Theater review: ‘Come From Away’ retains its Broadway impact as it remembers 9/11 in a special way

November 13, 2024

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By Donald Munro

‘Come From Away” is such a blissfully well written and cleverly conceived musical that it can soar even with a few wobbles. In this show, the ensemble rules. That was the case on Tuesday night at the Saroyan Theatre when the national tour (non-Equity) settled in for a two-night run.

Some thoughts:

The premise: Many musical-theater fans have followed the progress of this beloved show for years, from its start in San Diego to its Broadway successes, and so they’re familiar with the idea of a show about a bunch of diverted airplanes on 9/11 forced to land in a tiny Canadian town. But to others the premise might seem strange, even maudlin. Trust me: The idea works. I think it’s because the setting is so far removed from New York, shielding us away from the physical violence of that day but still immersing us in the spiritual toll.

Related story: Theater preview: Jordan Hayakawa helps find the heart in Broadway in Fresno’s ‘Come From Away’

A great show to travel: I saw the show on Broadway. The staging and design in this touring version seemed to me to make a perfect transfer. I love the precision and tempo of the show, which races along with a graceful economy of motion and emotion. We spend just a few quick, almost terse, moments with most of these characters, but it’s amazing how much we learn – and feel – in a short amount of time.

Townspeople and Plane People: Another key concept to the structure of the show is the way that each cast member portrays both the passengers and the locals who volunteer to feed and house them. Sometimes those roles are shifted within a matter of seconds or minutes. It flows so seamlessly that you begin to think of all these people as one – which is the intent, I’d guess.

Acting highlights: Two performers stood out for me on opening night. Richard Chaz Gomez, playing the role of Kevin T. and others, had a special, musing tenderness on display, offering an intense connection with the audience. Kristin Litzenberg, perfectly cast as the kind-hearted Beulah and others, infused her role with warmth and humor..

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Acting disappointments: Some of the singing wasn’t as strong as it could have been, including Hannah-Kathryn Wall’s Hannah. As for the role of Beverly, the first female captain for American Airlines, it is as close as the show gets to a leading character. Her real-life story, detailed in the song “Me and the Sky,” is an emotional high point for the show. Addison Garner gave a vocal performance in the number that seemed pinched (and sounded a bit flat), putting so much emphasis on the twangy Texas accent that it was hard to understand the lyrics.

The production design: Seeing the show for a second time gave me a chance to pay more attention to the show’s exquisite scenic and lighting design. The mood of the simple set, dominated by a backdrop structure that suggests horizontal wooden slats, ranges from rustic warmth to cool sophistication. A group of wooden chairs become so many things: airline seats, places to sit in a diner, bouncing buses, a mountain ridge. The simplicity of the design helps create a comfortable, cozy space where you can let down your emotional guard. Also: a shout-out to the sound design. Granted, I already know the songs in this show quite well, but to me, the lyrics were crisp over the first-rate live band.

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Takeaway: On the morning of 9/11, I was in Toronto, Canada, attending the Toronto Film Festival. I stayed there a few extra days because I couldn’t fly back to the United States, of course. That weekend, my Air Canada flight was one of the first to be allowed to cross the border into the U.S. I will never forget the grimness of the passengers as we boarded. There was fear in people’s eyes. And suspicion, too. To my eternal sadness, one of my fellow passengers, a gentleman who “looked” like he was Middle Eastern, was removed from the plane after a fellow passenger thought he looked suspicious. I remember watching him walk slowly down the aisle as he left. I gripped my fingers on the armrest as the plane took off.

Late in the show, after the plane people have departed and the town goes back to its sleepy ways, one of the characters sings this truism: “We all looked the same, but we’re different than we were.”

For people who were born too late to remember 9/11, I wonder if it’s possible to truly realize how scared people were and how the whole country seemed to be howling with anger. “Come From Away” reminds me of that time, and because of that, the show makes me sad. But it also reminds me of how Americans – and Canadians, and the rest of the world – came together for a time. And for that, it makes me very happy.

Final note: I’m not sure when the Saroyan garage catapulted up to $25 for parking, but it’s maddening. A 25% increase is so beyond the pace of inflation that the city should be ashamed. When can we demand an investigation for price gouging?