‘Come From Away’ Brings the Power of Ensemble to Manila

‘Come From Away’ Brings the Power of Ensemble to Manila

Come From Away makes its Manila debut this June, bringing with it a remarkable theatrical feat: twelve actors portraying eighty-four characters, collectively performing thirteen different accents.

The production marks a significant milestone for GMG Productions—it is their first Philippine staging with a fully homegrown cast and creative team, following years of presenting international touring shows. “Come From Away was a very easy choice to make,” says GMG executive producer Sam Sewell.

The musical is based on the true story of what happened in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. When American airspace was shut down, 38 international flights carrying nearly 7,000 passengers were suddenly diverted to Gander—nearly doubling the town’s population overnight. 

Faced with an unprecedented crisis, the residents of this tight-knit community opened their homes, hearts, and lives to thousands of stranded strangers from around the world. With no major hotels or infrastructure to rely on, Gander’s residents transformed schools, churches, and even their own living rooms into shelters. 

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An Ensemble of Leading Lights

Come From Away is a rare kind of musical—one that relies entirely on the strength and synchronicity of its ensemble. Under the direction of Michael Williams, GMG Productions has assembled a powerhouse cast composed of actors often seen in leading roles, now coming together as one cohesive unit.

The cast includes Cathy Azanza-Dy as Diane, Caisa Borromeo as Bonnie, Garrett Bolden as Bob, Becca Coates as Janice, Steven Cadd as Claude, Rycharde Everley as Nick, Topper Fabregas as Kevin J., Sheila Francisco as Beulah, Carla Guevara Laforteza as Hannah, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Beverly, Gian Magdangal as Oz, and George Schulze as Kevin T. Swings include Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, Mayen Cadd, and Chino Veguillas.

“At their level, these guys are amazing ensemble players,” says Williams. “It’s not something you expect because they’re all leads. They’re all playing leads, but in an ensemble way, so it’s actually very interesting.”

 

The show is performed in a unique, minimalist style: the entire cast remains on stage for nearly the full 100-minute runtime, rapidly transitioning between roles—sometimes with nothing more than a shift in posture, a new accent, or a jacket. Chairs and movement form the backbone of the staging, with lighting and sound design further defining changes in setting and tone.

“Any show is tricky”, says Topper Fabregas, “but this is, we’re basically on stage for 90 minutes, and every track is set to music. So if one doesn’t come in, it affects everybody else.” 

He adds, “And what’s kind of tricky but also lovely about it is we really get to play with each other and keep the ball up at the same time.”

Sheila Francisco agrees and says that everyone has to constantly be at the same energy level. “Dapat parehong pareho because if it’s not, it’s not going to work.” 

“We don’t have a lot of work that’s like this, so the entire experience is lovely. It’s hard, it’s difficult, but we got each other’s backs. So when it works, IT WORKS.”

Cathy Azanza-Dy and Rycharde Everley note that even their rehearsal process reflects the show’s core message.

“Everytime we’re rehearsing, we’re always kind of figuring stuff out together. Even down to the [technical aspect of the chair choreography],” says Azanza Dy. “So it’s community building in the rehearsal that hopefully will also bleed out into the show.

“The show is about community and coming together,” adds Everley. “And we, as a cast, have to come together and rely on each other and be a community. The way it’s structured, it means we have to. It really leans into the message of the show.”

Williams echoes this: “This script is kind of abstract and poetic. There’s a lot of echoing of the lines. It’s about community experience. It’s about people coming together and dedicating themselves to one thing, so it’s imperative for me to have that in the process of rehearsals.”

 Real People, Real Impact

As Come From Away is based on real events, the entire cast had the opportunity to speak with some of the people portrayed in the show. Over Zoom, they connected with Diane and Nick—the real-life couple portrayed onstage by Azanza-Dy and Everley.

“They’re lovely and they’re really just so open-hearted,” Williams shares. “They’ve been changed because of what they’ve experienced. Everyone, for five days, pure, on steroids, generosity, kindness, and love. For five days, they were steeped in that. It’s an incredible story.” 

 

Williams admits that certain moments still hit him deeply. “There are scenes I’m blocking where my heart clenches. I get teary-eyed because of the sympathy and empathy that the characters are showing. It’s like, what have we become, when this becomes special when it shouldn’t be. It should be the standard. But here, they’ve become superheroes of generosity and kindness but actually, they’re the simplest people who live on a rock.”

That resonance is particularly strong for Filipino audiences, Williams believes. “We resonate with it because at our core, culturally, we’re like that—bayanihan. We’re generous. I hope we don’t lose it because we’re becoming more and more cosmopolitan, we’re becoming more and more progressive, more and more cynical and hardened.”

Francisco builds on the sentiment: “It’s in us na eh. We’re Pinoys. We have that, but maybe we don’t really use it. Not upfront. So seeing the Ganderites and Newfoundlanders, it’s so innate, it’s so natural, it’s so organic to be kind. And I know Pinoys will latch on to that and say, ‘Kaya natin. Tayo rin ganyan tayo eh’.”

“We have malasakit, we have bayanihan,” adds Azanza-Dy. “We forget sometimes that we have the power to be that way. But it’s shows like this that remind you that you have it in you to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Fabregas hopes the Philippine staging makes a double impact: “GMG has brought in Hamilton, The Lion King, Miss Saigon—they’ve brought in a lot of the touring companies, and this is the first time that they’re banking on Filipinos to represent such a lovely human story, and so I hope na, people are moved by the story but are also so moved by the fact that it’s our own local talent.”

Featuring a book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the production will showcase a new creative vision, helmed by director Michael Williams, with Rony Fortich serving as musical director. They are joined by Delphine Buencamino (Choreography), Harry Tabner (Lighting Designer), Luke Swaffield (Sound Designer), Kayla Teodoro (Production Designer), Myrene Santos (Hair and Makeup Designer), Hershee Tatiado (Costume Designer), and Joel Goldes, the dialect coach from the original Broadway production of Come From Away.

Come From Away will run from June 6 to 29 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT). Tickets are available at Ticketworld starting at P900.