"Come From Away," show #951

Come From Away is a musical depicting an American tragedy that affected the world, and passengers who affected the residents of Gander, Newfoundland. It’s a human-driven musical that gives voice to come-from-aways and plane-people, humans who experienced 9/11/2001 in a uniquely unifying way. At its core, it’s a musical that, to loosely quote the Mayor role, "mourns what was lost but commemorates what was found." Good Company Players is currently showing a beautifully executed production of this beautifully written musical. 

(Cast of Come From Away; Photo source: Good Company Players)

In true ensemble form, the cast depicts several characters with a hat on or off, a jacket change, or dialect switch. With superb direction by Emily Pessano and assistant direction by Lex Martin, this company is fully focused and fitted for the job at hand: bringing to reality a week where so many lives were changed forever to a level of empathy for the audience. This job is in sturdy hands cast-wide, with highlight performances in abundance. Mark Standriff balances both humor and genial camaraderie as Mayor Claude; Shawn Williams is a hilarious, hokey Oz; and Janet Glaude gives an emotionally driven, heart-wrenching performance as Hannah. Kaitlyn Wheeler and Michael Fidalgo share the most heartfelt of connections as Diane and Nick, brought to fantastic fruition in “Stop the World.” Adrian Ammsso does a sublime job in his track as Kevin J./Ali/Others, earning the empathy in representing what so many Middle Eastern people received when the paranoia of more attacks gave way to unwarranted and undeserved racism. Ammsso gives a splendidly built, chemistry-driven turn opposite Jonathan Wheeler’s Kevin T., with Wheeler doubling a wonderfully welcomed bit track as driver Garth. 

(Michael Fidalgo (Nick/Others) and Kaitlyn Wheeler (Diane/Others); Photo source: Good Company Players)

Eireen Escalona gives a heartfelt, heartbreaking turn as the ever-dedicated vet Bonnie, providing splendid scene work opposite barks, meows, pet crates, and a gruff-but- sweet Daniel Sutherland as Doug/Others. Khari Somerville delivers a strong performance as Bob/Muhumuza/Others, but especially in his journey as Bob, a man who goes from being scared of who may take his wallet to sharing Irish whiskey with a mayor and taking BBQ grills by invitation. Carly Oliver is a wholesome, warm Beulah, delivering an ease of the role’s love for serving others. Haleigh Cook’s turn as Annette is a welcome turn of being a consummate hostess and dreamy romantic. Meg Clark gives her Janice a rookie reporter resplendence that offers the vulnerability of having to report the attacks while figuring out the professionalism that comes with being on the news.

(Eireen Escalona (Bonnie/Others), Meg Clark (Janice/Delores/Others), and Mark Standriff (Claude/Texan/Others); Photo source: Good Company Players)

Jessica Sarkisian, handling the bulk of the plane-related plot as pilot Captain Beverley delivers a fully realized and standout performance, reaching its peak in her torch number, “Me and the Sky.” Sarkisian’s delivery and command of Beverley’s journey to becoming the first female pilot to become Captain for American Airlines (and would later captain the first all-female crew) is grounded and loaded with top-tier gravitas.

(Front: Jessica Sarkisian (Beverly), and Janet Glaude (Hannah); Photo source: Good Company Players)

The production team’s design fit together like a glove, with Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed’s costume design giving pop and personality to each actor and their individual tracks. The props design by Elizabeth Fiester and Camille Gaston is comprehensive in its creativity and contextualizing of each character, locale, and scene. The chair-ography and choreography, done by Pessano and Steve Souza is fluid and formative, allowing for an ease of shifts in settings and moods. 

This production of Come From Away runs through November 15th and is a flight you most assuredly want to take. How do you express emotion when words aren’t enough: you sing. You make it a musical. When 9/11/2001 happened, all non-New Yorkers became New Yorkers, and all non-Americans became Americans. Gander is the highest example of this extended family, and this musical honors that; this production honors that. Do not miss this show!