Berkshire on Stage

Come From Away, the miraculous Tony and Olivier Award winner about the life saving need for generous hospitality has touched down at the Charles R. Wood Theater presented by Adirondack Theatre Festival through 8/7.

The musical with book, music and lyrics by Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein tells the true story of the people of Gander, Newfoundland and how they reacted when 38 planes carrying close to 7,000 passengers were forced to emergency land at their airport on 9/11/2001. 

The Gander International Airport was once an important refueling spot for transatlantic flights traveling between North America and Europe. Due to its exceptionally long runways, large size and years of relative disuse, the airport was an ideal location to receive American and European flights that needed to cool their jets for a number of days while the world grappled with how planes had turned into potential terrorist weapons overnight.

It was a fortuitous airport and turned out to be a perfect town for the weary and frightened travelers to arrive at as the islanders make clear in the heart thumping “Welcome to the Rock” which opens the show. The score of 23 songs has a propulsive, Celtic, folk rock vibe to it and most of the evening you are hurtling along in this emergency situation until moments of prayer, fear and grief overtake the proceedings.

The islanders convert the high school into a hotel for 700, commandeer backyard grills creating a cookout for 1,000 and turn the local bar into a dance hall for “Heave Away” which has members of the onstage band join them center stage in a hootenanny. Newfoundlanders initiate the visitors with a “Screech In” which is a shot of rum Screech before kissing a fish. Music direction by Gary Adler and choreography by Janet Rothermel.

The cast of 12 is excellent, all playing multiple roles and helping to create all the different scenes around town and onboard the different planes, buses and cars that transported everyone. Director Catherine Doherty does an exceptional job with her cast, the pace and the huge emotions visited in this show. It seemed that there were a few more props and costume pieces than the last time I saw it but that’s an exceptionally minor quibble on the whole of this show. The wonderful costume design is by Union College costume designer on faculty Brittney Belz. 

Lisa Karlin does a superb rendition of “Me and the Sky” that effectively takes flight and leaves us slack jawed. Kayla Moore does a lot with a little as the small town reporter who is eventually tapped by Oprah after this life changing event. I also loved Ryan Hunt’s Mayor, Kris Coleman’s Bob and, of course, Siena grad and Capital Region theater maker Shayne David Cameris who shines on the Wood stage. The entire cast has standout moments that can make you laugh, gasp or contemplate.

One of the most surprising features of this musical is its ability to surprise you, confound your expectations and engage your memories of that horrible day and all that has transpired since. You might think the subject matter could be cloying, a Coexist bumper sticker on a Subaru that refuses to let you merge, but the book, music and characters are tougher than that. The song “On the Edge” takes care of that with the line “You don’t look like an American.”

The auditorium looked sold out with maybe some single seats available at the Thursday matinee. It is a coup for ATF to be the first company to produce the show in New York State after the Broadway and National tour. It is an excellent production of an extraordinary work of art about one of this country’s greatest tragedies redeemed in small part by our friend’s hospitality. If you haven’t seen it, go. If you have, it hits different, as the kids say.

At one point, the whole town of Gander stops and pauses for a moment of silence initiated by America and asks If that would happen in our country. I was on the verge of tears a number of times but never more so than when I was forced to consider the simple act of their human kindness of opening their house to strangers and how far we’ve come in the last 25 years in our relationship with our neighbors in Canada.

The Adirondack Theatre Festival presents “Come From Away”, book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Catherine Doherty, from July 29 – August 7 at the Charles R. Wood Theater, 207 Glen Street in Glens Falls, NY.

CAST:  Alison Mahoney as Diane and others; April Armstrong as Hannah and others; Kayla Moore as Janice and others; Nancy Slusser as Beulah and others; Emily Croft as Bonnie and others; Lisa Karlin as Beverley/Annette and others; Tyler Nye as Oz and others; Shayne David Cameris as Kevin T./Garth and others; Albert Jennings as Kevin J./Ali and others; Kris Coleman as Bob and others; Ryan Hunt as Claude and others; and Kilty Reidy as Nick/Doug and others.

CREATIVE TEAM: Choreographer Janet Rothermel; Music Director Gary Adler; Costume Designer Brittney Belz; Scenic Designer Gary Wilson; Props Designer Bri Beach, Lighting Designer Travis McHale; Associate Lighting Designer Taylor Jaskula; Dialect Coach Brittany Proia.

Tickets are available through ATFestival.org.