NEW MUSICAL COME FROM AWAY TO OPEN ON BROADWAY
FOLLOWING PRODUCTIONS IN WASHINGTON DC AND TORONTO
BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY IRENE SANKOFF & DAVID HEIN
DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY
CHOREOGRAPHED BY KELLY DEVINE
WASHINGTON DC’S FORD’S THEATRE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016
TORONTO AT A MIRVISH THEATRE TO BE ANNOUNCED
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2016 – SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2017
PREMIERING ON BROADWAY SPRING 2017
AT A THEATRE TO BE ANNOUNCED
(New York, NY) Junkyard Dog Productions announced today that the new musical Come From Away will premiere on Broadway in the spring of 2017 at a theatre to be announced following productions at Washington DC’s Ford’s Theatre as part of their 2016-2017 season from Friday, September 2 – Sunday, October 9, 2016, and in Toronto as part of the Mirvish Theatre’s 2016-2017 Subscription Series from Tuesday, November 15, 2016 – Sunday, January 1, 2017, at a Mirvish Theatre to be announced.
With a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff & David Hein, Come From Away is directed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Ashley (Memphis) and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine (Rocky), with scenic design by Tony Award winner Beowulf Boritt (Act One), costume design by Tony Award nominee Toni-Leslie James (Jelly’s Last Jam), lighting design by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Gareth Owen (End of the Rainbow), and music supervision by Ian Eisendrath (A Christmas Story).
In a heartbeat, 38 planes and 6,579 passengers were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, doubling the population of one small town on the edge of the world.
When the world stopped, their stories moved us all.
Set against the backdrop of that infamous day in September 2001, Come From Away is a new original musical with a propulsive score by Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and direction by Christopher Ashley.
Following sold-out, record-breaking, critically acclaimed world premiere engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, Come From Away landed on the “Best Theater of 2015” lists in the Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, San Diego Union Tribune, and Times of San Diego. Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times called the show “An affecting, stirring and unpretentious new musical. Christopher Ashley’s production lets the simple goodness of ordinary people outshine sensational evil,” and Bob Verini of Variety raved, “Superb! Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein have forged a moving, thoroughly entertaining tribute to international amity and the indomitable human spirit.”
Come From Away was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theater. Come From Away (NAMT Festival 2013) was originally developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project, Michael Rubinoff Producer, Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada and was further developed at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, in East Haddam, CT. The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council and The Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle WA also provided development support.
Please visit: comefromawaythemusical.com
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BIOGRAPHIES
Irene Sankoff and David Hein (Book, Music, Lyrics) are a Canadian husband-and-wife writing team. Their first show, My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding (based on David’s mother’s true story) was the hit of the Toronto Fringe Festival, where it was picked up for a successful commercial run in Toronto by Mirvish Productions. It has now played and won awards across North America, with Sankoff and Hein performing in most productions. Come From Away was developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project and Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, showcased at the NAMT Festival of New Works and enjoyed a record-setting, multiple award-winning, critically acclaimed world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory – recently winning “Outstanding New Musical” and “Best Score” among other awards at the San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Awards and “Excellence in Production of Musical” among other awards in Seattle’s Gypsy Rose Lee awards. Their next musical, Mitzvah, was recently developed at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, The Jewish Plays Project, the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat and most recently at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Sankoff and Hein are the recipients of a Bryden “Ones-to-Watch” award, a Playwrights Guild of Canada award, and several ASCAP Plus awards.
Christopher Ashley (Director/Playhouse Artistic Director) has served as Artistic Director at La Jolla Playhouse since 2007. During his tenure, he helmed the world premieres of The Darrell Hammond Project, Claudia Shear’s Restoration and Arthur Kopit and Anton Dudley’s A Dram of Drummhicit, as well as John Guare’s adaptation of His Girl Friday, David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the musical Xanadu and Memphis, which went on to Broadway, winning four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. In addition, he spearheaded the Playhouse’s Without Walls site-specific theatre series, the Resident Theatre program, and the DNA new Work Series. Prior to joining the Playhouse, Mr. Ashley directed the Broadway productions of Xanadu (Drama Desk nominations), All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), as well as The Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Merrily We Roll Along and Sweeney Todd (Helen Hayes Award for Direction). Other New York Credits include: Leap of Faith, Blow Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla, Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Bunny Bunny, Communicating Doors, the Night Hank Williams Died and Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award). He also directed the feature films Jeffrey, Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS, and Lucky Stiff. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship.
Kelly Devine (Choreographer) Broadway: Rocky (Tony nom., Drama Desk nom., and Outer Critics nom.), Zhivago, Rock of Ages; International: Rocky (Germany), Zhivago (Australia), Rock of Ages (West End, UK tour, Toronto, Australia; Helpman/Green Room Award); Opera: Faust (Metropolitan Opera / London Coliseum), Wozzeck (San Diego Opera); Off-Broadway: Rock of Ages, Fat Camp, Frankenstein, Anne Wrecksick; Regional: Toxic Avenger, A Christmas Story, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Sneaux; La Jolla Playhouse: Come From Away, Peter and the Starcatcher, Zhivago, Private Fittings; Stratford Shakespeare Festival: Cabaret, Romeo & Juliet; Film/Television: “Mozart in the Jungle,” Dear Dumb Diary, Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List, Happy Texas, Zombie Prom.
Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Designer). Broadway: Act One (Tony Award), The Scottsboro Boys (Tony nominations), Terese Raquin, On the Town, Hand to God, Sondheim on Sondheim, …Spelling Bee, LoveMusik, Rock of Ages, Chaplin, Bronx Bombers, Grace, The Two and Only. Off Broadway: 99 shows, including The Toxic Avenger, The Last Five Years, Miss Julie; Roundabout, MTC, Public, Second Stage, Vineyard, MCC, Primary Stages and The New Group. Other Designs: The Seven Deadly Sins (New York City Ballet) and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He received a 2007 OBIE Award for sustained excellence.
Toni-Leslie James (Costume Designer). La Jolla Playhouse: Glengarry Glen Ross, Milk like Sugar. She is a Tony Award-nominated costume designer, having designed on Broadway for Amazing Grace, Lucky Guy, The Scottsboro Boys, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, King Hedley II, The Wild Party, Marie Christine, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches & Perestoika and Jilly’s Last Jam. Off Broadway, she has designed multiple productions for The Public, Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center, NYTW and over 15 productions for the NY City Center Encores series. Regionally her work has been seen at La Jolla Playhouse, Steppenwolf, The Long Wharf, The Old Globe, Williamstown Theatre Festival and others.
Howell Binkley (Lighting Designer), Broadway designs include: Hamilton, Allegiance, After Midnight (2014 Tony nomination), West Side Story (2009 Tony nomination), Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, In The Heights (2008 Tony nomination), Avenue Q, The Full Monty, Parade, and Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1993 Tony nomination). Extensive regional and dance works include: The Joffrey Ballet’s Billboards, Co-Founder and Resident Lighting Designer for Parsons Dance. A five-time Helen Hayes Award recipient, Mr. Binkley received the 1993 Oliver Award and Canadian Dora Award for Kiss of the Spider Woman and the 2006 Henry Hewes Design Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Tony award for Jersey Boys.
Gareth Owen (Sound Design). La Jolla Playhouse: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. His awards include an Olivier Award for Merrily We Roll Along and Memphis, Tony Award nominations for A Little Night Music and End of the Rainbow, nominations for Top Hat and End of the Rainbow. He has designed more than 250 commercial musicals. Recent productions include: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, Hairspray and Singin’ in the Rain (all Worldwide); Titanic (Toronto); Moederik Wil Bij de Revue (Holland); I Can’t Sing, Memphis, Let It Be and Woman in Black (all in London’s West End); The Producers and Top Hat (UK Tour); The Rocky Horror Show (Austrailia).
Ian Eisendrath (Music Supervisor, Musical Arrangements). Broadway: A Christmas Story. Regional: Aladdin, A Room with a View, Secondhand Lions, Vanitites, Oklahoma!, On the Town, Sunday in the Park with George, Cabaret, Into the Woods, West Side Story, Company, Sweeney Todd, Carousel, Titanic and Miss Saigon (5th Avenue Theatre); The Nutcracker and Susan Stroman’s Take Five (Pacific Northwest Ballet); A Christmas Story (Kansas City Rep); Cabaret (Theatre Under the Stars, The Ordway, American Musical Theater of San Jose); Miss Saigon (Casa Manana). Mr. Eisendrath is the Music Supervisor and Alhadeff Family Director of New Works at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Education: B.M.A in conducting musical theatre from University of Michigan. Love and thanks to Anne.
Junkyard Dog Productions (Producer). Junkyard Dog Productions is a Tony Award Winning producing company dedicated to developing and producing new musical theatre. JYD produced the 2010 Tony Award Winning Best Musical, Memphis, which enjoyed an artistically and commercially successful three year run on Broadway, as well as a multi-year National Tour and Olivier Award Winning run on London’s West End starring Beverley Knight. JYD was lead producer on First Date (2013) starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez. Other new musicals in development include Chasing the Song, from the creators of Memphis, Tony Award winners Joe DiPietro and David Bryan; Take The Lead, by Jonathan Tolins, Robert Cary, Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary; and Fly High by Steven McKinnon, Amy Sky, Marc Jordan and Marc Acito. In addition, JYD served as Executive Producer for Doctor Zhivago (2014) on Broadway. Since its inception in 2006, Junkyard Dog Productions has produced Make Me A Song, The Music of William Finn Off-Broadway (Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award nominations) and at The New Players Theatre in London; Vanities, A New Musical with Pasadena Playhouse (Summer 2008) as well as Second Stage Theatre (July 2009); Memphis with La Jolla Playhouse (summer 2008) and Seattle’s Fifth Avenue Theatre (Winter 2009); Party Come Here at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and in association with The Williamstown Theatre Festival. Founding partners in Junkyard Dog are Randy Adams, Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff and Sue Frost. www.jydprod.com.
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