ST. GEORGE — It’s always a treat to see a heartwarming story come to life on stage, but when that story is based on true events, and backed by the kind of talent evident in The Stage Door Theater Company’s latest production of Come From Away, the entire experience becomes even richer.
Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the local version of this fascinating musical is directed by Kelly Thomas, with musical direction by Amy Gleave and choreography by Christine France. Together, the music, dance and staging of this captivating piece unite seamlessly to tell a story that, while 25 years in the rearview mirror, feels just as close to home as it did that fateful day in 2001.
In the hours after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, first responders and regular citizens of the United States worked tirelessly and heroically to rescue those directly impacted by these atrocities, and the world seemed to hold its collective breath. Meanwhile, in a seemingly unrelated part of the world, another group of heroes rose to another startling challenge. As a result of the abrupt closure of US airspace, 38 commercial airliners carrying roughly 7,000 passengers were forced to land unexpectedly at a massive airport near the small, remote Newfoundland town of Gander in eastern Canada. The presence of “the plane people” nearly doubled the population of the community, and yet the residents of Gander and the surrounding area opened their homes, their schools, their churches, and their hearts to shelter, feed, clothe and care for strangers in their time of need.
It’s a story that is too big, too beautiful to exist only as words on a page, making Come From Away a must-see.
Even before settling into the charming, historic Electric Theater on Tabernacle Street in St. George, glimpses of the story to come are evident in the lobby. Most notable is the large screen above the ticket counter filled with flight schedules like you would see in an airport. Fortunately for the audience, the flight to Gander is ready, and departing on time.
The entertainment takes off in the energetic and powerful opening number, “Welcome to the Rock” and continues via a non-stop flight (no intermission) for approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. Thanks to the simple set design, and synergistic staging and choreography, the production moves along at a healthy clip, while somehow managing to ebb and flow at a pace that feels natural; allowing audiences to get caught up in the fervor of some moments and sit quietly in the pain of others.
That movement, both emotionally and physically, is also a credit to a strong group of actors. Every character in this piece has a story, and the execution of this production allows us to really appreciate the how each person’s experience was so individual yet inexorably entangled with the others.
As a contemporary piece of art, Come From Away naturally feels different from some traditional musicals, where a few lead characters tell a story supported by ensemble roles. Instead, this group of actors seems to move together as one, each taking on multiple roles — and multiple accents — with one or two people emerging momentarily to share a piece of the story before melting back into the collective as the show goes on. This is not to say there aren’t some characters with more speaking parts, or vocal solos, but each piece of the puzzle feels so reliant on the rest to paint the overall picture. It’s impossible to appreciate one without appreciating the whole.
Take married-in-real-life actors Richard and Rachael Rose, for example, whose roles as Doug, the British businessman and Diane, a mother from Texas, arguably emerge from the background more frequently. Each present themselves as extremely competent actors who could — and in previous productions have — carried the load of the story on their shoulders. Yet they manage to share the charming details of their story with depth and strength, particularly on songs like “The Dover Fault” and “Stop the World,” and then turn the spotlight to the next equally compelling figure.
Mikalene Ipson gracefully takes the spotlight intermittently as Beverly, the captain of an American Airlines plane. Ipson’s rich, throaty vocals were memorable whether she was singing a singular line, such as instructing Beverly’s family at home to “put a pin in Gander,” or telling the story of becoming the first female captain for American Airlines in her full song, “Me and the Sky”.
Meanwhile, Hannah, played beautifully by Mimi Knell, pulled at everyone’s heartstrings as she very convincingly portrayed the mother of a New York firefighter, whose desperate, but initially fruitless, attempts to get information on his whereabouts lead to the agonizing “I Am Here”. Additionally, Knell’s interactions with Beulah (played masterfully by Makayla Klump) shined a much-deserved light on just how hard this islander was working to feed, clothe and organize thousands of visitors to her homeland; yet she still had time to sit and wait with her new friend.
Bringing a helpful mix of comic relief, blended with a substantially emotional story of their own, Tim Merkley as Kevin T. and Eric Liebhardt as Kevin J. did extremely well presenting the Kevin’s story as a gay couple with a lot of humor and heart. Merkley in particular showcased his high-quality vocal talent, paired with Knell, in the hauntingly beautiful “Prayer”.
On the technical side of the show, there were several hits and only a few missteps. The video projections of actual 9-11 news footage were compelling to say the least, although the craggy backdrop on which they were projected made them a little difficult to see. Some microphone issues caused a few lines to get lost here and there, and the overall sound design (produced by Chops Downward) could use a little finesse just to even things out. Portions of the show — such as when the entire cast came together to sing — were extremely loud, while some character lines were swept away somewhere between the edge of the stage and the audience’s ears.
Subtle, yet important choreographed movements, such as the movements of the passengers on the airplane, are a testament to the director’s overall eye for detail.
From lift off to touch down, and especially the important moments in between, The Stage Door’s Come From Away simultaneously serves as a tribute, a time capsule, and a new perspective on a difficult time. There is much to be gained by taking a trip with this cast and crew to the little town of Gander, on a day in the world when everything changed.
SHOW INFO: Come From Away continues Thursdays through Saturdays until July 11th at The Electric Theater, 68 E. Tabernacle, St. George. Evening Performances start at 7:30pm and there is a Matinee at 2pm on June 27th. Tickets are $25 dollars plus a small online fee and there are discounts for Seniors and Students. For more information check out www.stagedoorutah.com