Breaking News: Jenn Colella, Chad Kimball, Rodney Hicks & More Set for New Musical COME FROM AWAY at La Jolla

This just in! La Jolla Playhouse has announced the cast and creative team for its season opener, the world-premiere musical Come from Away, featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. A co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre, Come from Away will run May 29 - July 5 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre (official opening Thursday, June 11).

Tickets to Come from Away are now on sale individually or through a subscription purchase by calling the Patron Services Department at (858) 550-1010 or online at LaJollaPlayhouse.org.

Come from Away is an original, rock-infused world-premiere musical based on the true story of when the isolated town of Gander, Newfoundland played host to the world. What started as an average day in a small town turned in to an international sleep-over when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from across the globe, were diverted to Gander on September 11, 2001. Undaunted by culture clashes and language barriers, the spirited town cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar and the recognition that we're all part of a global family.

"This compelling and emotionally-rich piece depicts the transformative experience had by both the townspeople of Gander and the international passengers who landed there on 9-11," noted Ashley. "I am so looking forward to working with this amazing team - comprised of many of our favorite artists who have graced the stages of San Diego, Broadway and Canada - as they build and inhabit this microcosmic world."

The cast features Playhouse and Broadway veterans Jenn Colella (Broadway's Chaplin, High Fidelity; Playhouse's Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin) as "Beverly," Tony Award nominee Chad Kimball (Broadway and Playhouse's Memphis) as "Colin 1", Joel Hatch (Broadway's Billy Elliott) as "Claude," Rodney Hicks(Broadway revival of Golden Boy) as "Bob," Caesar Samayoa (Playhouse's Carmen) as "Colin 2," Q Smith(Broadway's Mary Poppins) as "Lana," and Sharon Wheatley (Broadway's Les Miserables, Cats) as "Diane"; plus Canadian actors Petrina Bromley (Oil and Water at Newfoundland's Artistic Fraud company) as "Bonnie,"Lee MacDougall (Canadian premiere of Urinetown) as "Nick" and Astrid Van Wieren (Colony of Unrequited Dreams at Newfoundland's Artistic Fraud company, Broadway's Mamma Mia!) as "Beulah," as well as San Diego favorites Geno Carr (Intrepid Shakespeare's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as "Oz," and Allison Spratt Pearce (Playhouse's Sideways) as "Janice."

The creative team includes Ian Eisendrath, music director; Kelly Devine (Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatchers), choreographer; Beowulf Boritt, scenic design; Toni-Leslie James (Playhouse's Glengarry Glen Ross), costume design; Howell Binkley (Playhouse's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Memphis, Jersey Boys), lighting design; Gareth Owen (Playhouse's The Hunchback of Notre Dame), sound design; August Eriksmoen, Orchestrator; Shirley Fishman, dramaturg; Martha Donaldson, Production Stage Manager.

Irene Sankoff and David Hein are a Canadian husband-and-wife writing team. Their first show, My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding (based on David's mother's true story) was the hit of the Toronto Fringe Festival, where it won "Best of Fringe," and the New York Musical Theatre Festival, where it won "Outstanding New Musical" and "Best Book." It has now played and won awards across North America, with Sankoff and Hein performing in most productions, and it will be seen in St. Louis in 2015. Come from Away was developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project and Goodspeed Musicals' Festival of New Artists. Their next musical, Mitzvah, was recently developed at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival. Sankoff and Hein are the recipients of the Bryden "Ones-to-Watch" Award and last year, they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Molly.

Christopher Ashley has served as Artistic Director at La Jolla Playhouse since October, 2007. During his tenure, he helmed the world premieres of The Darrell Hammond Project, Claudia Shear's Restoration and Arthur Kopit and Anton Dudley's A Dram of Drummhicit, as well as John Guare's adaptation of His Girl Friday, Mamet'sGlengarry Glen Ross, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the acclaimed musicals Xanadu and Memphis, which went on to Broadway, winning four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. In addition, he spearheaded the Playhouse's acclaimed Without Walls site-specific theatre series, the Resident Theatre program and oversaw the world premieres of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Hands on a Hardbody, Milk Like Sugar, Little Miss Sunshine, Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin, Surf Report, Bonnie & Clyde, Doug Wright's adaptation of Creditors, the Page To Stage workshop of Charlayne Woodard's The Night Watcher, and the West Coast premiere of 33 Variations. Prior to joining the Playhouse, Mr. Ashley directed the Broadway productions ofXanadu (Drama Desk nomination), All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), as well as the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along. Other New York credits include: Leap of Faith, Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla, Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Bunny Bunny, Communicating Doors, The Night Hank Williams Died, Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. He also directed the feature film Jeffrey and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship.

The Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse is internationally-renowned for creating some of the most exciting and adventurous work in American theatre, through its new play development initiatives, its innovative Without Walls series, artist residencies and commissions, including BD Wong, Daniel Beaty and Kirsten Greenidge. Currently led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg, the Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and reborn in 1983 under the artistic leadership of Des McAnuff, La Jolla Playhouse has had 25 productions transfer to Broadway, garnering 35 Tony Awards, among them Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Who's Tommy, Big River, as well as Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays and the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, both fostered as part of the Playhouse's Page To Stage Program. Visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.