Heartwarming Come From Away at Marriott Lincolnshire Resort
At a time when our nation is at war, our country is divided, and common decency is vanishing from our daily discourse, we need experiences which remind us of the potential for good that we all have, and the compassion we can all share, if we only try. Such an experience is the heartwarming musical, “Come From Away,” now receiving an electrifying production in a northern suburb of Chicago at the Marriott Theatre in the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort. This musical about a plane full of weary travelers caught in the wake of tragedy of September 11, 2001 is the perfect escape from the troubles of the world today.
Come From Away chronicles five days in the lives of the passengers on an American Airlines flight after it was diverted, along with 37 other flights and 7000 people, to a tiny Canadian town in Newfoundland called Gander, doubling its population overnight. Rather than fearing the strangers, or resenting the intrusion, the people of this quiet town opened their hearts and homes without reservation to their visitors until they would be permitted to leave again.
Authors of book, music and lyrics, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, have pulled off a real theatrical hat trick, turning a fundamentally non dramatic story where conflict dissolves in cooperation into a pulsing, funny, touching, tuneful two hours of pure happiness.
As much as I enjoyed this show on Broadway, I loved it even more up close and personal in the intimate arena setting of the Marriott Theatre. Director Jessica Fisch and choreographer Katie Spelman keep the acting, singing and movement whirling seamlessly around the stage, never stopping to take a breath.
The same dozen or so actors play both the passengers and townspeople, changing costume and persona in a constant whirlwind of comedy, music and activity. A few props serve as moveable scenery, such as the pieces of luggage which double as the plane’s seating. The floor of the stage is also decorated with a map of the area, and some cleverly used, oversized “pins” to tell us where we are. Scott Penner’s sets, Jesse Klug’s lighting, costumes by Jessica Pabst and outstanding sound design by Michael Daly all flesh out the collective creative vision.
The Irish tinged score, played by a crackerjack band under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson and conductor Celia Villacres, throbs with Gaelic energy and adds emotional impact to what would seem otherwise mundane events. This show is a rare example of a musical that manages to succeed being driven by external events rather than the personal goals of a central character, and cooperation rather than conflict.
Chicago is blessed with a big base of talented performers, and Marriott Theatre always manages to cast the best of them. Every member of this company is touching, funny, smart, and perfectly cast. They include Heidi Kettenring as Diane, a woman from Texas, and Matt Crowle, a man from England, who form a relationship during the crisis. Lexie Dorsett Sharp is the stalwart captain who led a trailblazing female flight crew. Sharriese Hamilton is Hannah, a woman whose firefighter son is caught in the tragedy back home. Devin DeSantis and Jonathan Shaboo are a gay couple, both named Kevin, whose relationship is challenged by the stress. Shaboo is also quite touching when he plays Ali, the Egyptian citizen who is searched and profiled simply because he is Arabic. Their stories are balanced with the Fargo-esque, homespun humor of the townspeople, including Madison Kauffman as Janice, a neophyte reporter, Alex Goodrich as Claude, the beleaguered mayor, Justin Albinder as Oz, the town constable among several other brilliantly depicted roles, Michael Earvin Martin, Denise Devlin, and Sarah Bockel.
Although the catalyst for the action on 9/11 was catastrophic, the story of the visit to Gander itself isn’t really dramatic. After all, the worst that happens is…not much. With the exception of one personal loss, it’s all good. But seeing a story like this, where goodness of heart is all that really matters, and knowing that it is actually true, is a joyful experience you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
So, whether you are in Chicago now or looking to take a theatrical road trip, allow yourself to come from away, and catch this wonderful show before it leaves on October 18.
