You would think being able to act and sing would be enough to land a role in a musical.
That’s typically the case, but then the Capitol Theatre’s production of Come From Away isn’t your typical musical, what with its demand that some of the actors also be able to play an instrument. Walking and chewing gum at the same time seems like a breeze by comparison.
When the hit Canadian musical about how the residents of the small town of Gander in Newfoundland welcomed thousands of airline passengers and crew who were stranded there after the 9/11 terrorist attacks opens July 10 at the historic Port Hope theatre, two of Peterborough’s most revered musicians will be in the mix in the form of Beau Dixon and Melissa Payne.
Dixon is playing the dual roles of Gander policeman Oz and Egyptian passenger Ali while Payne is portraying Bonnie, an SPCA worker tasked with caring for any animals aboard those same planes.
Not lost on either is their part in bringing the beloved and multi-awarded musical to a local stage for a remarkable 35 performances over a one-month period. The show has already been extended with eight additional performances in August because it’s selling so well.
With book and music by the Canadian writing team of David Hein and Irene Sankoff, Come From Away relates the true events that followed when 10,000 Gander residents were confronted with almost 6,600 very unexpected arrivals in the form of the passengers and crew of 38 flights diverted when American airspace was closed following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington DC.
Each character in Come From Away is based on a real-life person who was embroiled in the drama of that dark day, and the days that followed.
The critically acclaimed Broadway run that saw close to 1,700 performances from March 2017 to October 2022 was punctuated by seven Tony Award nominations in 2017, winning Best Direction of a Musical for director Christopher Ashley. Two years later, it was nominated in nine categories at the Laurence Olivier Awards, and won three, including Best Musical.
It’s a pretty good bet that the most vindicated man in the room at both award ceremonies was Toronto theatre producer Michael Rubinoff, whose concept for the show was turned down by several writers before Hein and Sankoff jumped on it.
As for Dixon and Payne, they bring different levels of experience to this staging of the musical, which is directed by Capitol Theatre artistic director Rob Kempson with music direction by Jeff Newberry and choreography by Genny Sermonia.
In Detroit-born Dixon, Kempson has casted an award-winning playwright, an actor whose resumé is overflowing with stage and television credits, and an accomplished musician and singer who has written and produced songs for television and radio, performed live on countless occasions, and has numerous album credits.
Meanwhile, Ennismore native Payne is a creative tour de force in own right, albeit mostly as musician. Her mastery of the fiddle has anchored numerous live performances both locally and abroad and her songwriting has produced several albums and singles. What is missing is any notable stage experience. That, says Dixon, has proven a non-issue.
“Day one of rehearsal, we did a reading,” Dixon says. “Monique Lund (in the role of Beulah), who’s a professional actor who has worked for like 25 years, had no idea that Melissa wasn’t an equity actor. She received very high praise about her acting ability from a fellow actor — that’s just a testament to how good Melissa is going to be in this show.”
Thankful for the compliment, Payne admits “It all makes me sweat a bit.”
“I said to the cast on the first day that I have imposter syndrome. Beau’s done everything, from TV to Stratford. I’m sitting in a room full of professionals. I’m like ‘What am I doing here?’ But everyone has been so supportive and so kind, and I get to learn from people like Beau.”
In Come From Away, Payne plays the fiddle, sings, and does “a little dancing” while Dixon brings his guitar and bass skills to the proceedings.
As she navigates what is a new experience for her, Payne says seeing a familiar face helps.
“It’s calming,” she says, adding, “I’m an extrovert but also introverted, so I’m kind of like inside my own head. Having someone who I know and trust, Beau is just such a safe place to say all my thoughts and talk me through things.”
Speaking to the story, and particularly what makes it resonate with audiences, Dixon says Come From Away speaks to many demographics.
“You don’t see thinly dressed chorus girls on stage. You don’t see good-looking men — not that we’re not good-looking men, but you’ve got all shapes and sizes. It’s about everyday people. That’s why it resonates so well with the masses. It’s broken that cliché of tassels and tap shoes. It’s a working-class musical.”
For her part, Payne agrees there’s something about stories that speak to human kindness when uncertainty and despair descend.
“This production about a small town is being staged in a small town. People grab on; they see themselves. In Peterborough and Port Hope and the surrounding area, if there is someone who has fallen on hard times or some kind of tragedy, people just jump in. You can see your aunt or uncle or uncle doing the same (as Gander residents did on 9/11).”
“It’s a timeless musical because it’s about hope,” Dixon adds. “It’s about universal compassion. It’s about racial equality. It’s a reminder that we’re all in this together. More so than ever, we need a musical like this.”
“There are actors in the show who weren’t around when 9/11 happened. Still, they are emotionally invested and engaged in the musical. It’s the same thing for audiences. I can’t think of a musical that taps into the themes like Come From Away does.”
Both Dixon and Payne have clear memories of that September Tuesday morning close to 25 years ago when 2,977 victims lost their lives, most when the twin skyscrapers of the World Trade Center collapsed after being struck by passenger jets hijacked by terrorists.
At his mom’s home in Peterborough’s East City, Dixon called a friend to ask him if he wanted to “throw around a frisbee.” His friend said “Beau, you’ve got to turn on the TV. New York is under attack.”
With that, Dixon drove to his friend’s place, arriving in time to see the second hijacked plane crash into the north tower.
Payne, meanwhile, was in her high school science class.
“The teacher said ‘We have to take a moment here to roll in a TV and put on the news.’ We watched it unfold as it was happening. We felt like the world was under attack. My mom came and picked up my brother and I. We didn’t leave the TV for like 24 hours.”
Dixon and Payne say the staging of an ambitious musical such as Come From Away, with all its moving parts, calls for a steady hand at the helm. To that end, each has nothing but praise for Kempson’s direction and guidance.
“Rob makes you feel seen and heard and confident,” Payne says.
“He’s very kind and thoughtful, but he’s very serious when it comes to the production. But he’s there to make sure we got this. I’m lucky. I know there are horror stories (about directors), but he’s not one of them.”
Dixon, who has acted under several directors as well as directed himself, worked with Kempson in Toronto back in the day.
“I was elated when I found out he was AD (artistic director) of the Capitol Theatre,” he says, adding “Being in Peterborough, and now having a son, I don’t really want to be travelling to Toronto. This is my dream. I would love to retire here — do 4th Line (Theatre) in July and do Port Hope in August, or vice versa, and do film and television in the winter.”
“Rob really understands the balance of business and pleasure. He’s an actor’s director. He trusts the actors. He doesn’t teach them how to act.”
As for what’s next for Payne after Come From Away, she says the experience has whet her appetite for more theatre work, but admits “I’d be scared to go somewhere that wasn’t the Capitol. It has been great.”
“I’m turning 40 in two weeks. I’m learning a new skill at this age. I’ve learned so much, and that’s fun.”
Meanwhile, for all he has done theatrically, Dixon says there’s always something to learn, noting “If there wasn’t, I don’t think I would do it.”
“With this show, it’s rehearsing the lines, rehearsing the songs, getting my pitch right, my vocal delivery. We’re thrown into situations where people are asking for the impossible and we’re having to re-invent ourselves over and over. It’s incredibly terrifying, but it’s exhilarating at the same time.”
In addition to Dixon, Payne, and Lund, the cast of Come From Away features Donna Garner as Diane, Tat Austrie as Hannah, Annika Tupper as Janice, Julie Lumsden as Beverley, real-life couple Kyle Blair and Kyle Golemba playing Kevin T and Kevin J respectively), Charlie Clark as Bob, Brendan Wall as Claude, and Scott Carmichael as Nick.
Come from Away will be staged at 7:30 p.m. on July 10 and 11, 16 to 18, 23 to 25, July 30 to August 1, and August 6 to 8, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 12, 14 to 16, 18 and 19, 21 to 23, 25 and 26, August 1 and 2, 4 to 6, and 8 and 9.
Tickets are $50 ($40 for those under 30) and are available online at capitoltheatre.com, but be aware that many performances are already sold out and others have mainly single tickets remaining.
