Opening night of The Arts Club Theatre Company’s Western Canada premiere of the acclaimed musical, Come From Away saw the audience leaping to its feet to applaud the can’t miss production.
Inspired by the true events of September 11, 2001, with book, music, and lyrics by Canadian writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away became one of the longest-running shows on Broadway, earning great acclaim, nominated for multiple Tony and Olivier Awards. When Gander, Newfoundland saw its population double with the arrival of 38 grounded flights and 7000 stranded passengers they were welcomed with open arms and open doors… this is their story.
Directed by the Arts Club’s Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran, this non-replica production, one of the first since the musical’s Broadway runs and tours, is in partnership with Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. Featuring a cast of twelve BC and Alberta performers, Come From Away is a tour de force, running at full speed through its intermission-free 108 minutes.
The stars are Vance Avery, Daniel Briere, Daphne Charrois, Charlie Gallant, Jocelyn Gauthier, Janet Gigliotti, Kristin Johnston, Lisa Michelle, Caitriona Murphy, Kamyar Pazandeh, Hal Wesley Rogers, Garett Ross, Ali Watson, Andrew Wheeler, Tenaj Williams, and Stephanie Wolfe, with standbys Daniel Briere, Kristin Johnson, Hal Wesley Rogers. Musical director Ken Cormier leads musicians Martin Fisk, Jay Leonard Juatco, Dakota Martin, Robin Reid, Monica Sumulong Dumas, and Cam Wilson, playing live in-theatre.
From the opening second, as the cast bids us “Welcome to the Rock”, Gianna Vacirca’s vibrant and energetic choreography leaps from stage. The players run a marathon as each of them are on stage from start to finish – switching costume pieces on the fly to play dozens of Gander citizens and the stranded passengers. Keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, the frenetic pace of the show echoes the anxiety, chaos and emotions that the real-life counterparts must have felt over those days after 9/11. Set Designer Lorenzo Savioni’s beautifully simple set, just seven revolving doors, and 12 chairs, leaves the audience to fill in the blanks as the chairs move nearly as much as the cast; forming airplane seats, a Tim Horton’s, the primary school, school bus, the SPCA and more locations that exist and are coloured in our minds.
The anticipation for this production of Come From Away has seen ticket sales moving at a record pace, enough that even before the curtain rose on opening night, the musical had been extended for an additional 3 weeks.
Previously scheduled to close July 26, Come From Away will now run until August 16, 2026 at The Stanley BFL Canada Stage, 2750 Granville Street. The few remaining tickets for its original run are on sale now with the extended run’s tickets are on sale June 8 at ArtsClub.com or by calling the Box Office at 604.687.1644.