power of music and connection. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/
