Come From Away

On the northeast tip of North America, in the town of Gander, Newfoundland, a community receives a message. The U.S.A has shut down its airspace, forcing thousands of planes to be diverted. Among them, 38 flights full of passengers are about to land nearby, and will have nowhere to stay.

Countless “trips to Shoppers” later, the community braces for the displaced and uncertain visitors, ready to meet them with open arms, and open doors. Based on the events of September 11, 2001 (and the days that followed), Come From Away tells the true and heartwarming story of kindness in the face of unprecedented circumstances.

This award-winning Canadian musical has captured the hearts of theatregoers since its 2015 world premiere, going on to become a Tony and Olivier Award-winning modern classic. Featuring a toe-tapping and heart-thumping score including the songs "Welcome to the Rock", “Me and the Sky”, and “Heave Away”, Come From Away is a celebrated story about the power of community.

"This 'little Canadian play' needs no introduction. We are so excited to be producing a non-replica version – even if you have seen the show before, we promise to deliver the same heart you have come to love, but inside a new production and new staging by the incomparable Julie Tomaino.”
- Rachel Peake, Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre

Audience Advisory

Mature language and themes; depictions of alcohol consumption; references to violence; theatrical haze.

The Cast

Sheldon Elter

Kelly Holiff

Janice

Cailin Stadnyk

Beverley

Creative Team

Julie Tomaino

Director

For the Grand Theatre: Director/Choreographer: Million Dollar Quartet. Choreographer: Titanic.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Anne of Green Gables, Sense & Sensibility (Stratford Festival); Elf (RMTC, Arts Club); Liars At A Funeral (Port Stanley); Jersey Boys (Arts Club, Citadel, Tip, Tweed); Once (Tip, Citadel); 9 to 5 (Chemainus, Tip, Citadel, Capitol); Full Monty (Neptune, Capitol); Jesus Christ Superstar (Magnus); Newsies (TUTS); Margaritaville (Theatre Calgary).

Film and TV Credits (Selected): Beaches Remake (Lifetime TV - starring Idina Menzel).

Other: Dora & Jessie Awards for Outstanding Choreography. Former Radio City Rockette. www.julietomaino.com.

Sarah Richardson

Music Director

For the Grand Theatre: Matilda.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Six (Mirvish); 9 to 5 (TIP); Rez Gas (Capitol); Little Shop of Horrors, Elf, Rumour Has It: The Songbook of Adele, Alice in Pantoland, Controlled Damage, Peter Pan, The Color Purple, DivaStation, Shakespeare in Love, Les Misérables: School Edition, My Side of the Country (Neptune); Assassins, Heathers, Peter & the Starcatcher, 9 to 5, Company (Whalesong); Ruthless, Damn Yankees (Chester Playhouse); New Waterford Boy (HEIST); Rocky Horror Show, Nunsense (HFDT).

Film and TV Credits (Selected): Moonshine, This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC).

Other: Training: BFA - TMU (Ryerson), RCM. Awards: Merritt Award Winner for Outstanding Musical Direction - Ruthless. The Blackrats.

Nicol Spinola

Choreographer

For the Grand Theatre: Debut.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Million Dollar Quartet, Ring of Fire (Arts Club Theatre Company); Jesus Christ Superstar (Western Canada Theatre/Thousand Island Playhouse); Oliver!, Cinderella, Anne of Green Gables, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat (Gateway Theatre); Something Rotten, Cinderella, Mary Poppins (Theatre Under The Stars); Parade, Cabaret, Company, Sweeney Todd (Raincity theatre); Suessical (Sask Express); 9 to 5 (Capilano University).

Other: Co-Managing Artistic Director of Raincity Theatre, Co-Founder of Camp Cue. www.nicolspinola.com.

Scott Penner

Set Designer

For the Grand Theatre: Hair, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Elf, Phantom of the Opera, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Waitress.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Job (Broadway); Indecent (RMTC); Cymbeline (Stratford); Fireflies, Intimate Apparel (Northlight, Chicago); Casey & Diana (Neptune); Dion, Waiting for Godot (Coalmine); Guys & Dolls, Frozen (Arts Club); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Flint Rep); Rasheeda Speaking (Jeff Nomination, Shattered Globe Chicago); Shirley Valentine, The Extinction Therapist (Aquarius); Shakespeare’s Will (Indiana Rep); Love’s Labour’s Lost, Constellations, Fallen Angels (APT); Body Politic, A Few Brittle Leaves (Buddies); Billy Bishop Goes To War, Drowning Girls (Globe).

Other: Scott is a proud member of IATSE Local ADC659. @scottpennerdesign.

Ming Wong

Costume Designer

For the Grand Theatre: Controlled Damage, Piaf/Dietrich.

Theatre Credits (selected): A Strange Loop, Kim's Convenience, Three Sisters, De Profundiis, Sizwe Banzi is Dead (Soulpepper); Flex, Wights, Rosmersholm, Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812, The Master Plan, Uncle Vanya (Crow's); Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (YPT); Salesman in China, Rent (Stratford Festival); Once (TIP); Peter's Final Flight (Ross Petty Productions); The Wizard of Oz, The Inheritance (Canadian Stage); Is God Is (Canadian Stage/Obsidian/Necessary Angel); Wait Until Dark, Candida, Just to get Married, Trouble in Mind (Shaw); The Color Purple (Citadel/RMTC).

Other: 2021 Virginia & Myrtle Cooper Award Laureate, 2 time Dora winner.

Jareth Li

Lighting Designer

For the Grand Theatre: Frozen, Matilda, Kim’s Convenience, Controlled Damage.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Sense and Sensibility, Every Little Nookie (Stratford Festival); Vinyl Cafe, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frozen, Jersey Boys, Ring of Fire (Citadel Theatre); The Orphan of Chao, Prince Caspian (Shaw Festival).

Other: Instructor at York University, Member of IATSE 659 - The Associated Designers of Canada.

Brian Kenny

Sound Designer

For the Grand Theatre: Mary Poppins, Elf, Grow, Between Breaths, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Million Dollar Quartet.

Theatre Credits (Selected): La Cage aux Folles (Stratford Festival); Fall On Your Knees (Vita Brevis); After The Rain (Tarragon/Musical Stage Co.); Kelly v Kelly (Musical Stage Co); Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Crow’s/Mirvish); A Strange Loop (Soulpepper); Robin Hood: A Holiday Pantomime (Canadian Stage); The Colony of Unrequited Dreams (Artistic Fraud).

Other: Brian is a designer for theatre from Newfoundland and Labrador and is a graduate from The National Theatre School of Canada and Sheridan College and is a proud member of IATSE659 - The Associated Designers of Canada.

Erika Morey

Stage Manager

Suzanne McArthur

Assistant Stage Manager

For the Grand Theatre: 17th season.

Theatre Credits (Selected): Seven seasons with the Stratford Festival; 6 season with Drayton Entertainment; 6 seasons with Port Stanley Festival Theatre; Worked with the National Arts Centre, the Blythe Festival, Mirvish Productions, Studio 180 Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, and Tarragon Theatre.

Other: Suzanne lives in London with her children, Michael and Charlie.

Abby Stevenson

Apprentice Stage Manager