Come From Away to feature all-Canadian cast in new 2018 production

Come From Awaywill feature an all-Canadian castwhen the hit homegrown musical returns to Canadanext year with a new production.

Co-created by Canadian husband-and-wife duo Irene Sankoff andDavid Hein, the Tony-winning musical is set in Gander, N.L., in theaftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. The east coast town saw itspopulation swell as townspeople sheltered 6,579 passengers and crewfrom 38 planes diverted when U.S. air space was closed.

Award-winning stage veteran Lisa Horner will portray Ganderresident and 9/11 volunteer Beulah Cooper, while Kristen Peace(Kinky Boots) will star as Bonnie Harris, thereal-life SPCA manager in Gander who helped care for animals in thediverted planes.

Eliza-Jane Scott (Degrassi) will star as real-life retiredpilot Beverley Bass, who made history as the first female captain for American Airlines.

George Masswohl will portray Gander Mayor Claude Elliott, while jazz singer and Stratford Festival veteran Barbara Fulton and stageperformer James Kall will star as stranded passengers Diane andNick, whose love blossoms in Newfoundland.

Performances are slated to begin at the Royal Alexandra Theatrein Toronto on Feb. 13, 2018.

Toronto's Mirvish Productions has also announced that the show will be inWinnipeg for a limited four-week engagement ahead of its Torontoshowcase, fromJan. 4 to Feb. 3, 2018, at the John Hirsch Mainstageat the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Come From Awayis also preparing for a North American tournext year, kicking off at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in October2018.

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Come From Awaywas staged in La Jolla, Calif., Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Toronto ahead of its current award-winning runin New York.

The playwas nominated for seven Tonys, withChristopher Ashley nabbing the show's sole trophy, for best directorof a musical, at the glitzy ceremony last month.

The musical will also be the subject of a new documentary. ComeFrom Away: From Gander to Broadwayis currently in production andis being helmed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Moze Mossanen(Unsung: Behind the Glee).