Distinguished by assured, astounding vocal work from a strong ensemble and a sustained focus on its theme of generosity, Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s Come from Away continues to demonstrate why it remains one of Canada’s most widely embraced contemporary musicals.
It recounts the five days following September 11, 2001, when 7,000 passengers and crew members from thirty-eight diverted planes were grounded in Gander, Newfoundland. Against the backdrop of the attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, the musical focuses on the response of Gander and surrounding-area residents, who provided food, shelter, comfort, and practical support to stranded travellers. The musical’s account of kindness, humour, music, and unexpected fellowship remains central to the work’s appeal, as does the enduring bond between the town and the “come from aways” who later returned after ten years. Twelve outstanding performers, playing several roles, continue to tell the story.
The Port Hope staging follows recent regional productions at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre and London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre, each of which established a distinct identity apart from the Broadway and Toronto versions. Like those productions, The Capitol’s staging relies on imaginative theatrical choices to keep a familiar story immediate and engaging. One striking, dramatic choice that still remains present from all the productions I’ve seen – including the Toronto and Broadway companies – is the use of ‘chairography’. What a treat it was to watch the performers in the Capitol’s production move the chairs beautifully to designated spots.
Director Rob Kempson marshals a large and demanding production with evident care, grounding the characters in recognizable human behaviour. The opening-night performance emphasized the musical’s compassion, humour, and momentum, supported by Jeff Newberry’s confident music direction and Genny Sermonia’s lively choreography. Warmly lit by Siobhan Sleath, Brandon Kleiman’s detailed set places the story in the heart of an East Coast kitchen, specifically that of Gander Academy schoolteacher Beulah Davis (Monique Lund). The design evokes the atmosphere of a local kitchen party, with careful attention to colour, domestic detail, and props, including a candle in the window and a kettle on the stove.
For a musical so dependent on rhythmic precision and overlapping voices, sound balance is crucial. The production generally achieves that balance, though a few moments of sharpness in the mix and some difficulty hearing lyrics during overlapping dialogue aboard the planes briefly affect clarity. These issues remain relatively minor within the overall precision of the performance.
Kempson’s opening use of improvisation is effective. At the top of the show, Lund’s Beulah moves through her kitchen preparing for guests; when the company enters, casual greetings and shared smiles establish the production’s communal frame. The use of actor-musicians further reinforces the East Coast kitchen-party atmosphere before the familiar rhythmic pulse signals the story’s beginning.
The show’s pacing remains brisk, with actors moving set pieces efficiently on the Capitol’s mainstage. Kempson also creates several striking stage pictures, using tables, benches, and risers to vary the production’s visual texture. Notable examples include the passengers witnessing the televised events and the twelve performers becoming air traffic controllers guiding planes toward the nearest available landing destination.
Tat Austrie brings restraint to Hannah, a mother attempting to reach her firefighter son by phone during “I Am Here.” The scene remains one of the production’s most affecting moments, grounded in controlled emotional tension rather than excess sentiment. Donna Garner and Scott Carmichael bring gentleness and warmth to Diane and Nick, an older couple drawn together under extraordinary circumstances; their “Stop the World” duet offers a quiet counterpoint. Julie Lumsden is vocally strong as Captain Beverley Bass, an American Airlines pilot from Dallas. In “Me and the Sky,” Lumsden delivers the character’s memories of becoming a pilot with conviction, underscoring Bass’s determination within a heavily male-dominated profession.
Kyle Blair and Kyle Golemba play Kevin T and Kevin J, a gay couple whose sharp exchanges provide brief comic relief while also revealing the strain placed on their relationship. Brendan Wall’s Mayor Claude is direct and pragmatic, with a late moment of exhaustion that gives the character added humanity. Charlie Clark brings humour to Bob’s bewilderment when asked to collect barbecues from neighbours’ yards for a giant cookout, while also registering the character’s concern about how he may be perceived. Clark’s later scene with Bob’s unseen father gives the role a quieter emotional weight.
Beau Dixon finds humour in Oz’s blunt handling of a school-zone speeding violation, then shifts effectively to Ali, whose treatment by others becomes one of the musical’s sharper reminders of prejudice in moments of fear. Melissa Payne’s Bonnie is presented with warmth and purpose as an SPCA volunteer caring for the animals aboard the planes; her late scene with the off-stage animals lands with renewed force. Annika Tupper lends credibility to Janice Mosher, the Rogers TV reporter beginning her first day of work on September 11, and captures the character’s uncertainty about reporting amid an unfolding crisis.
The Capitol’s production’s strongest achievement is its ability to honour the musical’s sentiment without allowing it to become static or overly polished. Its emotional force comes less from spectacle than from ensemble discipline, clear storytelling, and the cumulative effect of small acts of care rendered theatrically legible.
Come from Away remains persuasive not because the story is unfamiliar, but because this Port Hope staging finds renewed immediacy in its portrait of people responding to crisis with practical compassion. Before she exited the stage, performer Donna Garner looked up to the heavens, her hands forming a heart, and mouthed “thank you.”
Thank you to this entire production for a story that still needs to be told from coast to coast to coast.
Tickets for the remainder of the run are reportedly limited, with availability best confirmed through the box office.
Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
The production runs to August 9 on the Main Stage at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street. Call the Box Office (905) 885-1071 or visit capitoltheatre.com
THE CAPITOL THEATRE presents
Come from Away
Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Rob Kempson
Music Direction by Jeff Newberry
Choreography by Genny Sermonia
Set Design: Brandon Kleiman
Costume Design: Joyce Padua
Lighting Design: Siobhan Sleath
Sound Design: Emily Porter
Stage Manager: Hannah Macmillan
Performers: Donna Garner, Tat Austrie, Annika Tupper, Monique Lund, Melissa Payne, Julie Lumsden, Beau Dixon, Kyle Blair, Kyle Golemba, Charlie Clark, Brendan Wall, Scott Carmichael
