‘Come From Away’ arrives at Ohio Theatre, shares true story of kindness and community

The cast of the first North American tour company of “Come From Away” join together in song. Credit: Courtesy of Matthew Murphy

The latest Broadway musical to arrive at the Ohio Theatre tells a true story meant to inspire all, whether they come from nearby or away.

The touring production of “Come From Away,” which opens Tuesday and runs through Feb. 13, takes place directly after 9/11. It follows 7,000 air passengers who were left stranded in a small town in Newfoundland, Canada, after the American airspace closed, Lisa Minken, Broadway marketing manager for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, said.

Minken said the musical follows the passengers’ interactions with the locals and serves as a celebration of the community they formed.

“The kindness that this community showed all these strangers from so many different backgrounds and beliefs is incredible,” Minken said. “They took them in and treated them as their own. I think that’s something that we can all appreciate, and that the world could use a little more of today.”

“Come From Away” not only follows real-life events but also features characters based on real people, Minken said, making it a unique experience for audience members. The show utilizes a cast of 12 actors to portray roughly 100 characters, Julia Knitel, who plays Janice and others in the musical, said.

Knitel said “Come From Away” is also unique in that its musical score was influenced by its setting in the small Canadian town of Gander. 

“Many years ago — when there were a lot of Irish people immigrating to North America — the people who settled in Newfoundland really brought their sense of music, and it kind of crossed with some more Canadian folk songs and styles,” Knitel said. “So there are some really cool instruments that you don’t hear every day in the average musical.”

“Come From Away” is the fourth show to arrive in Columbus during Broadway in Columbus’ 2021-22 season, according to its website. Minken said the association has been excited to bring theater back to the city following a string of postponements due to the pandemic.

“Bringing theater back has felt pretty incredible,” Minken said. “When we opened our season with ‘Hadestown,’ you could feel the excitement in the theater. The energy was palpable.”

Theater’s return to Columbus has not come without the implementation of COVID-19 safety precautions, Minken said. Audience members are required to provide proof of a negative test taken within 24 hours or proof of vaccination for guests ages 12 and older, and all patrons are asked to wear a face mask above their nose unless they are actively eating or drinking, she said.

“While COVID has definitely added some layers of necessary steps to make theater happen, I think people are more than happy to oblige with those regulations that we put in place to make sure not only the actors and crew are safe, but also the audience,” Minken said.

Knitel said she is excited to bring “Come From Away” to Columbus because she feels theater has tremendous value.

“Theater has the same effect on you as travel, you know, you go to a new place, you experience different customs, you try different foods and you come home changed,” Knitel said. “And I think that theater has a way of doing that, no matter where you see it. You just have to walk into a room not too far from where you live and experience something that you can only experience in that 100 minutes in that room.”

She said she hopes audience members will leave the theater feeling eager to spread kindness to those around them.

“I think it’s a difficult time that we are living in when it comes to human kindness and caring for your fellow woman or man or person, you know, caring for your fellow humans,” Knitel said. “And I think what ‘Come From Away’ reminds us of is that it doesn’t take a lot to change somebody’s life.”

Tickets for “Come From Away” are still available for purchase starting at $39 on the Broadway in Columbus website.