Long Awaited Heart Warming Musical is Heading To Sydney
Must See at the State Theatre from August 8
After an acclaimed premiere Australian season in Melbourne last year, producers Rodney Rigby and Junkyard Dog Productions have announced this week that the worldwide smash hit and Tony and Olivier award-winning musical COME FROM AWAY will open at Sydney’s State Theatre on Saturday 8 August 2020.
With productions playing to sell-out audiences around the globe, Sydney audiences will now have the chance to discover the joy of this sleeper-hit and its remarkable true story of a small town that welcomed the world. Read DanceLife’s review of the Melbourne production of COME FROM AWAY here.
Producer Rodney Rigby said, “It’s been wonderful to see the huge success of COME FROM AWAY in Melbourne, and how Australian audiences continue to resonate with this enduring story of kindness and humanity. We are delighted to bring this special production to Sydney’s State Theatre in August”.
The Australian company, which has taken Melbourne by storm since opening in July, marks just the fifth production of the musical worldwide, joining long-running current seasons on Broadway, in Toronto, the West End and the US National Tour. COME FROM AWAY is playing its final weeks in Melbourne now.
COME FROM AWAY follows the incredible real-life journey of 7,000 air passengers who became grounded in Gander, Newfoundland in Canada in the wake of the September 11 tragedy. The small community that invited the ‘come from aways’ into their lives provided hope and humanity to those in need. Award-winning husband and wife authors David Hein and Irene Sankoff (book, music and lyrics), travelled to Newfoundland and interviewed thousands of locals, listening to and compiling their stories to share them with the world.
The musical has won countless awards internationally including the 2017 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (Christopher Ashley), Winner of five Outer Critics Circle Awards (New York) including Outstanding New Broadway Musical. On top of this, the musical has received three Drama Desk Awards (New York) including Outstanding Musical, four Helen Hayes Awards (Washington, D.C) including Outstanding Production of a Musical, four Gypsy Rose Lee Awards (Seattle) including Excellence in production of a Musical and six San Diego Critics Circle Awards including Outstanding New Musical.
In 2019, the musical added to its international award tally with four Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, Best Theatre Choreographer (Kelly Devine), Best Sound Design and Outstanding Achievement in Music, along with four Broadway World UK awards taking its international award tally to 41.
DanceLife has the pleasure of speaking with Kelly Devine about COME FROM AWAY last year. Read our interview with Kelly here.
Australian audiences have furthered its record-breaking status, earning the title of most successful musical ever staged in the Melbourne Comedy Theatre’s 91-year history, and the audience-voted Ticketmaster’s ‘Ticket of the Year’ award for 2019.
With book, music and lyrics by David Hein and Irene Sankoff, COME FROM AWAY is directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley (Diana, Memphis) choreographed by Olivier Award Winner Kelly Devine (Diana, Rock of Ages, Rocky) with music supervision by Ian Eisendrath (A Christmas Story, Diana), scenic design by Beowulf Boritt (Act One, Rock of Ages, Be More Chill), costume design by Toni-Leslie James (Jelly’s Last Jam), lighting design by Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys, Hamilton), sound design by Gareth Owen (Diana, A Bronx Tale).
COME FROM AWAY
Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
Until 8 March 2020
Bookings: comefromaway.com.au/tickets/melbourne/
State Theatre, Sydney
From 1 August 2020
Bookings: comefromaway.com.au/tickets/sydney/
