The London Ontario Theatre Review: Julie Tomaino’s community-infused reimagining of the beloved Canadian musical proves as moving and uplifting as ever
By Ross
A single red chair sits alone on the Spriet Stage at Grand Theatre. Having just returned from the other London, my favourite theatre destination in England, I couldn’t help but be immediately drawn to that image, regardless of how much my jetlag was kicking in (or maybe because of it, as I had just recently flown that same flight pattern some of these characters were on). Yet it was the towering wall of chairs behind it that truly captured my attention. In Come From Away, the beloved Canadian musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, director Julie Tomaino and set designer Scott Penner (Crow’s The Surrogate) have reimagined one of the most iconic stagings in contemporary musical theatre with more than 180 wooden chairs, donated by members of the London community. They rise up twenty-three feet into the air, forming both a striking visual metaphor and a powerful expression of collective generosity. It is an inspired concept, rooted in the Parks Canada red chairs and the phrase “You Are Here,” that is a heartfelt reminder that this story is as much about place and belonging as it is about crisis.
For anyone old enough to remember September 11, 2001, the opening moments of this musical land with extraordinary force. We all carry our own story of where we were that morning. Mine remains vivid: standing on the corner of 26th Street and Broadway in New York City, looking south toward the World Trade Center as smoke poured from the towers and the world changed before our eyes. That memory of watching that second plane crash into the side of that building has never fully left me, and it returns each time I reengage with this remarkable musical. Even after seeing that original production at least five times, starting at David Mirvish’s Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto over the Christmas holidays of 2016, and on Broadway at Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in 2017, I found myself shedding a few tears just as I did the first time I boarded this journey.
Running a brisk and emotionally generous 100 minutes, Come From Away beautifully recounts the true story of how the residents of Gander welcomed nearly 7,000 stranded passengers when 38 planes were diverted to their small town after the United States airspace was closed on that fateful day. What could have become an overwhelming logistical nightmare instead became an extraordinary display of kindness, humour, and human resilience. Sankoff and Hein accomplish something that still feels miraculous: they transform one of the darkest days in modern history into a musical filled with warmth, compassion, and genuine joy, without ever diminishing the grief that gave rise to it.
The production, dynamically crafted by Julie Tomaino (Grand’s Million Dollar Quartet), honours the shape and spirit of the original while allowing this London-made version to assert its own identity. The opening number, “Welcome to the Rock,” remains one of the most effective introductions in musical theatre, immediately immersing us in the rhythms, accents, and communal strength of Newfoundland life. Under the vibrant musical direction of Sarah Richardson (Mirvish’s SIX), the orchestra infuses the evening with authentic East Coast energy. Accordion, fiddle, whistles, mandolin, and bodhrán create a rich and exhilarating soundscape that feels inseparable from the heartbeat of the story.
The twelve-member cast performs with astonishing versatility, shifting seamlessly among dozens of characters while functioning as a single, deeply connected ensemble. There is no traditional star turn here. Every performer contributes with precision, humour, and emotional truth, creating a portrait of ordinary people rising to meet extraordinary circumstances. Among the many standout performances, Divine Brown (Mirvish’s Rent) is profoundly moving as Hannah, a mother desperate for news of her firefighter son in New York. Darlene Spencer (Magnolia’s Julius Caesar) brings steady warmth and compassion to Gander’s take-charge Beulah, forging one of the production’s most touching relationships with Brown’s Hannah. Izad Etemadi (Grand’s The Play That Goes Wrong) delivers exceptional emotional nuance as Kevin T, (and others), while Joema Frith (Persephone’s Little Mermaid) gives Bob (and others) both humour and heartfelt sincerity.
Kelly Holiff (Grand’s Frozen) is delightful as Janice, charting the young reporter’s growth with infectious enthusiasm, and Denise Oucharek (Stratford’s Billy Elliot) brings wit and grounded strength to Bonnie. Yet, even surrounded by all this talent, Cailin Stadnyk (Drayton’s A Few Good Men) delivers a thrilling and deeply felt “Me and the Sky,” transforming Beverley Bass’s story into one of the evening’s most exhilarating highlights. Her performance captures both the determination and grace of a woman who refused to accept the limits imposed upon her and finds her way up into the sky. And let’s not forget Steven Gallagher (Grand’s Cinderella) and Lori Nancy Kalamanski (Young People’s Suessical), who magically create a tender and believable connection as Nick and Diane, especially in the beautifully understated “Stop the World.”
One of the great achievements of Come From Away is the way it balances heartbreak with humour. Whether through a barbecue grill story that begins in danger and blossoms into something unexpectedly meaningful, or a universal hymn that rises with breathtaking simplicity, the musical continually finds moments of grace where we least expect them. The effect is quietly overwhelming, as Kevin T. tentatively begins the Prayer of St. Francis, which expands into a soaring affirmation of compassion, understanding, and shared humanity. It allows us to mourn, to laugh, and to feel the astonishing generosity that emerged during those uncertain days.
If I have one small reservation, it is that Tomaino, along with choreographer Nicol Spinola (Gateway’s Oliver!) and the accomplished design team, including costume designer Ming Wong黄慧明, lighting designer Jareth Li, and sound designer Brian Kenny, remains relatively close to the structure and visual language of the original production. That may be less a criticism than an acknowledgement of how beautifully the original was conceived. This team certainly leaves its own personality mark, particularly through the magnificent chair installation, even if my curiosity occasionally hoped for an even bolder departure from the award-winning flight pattern.
Regardless, that solitary red chair at the beginning remains the image I carried with me to the end. Surrounded by hundreds of other chairs donated by neighbours and friends, it becomes a quiet symbol of both individuality and community that came together in surprisingly humane ways one sunny day in September, 2001. One town, yet thousands of lives changed by acts of simple kindness and absolute care. Nearly twenty-five years after that terrible day, Come From Away continues to offer something rare and profoundly necessary: a story that meets unimaginable tragedy with compassion, humour, and open-hearted generosity. In this glorious production at the Grand Theatre, that spirit feels as important, immediate, and uplifting as ever.
Come From Away plays on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre from April 28 to May 31. For more information and tickets, click here.
