Come From Away at Theatre Royal Sydney

The Tony and Olivier Award winning hit musical has welcomed the world since it opened, so wherever you’re from, the door’s open – come on in.

COME FROM AWAY shares the incredible real-life story of the 7,000 air passengers from all over the world who were grounded in Canada during the wake of 9/11, and the small Newfoundland community that invited these ‘come from aways’ into their lives.

Awarded the Tony® for Best Direction of a Musical, Christopher Ashley’s production guides audiences through a colourful and spirited cast of characters, brought to life by Olivier Award winning writing team Irene Sankoff and David Hein.

"You'll laugh, cry, and leave the theatre full of hope!" - Daily Express

"A hit and a masterpiece! Joyous, uplifting and plenty of humour." - Herald Sun

Critic's Pick! "A big bearhug of a musical!" - The New York Times

"A stirring example of theatre at its most imaginative" - The Times

"There are shows you should see right now and COME FROM AWAY is one of them." - Chicago Tribune

"The guaranteed gift of a smile." - Post Tribune

"An amazing 100 minutes of great storytelling that will bring a tear to your eye, put a smile on your face and create a lasting memory." - Around The Town, Chicago

"The Next must-see of 2022." - Picture this Post

At its core, Come From Away is about the hopeful beginnings that come from unimaginable loss. The show deals with tough subject matter poignantly, leaving audiences feeling optimistic about humanity and the power of good; a timely reminder for modern Australians. Get Come From Away tickets in Sydney on TodayTix.

The characters portrayed onstage are based on real-life Newfoundland citizens who writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein actually interviewed in the small town of Gander (where the story takes place) on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

These everyday characters, along with the simple set design, serve as a refreshing alternative to extravagant stage productions. Discover more about the real people who found themselves in Gander, such as trailblazing pilot Beverley Bass (played by Zoe Gertz who soars to new heights in “Me and the Sky”), chipper Mayor of Gander, Claude (played by David Silvestri), kind and funny Beulah (played by Emma Powell), and more quirky and loveable characters.

See Come From Away at Theatre Royal Sydney and discover for yourself why people are calling it “the next must-see of 2022” (Picture this Post).

What To Watch For

• Where does the 'Come From Away' title originate? The musical is named after a native Newfoundlander tradition, where those not born on the island were referred to as "Come From Aways." Thankfully, everyone's accepted as an honorary Newfoundlander in this musical.

• Did you know Come From Away was originally going to be a play? That was writer Irene Sankoff’s plan until she saw the folk band Shanneyganock play “The Islander’ at an event in Gander. Then she knew the show had to be a musical.

• Every member of the Come From Away ensemble plays at least one Gander resident and one visitor, emphasising the connection between the locals and the plane passengers, and illustrating that we are all part of a greater whole. See if you can spot them all!

• Director Christopher Ashley decided on a minimalist approach of just 12 actors using chairs and tables to allow audiences to fill in the context themselves and bring their own personal memories and feelings to the piece.

• Before it opened on Broadway in 2017, the cast and crew of Come From Away brought a concert version of the show to Gander, Newfoundland where actors had the opportunity to perform in front of their real-life counterparts — talk about emotional!

CREATIVE TEAM:

Book, Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff, David Hein

Director: Christopher Ashley

Musical Staging: Kelly Devine

Musical Supervisor, Musical Arrangements: Ian Eisendrath

Musical Director: Michael Tyack AM

General Manager U.S: Alchemy Production Group

General Manager AUS: NewTheatricals

Producer: Junkyard Dog productions

Producer: Rodney Rigby

Original Melbourne Production Photograpy: Jeff Busby