THEATRE REVIEW: "Come from Away" at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (New York, NY)

      On August 7th, 2019, I went to see the Irene Sankoff (a Canadian librettist, don't you know?) / David Hein musical "Come from Away" with my mom and a couple of her girlfriends at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York.  This was during NY's Restaurant Week, and we went to have dinner at Ruth Chris' Steakhouse after seeing the matinee.  This was the last show I saw on Broadway.  Well, that might be me speaking too soon.  I suppose I should say that this was the last show I saw on Broadway before the pandemic began.  

         Back when we saw this show, the ads on TV said the show was set to close.   The show was then put on a pandemic hold in 2020 which postponed the show's closing date.  Now, after 1,670 performances, the Broadway Production will be closing on October 2nd, 2022.  In January of 2022, "Come from Away" became the longest running show to ever play at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.   That is not saying much, exactly. When it was called the Plymouth Theatre, the venue housed shows such as "Taboo" and the original production of "Jekyll & Hyde."  Anyway, the scenic design of "Come from Away," by Beowulf Borritt, still wows audiences by managing to be both simplistic and rich in detail.  The emotional story line still manages to bring stifled sniffles to the audiences who attend the show.  At least, I would assume so.  

      I don't want to give away the plot or the ending.  But generally,  on 9/11/2001, several passenger planes had to be rerouted from their original destinations and instead landed in the Newfoundland town of Gander, where long-lasting friendships were made during such a dark time for those who...come from away.  It wasn't as dark for us who saw the show.  Before seeing it, my mom, her friends, and I stopped by the New York Public Library to renew our library cards.  Mine was an out-of-state library card, and would only remain active for three months before expiring.  I would then need to renew it in person and... come from away.  

   

      What is interesting is that while I was in New York seeing the Broadway Production of "Come From Away,"  the First National Tour was performing in Chicago for the first time at the Cadillac Palace.  Had I not gone to see it during my Summer 2019 New York trip, I might never have gotten the chance to see it.  The Premiere Chicago Engagement of "Come From Away" ran in Chicago from July 30th through August 18th, 2019.  The next time the tour returned to Chicago wasn't until 2022, when it ran from February 22nd through March 6th.  My Aunt Dana saw the Return Engagement of "Come From Away."  I was too busy seeing "Hadestown."  I enjoyed seeing "Come from Away," but once was enough for me.

Jenn Colella as Beverly Bass (photo by Carol Rosegg) 

     Unless we saw understudies and/or alternates, the cast we saw on August 7th, 2019 included Petrina Bromley, Geno Carr, Jenn Colella, Joel Hatch, Chad Kimball, Q. Smith, and Alex Finke.  Please keep in mind that I'm not getting the cast information from my playbill (I no longer have it).  I am getting the cast information from Internet Broadway Database.  What is kind of neat is that "Come From Away" only opened on Broadway two years prior to me, my mom, and her friends seeing it, so we got to see quite a few original Broadway cast members perform.  I've never listened to the Original Cast Recording of "Come From Away." That could be fun.  Or not.  The music was good but I certainly don't want to live in the past.  Then again, what are these blog posts for?  Ha ha ha.