Stage Door News
Stage Door News
It was a stellar week for the made-in-Canada musical COME FROM AWAY. The show reopened the newly restored Royal Alexandra Theatre on November 23, 2016, with rave reviews from the critics and unprecedented demand from theatregoers.
By the end of the week on November 27, the show had sold more than $1.7M of new tickets for the week. That is a record at the 109-year-old Royal Alex.
On Monday, November 28, the demand for tickets was so strong that the ticket-buying process became very congested, prompting the theatre to issue an alert asking for patience while people looked for tickets.
**** The theatre also cautions theatregoers to be very careful when purchasing tickets online. There are many resellers on websites that mimic the graphics of the official site. If the site offers tickets in US currency and at exorbitant prices, it is an illegitimate reseller.
The only site that sells legitimate tickets is mirvish.com. The ticket prices are $65 to $159, based on date of performance and seat location; there are also premium location seats at $225 and $235.
COME FROM AWAY only plays at the Royal Alex until January 8, 2017, after which it transfers to New York for its Broadway premiere on February 18, 2017. For the six remaining weeks in Toronto, there are fewer than 8,000 tickets left from a capacity of 60,000.
About COME FROM AWAY
The Broadway, Toronto and Gander cast of COME FROM AWAY features Petrina Bromley (Stratford’s As You Like It); Geno Carr (The Old Globe’s Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas); Jenn Colella (If/Then); Joel Hatch (Annie); Rodney Hicks (The Scottsboro Boys); Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked); Tony Award nominee Chad Kimball (Memphis); Lee MacDougall (Stratford’s The Music Man); Caesar Samayoa (Sister Act); Q. Smith (Mary Poppins); Astrid Van Wieren (North American premiere of Mamma Mia!); Sharon Wheatley (Avenue Q); Josh Breckenridge (The Scottsboro Boys); Susan Dunstan (The Lion King US National Tour); Tamika Lawrence (If/Then) and Tony LePage (Rock of Ages).
With a book, music and lyrics by Canadians Irene Sankoff & David Hein, COME FROM AWAY is directed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Ashley (Memphis), choreographed by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine (Rocky), with music supervision by Ian Eisendrath (A Christmas Story), 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 two-time Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Hamilton), sound design by Tony Award nominee Gareth Owen (End of the Rainbow), orchestrations by Tony Award nominee August Eriksmoen (Bright Star), music arrangements by Ian Eisendrath and casting by Telsey + Company.
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.
On September 11, 2001 the world stopped. On September 12, their stories moved us all.
Following sold-out, record-breaking, critically-acclaimed world premiere engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre and presented in 2016 by Ford’s 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.” Peter Marks of the Washington Post called COME FROM AWAY, “a heartwarming, compelling and refreshing musical packed with goodwill. The score has an infectious vitality. My heart leaped several times.”
COME FROM AWAY is produced by Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Alhadeff Productions, Michael Alden & Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Sam Levy, Rodney Rigby, Spencer Ross, Richard Winkler, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Michael & Ellise Coit, Ronald Frankel, Sheri & Les Biller, Richard Belkin, Gary & Marlene Cohen, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson, Lauren Doll, Barbara H. Freitag, Wendy Gillespie, Laura Little Theatricals, Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg, Radio Mouse Entertainment, The Shubert Organization, Cynthia Stroum, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Gwen Arment/Molly Morris & Terry McNicholas, Maureen & Joel Benoliel/Majorie & Ron Danz, Pamela Cooper/Corey Brunish, Demos Bizar/Square 1 Theatrics, Joshua Goodman/Lauren Stevens, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams Productions, Bill & Linda Potter/Rosemary & Kenneth Willman, and La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre.
American Airlines is the official airline partner for COME FROM AWAY.
COME FROM AWAY was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theater and presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre. 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, Steve and Paula Reynolds and The Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle WA also provided development support.
COME FROM AWAY
Now on stage through January 8, 2017
The Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. West, Toronto
Available online at mirvish.com
By phone 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333
In-person at the theatre box office
Ticket Prices: $65 - $159
Please visit: www.ComeFromAway.com.
2016-11-28
Toronto: "Come From Away" racks up $1.7 million in sales for the week of November 21