There’s exciting news coming from our friends across the pond this week – a new show will be transferring from Broadway to London’s West End! Come From Away will first land in the U.K. in Dublin late this year for a limited engagement and then will make its way to the esteemed Phoenix Theatre in January of 2019. We are certainly excited for the arrival of this joyous new musical, but if you’re not convinced yet, let us explain why you should be as buzzed as we are…
Its a heart-warming story
First and foremost, this is a musical that showcases all of the best parts of humanity. In the wake of one of the world’s worst modern tragedies, Come From Away tells the tale of what happened when seven thousand people from all over the world landed in the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland (Canada). The characters are based on the real people that lived and were stranded in the town following the horrific 9/11 attacks.
No story is left untold
Almost 7000 people were forced to land in Gander, and the town itself was inhabited by around 9000 people at the time – that’s around 16,000 stories to tell. The co-authors, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, wanted to ensure that no story was left out of their adaptation, so they interviewed the real-life people that were actually there and discovered just how special and warm the people of Newfoundland are. The show stars only twelve actors, but each character has elements of the thousands of incredible people that Sankoff and Hein spoke to.
It has won some pretty impressive awards
Following shows in Toronto and, of course, on Broadway, the show was nominated for an impressive seven Tony Awards! Categories included Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Choreography, to name just a few, with the Broadway production taking the crown for Dest Direction of a Musical. It’s not just the Tony’s that recognised the wonder Come From Away: the show won three Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical!
It’s one of TIME’s Best Musicals of 2017
As if being recognised in award ceremonies isn’t enough TIME lists it as number four of its top ten plays and musicals of 2017. They describe it as “a deeply moving, optimistic show about helping each other that arrived on the scene at exactly the right moment.” Note to self: take tissues when you see it!
Justin Trudeau loves it
Granted it tells the story of his people, but you know something is good when the much-loved Prime Minister of Canada loves it! He spoke on stage when seeing the production in Toronto and said: “The world gets to see what it is to lean on each other and be there for each other through the darkest times,” adding, “This story, this amazing show, is very much about that, and it’s about friendship as well.”
It’s being made into a film
It was announced back in November 2017 that Mark Gordon Co. would be funding a feature film adaptation of this fantastic new musical. Even better, Hein and Sankoff will be adapting their work into a screenplay, and the very director that won a Tony award for his work on the stage production has signed on to helm the film version, too!
UPDATE: Tickets for the West End premiere of this spectacular production are on sale now and, trust us, you don’t want to miss this one! Get tickets here.
For more info on the show, head to the official site, and you can check out the trailer here.
