Directed by Kathleen Cassidy
Musical Direction by Gord & Emma McConachie-Anderson
Choreography by Paula Mercer
Book, Music and Lyrics by: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Based on the true story of the time when the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland, played host to the world. What started as an average day in a small town turned into an international sleepover, when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the globe, were diverted to Gander’s airstrip on September 11, 2001. A musical about the power of community and hope.
1 Act, no intermission.
This show contains mature language/themes. May contain flashing lights, loud noises.
In honor of the hospitality of the islanders who fed 7,000 stranded travelers, we will have a donation box in the lobby before every performance to collect non-perishable food items. Help us give back to the community and spread warmth and hope to those who need it most.
Becky is proud to return to the OSLT stage to participate in such a beautiful and meaningful story. She is excited to play the complicated, loving, and spunky Bonnie Harris and hopes the audience falls in love with the characters as she has.
Connie has appeared in OSLT productions such as The Prom, Born Yesterday, Noises Off, If We Are Women and Perils of Persephone, and performed a singer-songwriter as part of the music duo Beckon. When she’s not onstage you’ll find her riding her horse, Daisy. She is grateful to be part of this compelling story and is thrilled to work with such a fantastic director, producer, cast, and crew! Special thanks to Matt, Gabe, and her family for their love, support, and laughter.
After being backstage for a number of productions it’s an absolute honor and a privilege to have been chosen as part of this amazing cast and crew, telling the story of September 11th 2001. Proud to call Canada our home. Excited and grateful to be on stage with husband Jamie again. Welcome to the Rock!
After taking a year off from theatre productions, James is thrilled to be returning for his sixth OSLT musical, playing the role of Oz in Come From Away. Previous roles include Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Eddie Souther in Sister Act, and Trent Oliver in The Prom. When he’s not on stage, James runs his contracting business and spends much of his free time pursuing his love of music, particularly singing and playing guitar. James is especially excited to share the stage with his talented wife, Lacey, and humbled to be part of bringing this musical to the Roxy Theatre.
Welcome to the Rock! Jamie is super stoked to be part of this fabulous production of Come From Away, a story that epitomizes the quintessential Canadian spirit! He is also proud to be part of this amazing cast and crew and is especially pleased to be back on stage again with his wife, Fiona. We hope that you have as much fun watching the show as we’ve had performing it! Slainte!
Lacey is so honoured to be part of this incredible true story. She has performed in many OSLT productions over the years, including Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, and Nostradamus in Something Rotten!. She also directed Beauty and the Beast for OSLT in 2022 and currently works as the coordinator for the Roxy Young Company and Roxy Star Company. She is incredibly thankful to be working alongside this wonderful cast and to share the stage with her husband, James. A huge thank you to Kathleen and the entire crew for their endless hard work, support, and dedication in bringing this story to life. She would like to dedicate this performance in memory of her mom, who would have loved this story and loved this show.
After eight seasons away from OSLT, Maggie is grateful to be reunited with the incredible community at the Roxy Theatre. Come From Away contains the powerful story that every Canadian artist wants to tell, and she feels incredibly lucky to be one of them. Her overflowing gratitude lives with the fantastic creative team and crew who have invested hours upon hours into this production. The cast is a dream come true. She would like to thank her family for their support (and lodging) which provided her with the opportunity to be part of this production. She is one lucky gal! Enjoy the twelve-chair reconfiguration musical!
Ridgley is thrilled to be part of this incredible production. A graduate of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Prep Program, he made his Toronto debut with Acting Up Stage Company’s One Song Glory. Past credits include The Play That Goes Wrong, The PROM, Something Rotten!, Beauty and the Beast, Spelling Bee, and Carousel, and he directed the sold-out Shrek Jr. with the Roxy Young Company. He is endlessly grateful to the Owen Sound Roxy Theatre for continuing to be a creative home. Thanks to my family and friends for their love and support. Follow @ridgleydier on Instagram and TikTok.
Cathie, a longtime member of OSLT, always enjoys working on a production. She has done many jobs behind the scenes over the years, but you last saw her on stage in Witness For the Prosecution and 7 Stories. This time she is back in wardrobe working with the fabulous team of Karen Giberson and Martha Tettenborn. She wants to say a huge thank you to them and to the rest of our extremely talented cast and crew. And of course thanks to our lovely audience. It wouldn’t happen without you all.
Cher is the lead for the hair team for this production, being a retired hair stylist it is a fitting role. She is happy to be involved again with a wonderful community theatre group. Cher has been on stage, backstage, and in the hair/makeup room and loving it all. She would like to thank and acknowledge her hair team of Kasey Williams, who has been behind the curling irons, gel and hair spray for many productions as well, as Amber Curtis who was on stage last year and eager to be involved in every aspect of theatre.
Dale has been involved in theatre since before she can remember. She is excited to be backstage, returning to where it all began with OSLT, 18 years ago with Hamlet. Thanks to the cast and crew for making this a fun and memorable show. Much love and gratitude to Tom.
David is thrilled to be back in the design chair working with the amazing lighting team at the OSLT, hoping to bring some ‘light to the darkness’ this season in Come From Away. Graduate of TMU’s Performance Production program, David has worked on shows with SummerWorks, Toronto Fringe, Soulpepper, Paprika Festival, Opera Atelier, and Mirvish in various roles. David was WODL nominated for Lighting Design for OSLT’s Something Rotten! (2024), and won (along with team!!) for Prelude to a Kiss (2025). As always, thank you to the amazing team of volunteers with OSLT and staff at the Roxy Theatre.
Emma is incredibly grateful to be a part of such powerful, important production. She has been behind-the-scenes in productions such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and The Prom and on stage for Spamalot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Something Rotten! and Cinderella. Thank you to Kathleen Cassidy for being “the rock” of this production, and to her dad for sharing the musical director experience. Enjoy the show!
Welcome to Gander. Fasten your seatbelt, you are in for a treat, and the biggest game of musical chairs this side of the Atlantic. It takes a village to mount a production about a town, and it has been an immense privilege to be part of this process. Many thanks, and much respect and admiration to Kathleen and Paula for their inspired artistic visions and leadership. And what a pleasure and delight it has been to work with this incredibly talented, fun and patient cast. It’s also been great to be reunited with Karen and Yvonne, my fellow boothies. Kudos to a fantastic crew who have helped recreate Gander on our stage. Special shout-out to Emma who, as far as I know, is still talking to me, and Fiona, who consistently keeps me on the straight and narrow. This is the latest in a long line of shows with the OSLT over many years. Past productions include Music Director for Spamalot and Something Rotten!, sound design for 39 Steps and West Moon, playing in the pit bands for Les Miserables, Brigadoon, and Carousel, and on stage in To Kill A Mockingbird. Prepare for takeoff, it’s going to be quite a ride!
Jane’s 16 years with OSLT have been some of her most special times. Whether they have been creating, laughing, planning or more, with friends, to create entertainment for the community. Jane is proud to be a Past President, been thrilled to produce, and honoured to act with OSLT. Her latest ventures have been Janet Mackenzie in Witness for the Prosecution, Tate in The Ladies Foursome, and Martha Gillette in The Games A Foot. She is but a “sounding board” and assistant for this incredible show. To be surrounded by such a talented cast and crew is inspiring! Special thanks to KM! “You are here, at the start of a moment.” Thank you for being part of this history.
I have had the pleasure of working on many shows throughout the years, many of them with Kathleen Cassidy. As soon as I heard that she had submitted Come From Away, I contacted her right away as I knew I wanted to be part of this show. The story is so important and the music is incredible! The cast and crew are outstanding! It is a difficult show and everyone has given 110%. I would like to give a special thank you to our Stage Management Team. The ones you never see as they are hidden away backstage helping run the show. My co-stage manager, Dale Albrecht, ASM Kim Gabriel and her mentor Fiona McConachie-Anderson. Also, special mention to Leah Faulkner and her props team and Cathie Tilley and her wardrobe team for helping make the magic happen.
Kathleen is a long time member of OSLT, starting in 1981 playing Tzietel in Fidler on the Roof. That same season she tried her hand at Lighting and has been onstage and lighting shows for OSLT ever since. In 2010 she tried her hand at directing with Hello Dolly and has since directed Something Rotten!, Spamalot and others including another Newfoundland play, West Moon. She gives a huge thank you to an amazingly talented and hard working cast and crew for pulling together this deceptively complicated and emotional piece of theatre.
Kathleen has been a proud member of Owen Sound Little Theatre since 2014 and has enjoyed contributing both onstage and behind the scenes in numerous productions, including You, Me, and a Bit of Driftwood (2022), Gorgeous Gallivanting Goddesses (2023), The Play That Goes Wrong (2025), and last season’s Witness for the Prosecution (2026). She is especially honoured to be part of bringing Come From Away to the Roxy stage. As a uniquely Canadian story about kindness, resilience, and community, this production holds a special place in her heart. She extends a big thank you to Jane for all her assistance throughout this production, and to all the cast and crew for their dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to making this show possible. She hopes audiences are as moved and inspired by this story as the company has been in bringing it to life.
Bill and Krista left Newfoundland in 2019 and moved to Grey County so Bill could pursue his dream of teaching following a career at sea. Soon after arriving in Owen Sound, Bill and Krista became involved with Owen Sound Little Theatre, first in the production of West Moon (Bill onstage and Krista as an ASM), and then both as ASMs for You, Me, and a Bit of Driftwood. Bill and Krista are honoured to be supporting the cast and crew of Come From Away, a show very near and dear to their hearts. Thank you to Kathleen Cassidy and Kathleen Murphy (and the entire team) for the opportunity to be involved in this very meaningful and special production.
I am thrilled to be back with OSLT for Come From Away, my fifth production as Properties Lead. Previous shows include Prelude to a Kiss, Alice in Wonderland Jr., Cinderella, and Witness for the Prosecution. Big props to my incredible team, Fiona and Nicole, for their partnership. Standing ovation to the talented cast and crew for their dedication to this show. I would also like to thank my amazing husband, James, and my wonderful parents, Pat and Philip, for their endless love and support. Thank you to everyone, near and far, who showed up with something to offer.
Nicole is excited to be back at the Roxy for Come From Away! She loves being part of the creative process and helping bring characters to life through makeup. She’s grateful to be part of the team and looks forward to another great production.
Paul worked on his first show in Sault Ste. Marie in the late 1970s. Since then, he has designed, built and/or crewed for over 50 productions at various Ontario community theatres. A set designer and lead builder for OSLT since The Miracle Worker, Paul’s most recent production before Come From Away was 7 Stories. He is grateful to Michael, Paul, Rick, Scott, Terry, Frank, Bill, James, Jed, Kathleen and Karen for their building and set-up assistance!
Being involved with a production of Come From Away was a goal for Paula from the first time she saw the production in Toronto (2018). Congratulations to the cast, crew and artistic team of this true Canadian story.
Terry has been involved in professional and community theatre for 50 years, where she has worked primarily as a stage-manager, administrator, scenic painter and performer. Her affiliation with OSLT began with her role as Owen Sound Poet Laureate (2013-2015), and since then she has been involved in several productions onstage and as a scenic painter. Many thanks to Joanne, Lynn, Val, Connie and Sarah for their invaluable painting help on Come From Away.
After more than four decades of work both on the stage and behind the scenes, Yvonne has spent the last decade focused (pardon the pun) on lighting both as programmer and operator for recent shows such as Spamalot, Something Rotten, Alice In Wonderland, Cinderella as well as co-designer for Shrek. Yvonne is excited to work with Lighting Designer, David Beisel, for the fourth time and gives him her heartfelt thanks for both his creative process and ongoing super helpful mentorship. It is her utmost pleasure to share the programming and operating with good friend Sandy Lemaitre and help to mentor new member, Adelle Pagura, and to be a part of the whole Come From Away team!
