In case you hadn’t heard me giving a shout out to COME FROM AWAY on The Culture Show –hear me now! NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE has mounted an excellent production of this moving musical about the impact of 9/11 on the tiny Newfoundland town of Gander and the 7000 airline passengers grounded there from all over the world– fed, housed, and cared for– in the immediate aftermath of that dreadful day. TRAILER HERE!
Photo: Paul Lyden
The award-winning musical and Boston Theater Critics’ Pick is a tapestry of stories based on real life and gathered by Canadian husband and wife writing team Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It testifies to the best of us in the worst of times.
Photo: Paul Lyden
The show is perfectly suited to its in-the-round staging here. Kevin P. Hill’s direction and choreography propels a 12-person multi-role cast in a non-stop 1 hour 40 minute production. While no one character takes center stage, nor are the latent prejudices manifested in some of these interactions deeply explored, they are raised nonetheless, and the cumulative effect of the show’s many moving parts and interpersonal reactions compressed in reaction to a single, frightening, global event swells the heart.
Carla Woods and Mary Callanan / Photo: Paul Lyden
The cast in multiple roles are more than up to the task– Mary Callanan is a standout as a hearty Ganderite who forms a bond with distraught mother (Carla Wood) seeking news of her airline pilot son. Brandon Alvión is funny as a city slicker who suspects these “kind” Canadians are out to steal his wallet. Later we see him as one of a team of cardiologists who step up to clean the bathrooms! True–and hilariously choreographed.
Photo: Paul Lyden
Danny Burgos plays a master chef from Egypt whose middle eastern heritage raises suspicions as he begs to be allowed to help with the cooking. Victoria Huston-Elem plays the local ASPCA head who rescued the 19 creatures aboard but almost forgotten in the cargo hold, including a future champion cocker spaniel and two rare (1 pregnant!) bonobo monkeys. You can’t make this up.
COME FROM AWAY is especially required viewing this year the 25th Anniversary of 9/11. Hunker down during the storm and come see it before it closes this weekend 9/27 at NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATER.
