The production of ‘Come From Away’ has captivated audiences across North America and now the story of how the small community of Gander, Nfld. gained international prominence has come to the main stage at the Grand Theatre in London. During 9/11, this Canadian story epitomizes the “help your neighbour” attitude as planes were diverted to the island and welcomed by the residents with open arms. Much of the musical remains the same as the production performed in centres like Toronto and New York. However, the director of this version, Julie Tomaino, says a few things have been tweaked. “This is a non-replica production meaning the script stays the same and the music stays the same, but the staging and design elements are all original,” she said. On stage there are dozens and dozens of chairs, and they are meant to be centrepieces of the musical with Tomaino saying, “There’s 186 chairs on the set representing the people that come from away and religious, culture backgrounds of all of the people that were affected by the tragedy of 9/11.” Sheldon Elter is among the large ensemble, and he plays the part of real-life Gander police officer Oz Fudge. He says because of the size of the cast, “There’s no real stars and there’s no one person that stands alone in this production.” Elter adds, “It really is about the entire town coming together to help.” He says it’s a feel-good production. “I think this is the perfect piece of Canadiana. I think when you come to the show you will have a good laugh, but you will be leaving with a sense of hope,” Elter said. “Watching people come together to help during a crisis couldn’t be more Canadian.” ‘Come From Away’ is on now at the Grand Theatre in downtown London until May 31.
