“Come From Away” is coming back.
Canada’s most successful homegrown musical — which tells the story of when 38 plans were grounded in Gander, NL, following 9/11 — is set to return to Toronto in 2024 following a run at the National Arts Center in Ottawa.
Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez announced the new production, to be led by an all-Canadian cast, at the NAC’s National Culture Summit on Monday night.
Rodriguez said he and his team began working to bring the musical back to Canada after the show’s record-breaking Toronto production, which ran for three years and 855 performances, abruptly shuttered in December 2021 due to pandemic-related concerns.
“’Come From Away’ is an iconic story about the generous spirit of Canadians — a story about kindness and compassion, and about Canadian values,” he said. “So when we heard the news (of the closure), we said, ‘We cannot let that happen.’ ”
The new production is set to play a limited run at the NAC’s 897-seat Babs Asper Theater in July and August 2024, before transferring to the Royal Alexandra Theater in Toronto for an open-ended run beginning in September 2024.
The production in Ottawa will be funded in part by some of the $12.1 million allocated to the NAC in last month’s federal budget. Mirvish Productions will then assume financial responsibility for the show when it transfers to Toronto.
John Karastamatis, spokesperson for Mirvish, said the NAC contacted them after the original Toronto production closed, asking if Mirvish would be willing to participate in this remount production.
“It was very sad, almost tragic when we lost the show in December,” he said. “So to be able to bring it back is a big win for everyone — the creators, the creative team.”
Karastamatis noted that the new production will use the props and sets from the original Toronto run, which are currently in storage. He did not rule out the possibility that cast members from the original Canadian company could return to the show in 2024.
Michael Rubinoff, the originating producer of “Come From Away,” said the financial backing from the federal government to help support the production’s Ottawa run is a positive sign.
“The commercial theater sector hasn’t really had a relationship with the federal government due to the nature of its work,” he said. “There was a willingness to listen and there was a willingness to be educated about the importance of our sliver of our sector. And I’m very pleased that we have the outcome that we have.”
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