Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Simply put, "Come From Away" is a musical that celebrates human kindness, our collective capacity to drop everything and help a fellow traveler in need. When I first reviewed this show, it felt like a piece about a specific set of circumstances: an accidental fleet of 38 jumbo jets was diverted to Newfoundland after the closing of U.S. airspace on the morning of Sept. 11, swelling the population of a tiny town by several thousand scared and ill-prepared citizens of the world. This is the story of the hospitality they received and how that act of communal generosity changed everyone's lives for good."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...No work of art can truly encompass the fullness of tragedy, and this work seems to be created as a balm to help those who still grieve, an artistic gesture towards healing. Much like the blankets and food offered by the Gander residents, it may not be nearly “enough,” but it’s mightily appreciated. "
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...All of this unfolds in a swift 100 minutes under Christopher Ashley’s direction, with the dozen actors shifting gears in multiple roles while still fleshing out each character without resorting to broad caricature. The eight-person band under conductor Cameron Moncur makes you feel like you’ve walked into a ceilidh at a roadside bar, with fiddle, bodhran, and Irish flute adding folk twists to the pop-rock score."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...The show doesn't deal wallow in the high drama of the situation, instead primarily etching convincing portraits of how the confused, hungry, and angry passengers were welcomed into the Gander community for five days of improvisational hospitality. It's heartwarming in the very best sense of the word, leavened with a surprising amount of humor considering the enormity of the tragedy that engulfs the passengers and the townspeople. The show has won a bushel of awards for its North American and British productions, no production I would venture better than the exhilarating and compassionate staging at the Cadillac Palace as part of a national tour."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...Outstanding, excellent, and phenomenal are just a few words that come to mind when describing how amazing the touring cast of Come From Away performed. Of course, there are a plethora of stars, featuring Marika Aubrey(Lincoln Center's South Pacific), Kevin Carolan(Disney's Newsies), Harter Clingman(Peter and The Starcatcher), Nick Duckart(In the Heights), Chamblee Ferguson."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...This is an amazing 100 minutes of great story telling that will bring a tear to your eyes ( several times) but a smile on your face ( far more often) and all in all will create a lasting memory for every audience member. The townspeople do all that they can for their "guests" and they do come together to make sure that each of the stranded people has food, clothes, medical supplies and a place to sleep."
WTTW - Highly Recommended
"..."Come From Away" is the altogether brilliant musical based on the spirit-raising effort finessed by a small community in Newfoundland, Canada in the wake of the shocking terrorist attacks perpetrated on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. It was an event that, among countless other things, put air travel to the U.S. on a sudden hold."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This musical is simply wonderful. It's the perfect anecdote to all the frustration, pain and negativity that has been bombarding us for the past several years. What with a crippling pandemic, political battles that continue to rage on, a possible war breaking out in Europe and a Winter that just won't leave, here's a great way to escape from it all and find a reason for hope. The show is a rousing, joyful celebration of the kindness, compassion and generosity that lies within each of us. Do yourself a favor and treat your soul to this polished, professionally-produced National Tour. It's an experience that's guaranteed to make you look at the world in a completely different way."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...COME FROM AWAY is a love sonnet to humanity. Kindness over adversity is a timeless sentiment that is particularly relevant during a pandemic. I loved this show! The inspirational story of the Ganderites is told in an entertaining and uplifting way. COME FROM AWAY is the perfect hygee for a pandemic winter!"
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Highly Recommended
"...Like a plane, the big question for any musical is, does it fly or not? Come From Away is a non-stop must-see."
Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended
"...The uniformly talented cast of a dozen actors, who spend almost the entire show on stage, portray multiple characters who find (mostly) the best brought out in themselves under overwhelming circumstances. This deeply human story, aided by a propulsive Celtic-infused pop-rock score performed by the excellent onstage band, grips the audience's attention with its opening anthem "Welcome to the Rock" and rarely pauses-not even for applause-until the emotional finale some 100 minutes later."
Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended
"...Kudos to Marika Aubrey who plays American Airlines captain, Beverly, and others who have the best song in the play, “Me and the Sky.” She captivates the audience with her journey when there were no women in the cockpit through the ranks to piloting an airplane and then becoming a flight instructor. She is outstanding with strong vocals and believable character portrayals."
Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended
"...Come From Away is a feel-good masterpiece, but don't take my word for it. As the cast took their bows, the guy (yep, flannel) on the other side of me leapt to his feet to join the standing ovation and called out "This was even better than the London production!" I'll take his word for it. These people love their 'Islander's."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...The events of 9/11 just took place. This plane had to go down in Newfoundland, Canada with no context. Everyone on the stage is dealing with their own sense of loss and grief. Many of the passengers still do not know if family members in New York are still alive. Many of the townspeople still do not know if they will be able to support the passengers through this time. However, for this brief moment, differences are put aside, and we witness togetherness and hope. Lights are dim, candlelight fills the space, and the sounds of various prayers fill the theater. If you're anything like this writer, you might just feel yourself start to cry."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...When there's a crisis, how do you respond? Maybe you shake your fists, rant, or rave. Perhaps you have a flight or fight type of response or freeze in your tracks. Or maybe you're like the people of Gander, Newfoundland who rolled up their sleeves and got to work on the morning of September 11, 2001. Come From Away celebrates these brave men and women who welcomed the stranger in the face of one of the worst catastrophes in modern history. This national tour at Chicago's Cadillac Palace gives us a show that is just as heartwarming as it is sobering, reminding us that we belong to each other."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...So let yourself get swept up in the chaos, the overlapping lyrics coming at you in thick Newfinese that all at once may thrill or confuse you. Embrace the love you see radiating across the stage. Remember that it doesn't need to take a tragedy to unite us. Then take all those feelings, hold them close, and go back out into the world with a greater sense of human spirit-I know I did."