‘Come From Away’ takes us back to kinder days
When I first saw “Come From Away” at the Wharton Center in 2019, I was already worn out from what I thought was the peak of a divisive era. To me, the show was a breath of fresh air. How wonderful it was to get swept away by the inspirational true story of how the small village of Gander, Newfoundland, took in stranded travelers after the Sept. 11 attacks grounded all air traffic. Sure, supplying people with food, clothes and shelter was stressful. Nevertheless, as overwhelming as it got, none of the Gander folk ever questioned whether it was the right thing to do. Their kindness and conviction felt like something out of a different time.
I’ll admit that I’ve become even more jaded since then, especially after the pandemic and subsequent events where people’s common sense and moral compasses failed abysmally. As I pulled up to Riverwalk Theatre for its production of “Come From Away,” I was worried that the musical wouldn’t work the same magic on me this time. However, when I entered the lobby and saw the theater worker draw in the audience with the gimmicky tradition of kissing a (fake) fish to become an “official” Newfoundlander, I knew we were in for a good time.
The show’s minimalist sets and costumes really allow the actors to shine. It must be a lot of work for the actors to each play multiple characters, and it’s admirable how quickly they slip in and out of their folksy Newfoundland accents (which they thoroughly nail, by the way). One of the many standouts is Abigail Grill, who plays both Texas airline pilot Beverley and Gander local Annette. While Annette makes audiences laugh with her thirsty fantasies of firemen and pilots, Beverley brings the house down with one of the show’s most powerful numbers, “Me and the Sky.”
“Come From Away”
Oct. 22-25
7 p.m. Thursday
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
2 p.m. Sunday
Riverwalk Theatre
228 Museum Drive, Lansing
(517) 482-5700
riverwalktheatre.com
Even in a time of fear and chaos, the travelers and the locals connect with each other in ways they never expected. Schoolteacher Beulah (Lindsey Parr Hemming) comforts Hannah (Shelia Burks) as she struggles to contact her missing firefighter son. Romance blossoms between Nick (Bill Durr) and Diane (Katrina Alexis). Bob (Sidney D. Sauseda II) can’t believe how much more welcoming Gander is than New York. It’s only a fleeting moment of unity, and not a perfect one, but it’s enough to make a lasting impact on everyone.
I miss the days when people were kind to each other without being performative or self-righteous. By the end of “Come From Away,” even jaded cynics like me can only hope that someday we won’t need another crisis to bring us all together again.
