Theatre
Cast Announce
Come From Away announce cast
A stellar cast has been announced to bring critically acclaimed musical 'Come From Away' to life ahead of its 2019 premiere.
Broadway sensation Come from Away tells the powerful true story of thousands of passengers stranded in the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada in the wake of September 11, 2001.
Cultures clashed and nerves ran high but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. It is truly a story of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary circumstances.
The musical is the work of husband and wife duo David Hein and Irene Sankoff who travelled to Newfoundland and, through countless interviews, have brought this incredible story to the stage.
The couple arrived in Melbourne to announce the cast who will be bringing the story of the 7,000 stranded passengers in Newfoundland to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre stage.
IMAGE: Come From Away Cast announcement in Melbourne
Nicholas Brown (STC’s The Long Forgotten Dream, Disney India’s Beauty and the Beast) will play Kevin J (and others) – who after heading on holiday with his partner wants to leave and get back to the US ASAP. Nathan Carter (Kinky Boots, Wicked and Opera Australia’s My Fair Lady) will play Nick (and others) while Katrina Retallick (STC’s Wharf Revue and Channel 9’s Love Child) will play the woman he falls in love with, and later marries, Diane (and others).
WAAPA graduate Zoe Gertz (Les Miserables, Wicked, and She Loves Me and High Fidelity) will play American Airlines’ first female pilot Beverley (and others), Simon Maiden (The Dressmaker, Romulus, My Father and Jack Irish) will play Gander police constable Oz (and others), and Sydney Theatre Award winner Laura Murphy (Muriel’s Wedding) will play eager new local TV reporter Janice (and others).
Richard Piper (Bell Shakespeare’s The War of the Roses, Henry V, MTC’s Born Yesterday, STC’s The Secret River) will play Mayor of Gander, Newfoundland Claude (and others), Emma Powell (Les Miserables, Priscilla – Queen of the Desert) will play Head of Canada’s Veteran support and community service organisation Gander Legion, Beulah (and others), and Kellie Rode (The Rocky Horror Show, Virgins) will play head of the Gander area SPCA, Bonnie (and others).
Rounding out the cast announcement are Glen Hogstrom, Angela Kennedy, Kathleen Moore, Jensen Overend, Ash Roussety and Alana Tranter who will all be understudies for the Melbourne season.
Producer Rodney Rigby says, “The entire creative team is excited by the extraordinary cast that has been assembled for the Australian company of Come From Away, and we look forward to announcing additional members of the company early in 2019.”
Come From Away has won number awards including the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (Christopher Ashley), five Outer Critics Circle Awards (New York) including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, three Drama Desk Awards (New York) including Outstanding Musical, and four Helen Hayes Awards (Washington, D.C) including Outstanding Production of a Musical.
Come From Away will come to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from Wednesday July 3 until Sunday August 25, 2019. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com.au
