Rachel Tucker and the Original West End cast of Come From Away. Photographer: Matthew Murphy
@racheltucker01 @ComeFromAwayUK
It has been announced today that Rachel Tucker, who is leaving the four-time Olivier® Award-winning West End production of Come From Away, will be joining the Tony® Award-winning Broadway production later this year.
Following an incredibly successful year in the West End, which has included receiving Best Supporting Actress nominations at the Olivier® and WhatsOnStage Awards, Rachel Tucker will be leaving the West End after her final performance on Saturday 8 February 2020. She will then go on to take over the roles of Beverley, Annette and others from Becky Gulsvig, at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, from Tuesday 3 March 2020.
Rachel Tucker’s Broadway debut came in March 2010 when she took over the role of Elphaba in Wicked, which she played for two and a half years at the Gershwin Theatre and then later reprised in 2015-2016. In between, she originated the principal character of Meg Dawson in Sting’s debut musical The Last Ship (Bank of America Theatre, Chicago/ Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway). She has toured venues in the UK and US with her own live performances and has released two solo albums.
This joyous musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded air passengers during the wake of 9/11, and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed, and nerves ran high, but as uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
On 11 September 2001 the world stopped. On 12 September, their stories moved us all.
As previously announced, the new cast of Come From Away in the West End will start on Monday 10 February 2020, as the production enters into its second year at the Phoenix Theatre. The full company will include Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), Tarinn Callender (Bob and others), James Doherty (Claude and others), Mary Doherty (Bonnie and others), Mark Dugdale (Kevin T/Garth and others), Alice Fearn (Beverley/Annette and others) Kate Graham (Diane and others), and Alasdair Harvey (Nick/Doug and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J/Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), Emma Salvo (Janice and others) and Cat Simmons (Hannah and others) with Chiara Baronti, Ricardo Castro, Stuart Hickey, Alexander McMorran, Sorelle Marsh, Micha Richardson, Jennifer Tierney and Matthew Whennell-Clark.
Under the Musical Direction of Alan Berry (Keyboard/Accordion/Harmonium), the band includes Matt Bashford (Whistles/Irish Flute/Uilleann Pipes), Aoife Ní Bhriain (Fiddle), Oli Briant (Electric, Acoustic and Nylon Guitars), Ray Fean (Bodhrán/Percussion), Joey Grant (Electric Bass/Acoustic Bass), Justin Quinn (Acoustic Guitar/Mandolins/Bazouki) and Ian Whitehead (Drums/Percussion).
The multi award-winning musical continues sold-out, record-breaking engagements on Broadway, in Canada, in Australia and on a 60-city North American Tour. It has recently been announced that a tour of China will commence in Shanghai from May 2020, and a feature film adaptation is in the works.
Come From Away features a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, music supervision and arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Gareth Owen, hair design by David Brian Brown, orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and casting by Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG.
In addition to winning 4 Olivier Awards (London) including “Best New Musical”, Come From Away has scooped multiple awards all across North America: the Tony Award for “Best Direction of a Musical”, 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding New Broadway Musical”, 3 Drama Desk Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding Musical”, 4 Helen Hayes Awards (Washington DC) including “Outstanding Production of a Musical”, 4 Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 4 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards (Seattle) including “Excellence in Production of a Musical”, 6 San Diego Critics Circle Awards including “Outstanding New Musical”, 3 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards including “Best New Musical”, 3 Dora Awards (Toronto) including “Outstanding New Musical/Opera” and “Outstanding Production”, and the 2017 Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award (Toronto).
Come From Away was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, and presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC and Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada, all in partnership with Junkyard Dog Productions. Come From Away (NAMT Festival 2013) was originally developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project, Michael Rubinoff Producer, Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and was further developed at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, in East Haddam CT. The Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle WA also provided development support.
Come From Away is produced in the UK by Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals. The European premiere of Come From Away was co-produced with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre.