Come From Away

In This Program

• For Our Patrons
• From the Artistic Director
• Setting the Scene: A Note From the Director
• About the Show
• Cast
• Creative Team
• Screech, Song & Community: The Newfoundland Kitchen Party Takes the Stage
• Seattle Rep Studios - Classes for Youth and Adults
• On Stage This Spring
• Thank You, Come From Away Donors!
• Print Edition
• More About Seattle Rep

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Seattle Rep’s 10th anniversary production of Come From Away! Whether you're revisiting this extraordinary musical or experiencing it for the first time, thank you for choosing to spend part of your holiday season with us at the theater. Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away had its 2015 world premiere (co-produced with La Jolla Playhouse) right here in the Bagley Wright Theater before becoming a worldwide sensation.

Since then, Come From Away has taken its place in the modern musical canon—garnering Tony, Olivier, and Drama Desk Awards, and inspiring audiences from Broadway to the West End, from Melbourne to Gander itself. As its global tour came to an end in 2025, the show’s creators made the show available to professional regional theaters around the country and welcomed new casts and creative teams to create original productions. The result? American Theatre Magazine announced that Come From Away will be the most produced show in the country this season, with 23 original productions lighting up stages nationwide. We knew Seattle Rep had to be part of this national celebration. And what better way to honor its 10th anniversary than to return to the place where it all began—and to offer a fresh, locally rooted interpretation that reflects both our artistic community and the very heart of the piece?

We’re thrilled to welcome back long-time Seattle theater maker Brandon Ivie to direct our 10th anniversary reimagining. Known for his innovative actor-musician approach to a variety of musicals, Ivie (who directed the renowned 2015 Lizard Boy—another Seattle Rep world premiere musical) brings a heightened complexity to the show’s already brilliant storytelling. With instruments in hand, our cast of actors become not only the tellers of the tale, but the music-makers alongside the band. This folk rock/Celtic blend of music—so central to the show’s impact—springs directly from the community on stage, echoing the spirit of neighborliness, cooperation, and hopeful resilience that defines the town of Gander and the people who were stranded there.

For those unfamiliar, Come From Away tells the true story of what happened when 38 planes were unexpectedly grounded in Newfoundland on September 11, 2001. Nearly 7,000 passengers were welcomed by a town of barely 10,000, who opened their homes, their schools, and their hearts. In the face of unthinkable tragedy, they showed the world what compassion looks like.

Ivie’s vision embraces the essence of Come From Away as a gathering—a community remembering together the shared experience of a decade past, celebrating, grieving, singing, and playing music together to capture a moment. This actor-musician interpretation offers a new take on the show while staying rooted in its emotional core and form: a mosaic of humanity at its very best.

We’re proud to offer this homegrown production as a milestone in Seattle Rep’s—and the city of Seattle’s—theatrical history. A decade ago, this musical began its journey here. Now, we welcome it home, not just as a piece of theater, but as a reminder: that in the darkest moments, we can still find light in each other.

From all of us at Seattle Rep, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a happy new year. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon in 2026!

Until next time,

Dámaso Rodríguez
Artistic Director

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Dámaso Rodríguez   |   MANAGING DIRECTOR Jeffrey Herrmann

Book, Music & Lyrics by Irene Sankoff & David Hein

Directed by Brandon Ivie

Choreographed by William Carlos Angulo

Music Supervisor & Conductor: Chris Ranney

* Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Come From Away is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Original Broadway production produced by Junkyard Dog Productions
Orchestration by August Eriksmoen
Arrangements by Ian Eisendrath

Come From Away was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Rep and presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre.

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, Connecticut. The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council, and The Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington, also provided development support.

2025/26 Season Sponsor

Leslie Lackey

Lead Producing Partners

Charlotte Lin & Robert Porter 
Terri Olson Miller & Tom Miller

Producing Supporters

Mary Piggott
Jeanne Sheldon & Marvin Parsons

Title Sponsors

Bruce G. Cochener Foundation

Associate Sponsor

The Boeing Company

Institutional Season Sponsor

November 28, 2025 – January 4, 2026 | Bagley Wright Theater

Thank You to Our Sponsor

At HD Fowler Company, we believe the arts improve our ability to respond to an ever more complex world with different views and perspectives. Supporting Seattle Rep ensures that our corporate family and many other families have the opportunity to enjoy great theater and foster an appreciation and understanding of the cultures and communities that make up our region.

We are proud to sponsor Come From Away and hope that you and your family enjoy the performance. Celebrating ten years since its premiere at Seattle Rep, this heartwarming Broadway and international hit will welcome you back to Gander with jubilant new staging and make you feel like you never left.

We welcome you to take pictures of the set before and after the show.

Share Your Photos 

#ComeFromAwaySREP
@seattlerep

Photography, recording, and use of cell phones are strictly prohibited during the performance. 

Mission 

Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of our region. 

Vision 

Theater at the heart of public life.  

Values 

Artistic Vitality
Sustainability
Generous and Inclusive Practices 

Code of Conduct 

Seattle Rep is committed to being a racially, culturally, and socially just organization. We promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the work we do, and uphold a safe environment wherein all people are welcome to our space and are treated with respect and dignity.

It is our expectation that all patrons and those affiliated with Seattle Rep will align with this code of conduct and we reserve the right to relocate or remove any person from our theater who disregards this expectation.

Land Acknowledgment 

Seattle Rep acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Coast Salish people. We honor with gratitude the land itself and its innumerable stewards, past and present. We recognize Washington’s tribal nations, all of the Tribal signatories of the Treaty of Point Elliott, and the urban Native communities who continue to live and thrive in this space. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, but serves as a first step in honoring the land we are on and the people and cultures it has nurtured.

Learn more about how Seattle Rep is working to support and build relationships with Native communities.

Emergencies 

In an evacuation, wait for an announcement for further instructions. Ushers will be available for assistance. Familiarize yourself with the exit route nearest your seat.   

Accessibility 

Seattle Rep is committed to accessibility for all and will work with patrons to accommodate requests. We offer a variety of options to help make our performances accessible.

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES: We offer select English and Spanish Open Captioned, Audio Described, ASL-Interpreted, Sensory-Friendly, and mask-required  performances. Find dates here or contact the Box Office for more information.

HEARING LOOP: Seattle Rep is equipped with hearing loops that transmit sound directly to t-coil enabled hearing devices. There are also receivers and headphones available to borrow at Coat Check. Look for the Hearing Loop signs which indicate coverage at performances, ticket windows, concierge, and concessions.  

WHEELCHAIR SPACES, WIDER SEATS (BAGLEY), TRANSFER SEATS, AND ADDITIONAL SEATING OPTIONS: Please see an Usher or House Manager to see what accessible seating options are available for your performance.  

SENSORY GUIDES & KITS: Scene-by-scene guides of the sensory impact of this show and kits containing headphones, fidgets, sunglasses, and communication cards are available at Coat Check.  

LARGE PRINT & BRAILLE PROGRAMS: Available at Coat Check. 

ALL GENDER RESTROOMS are located on the second floor of the Leo K. Theater and a single-stall restroom is located near the Bagley Wright Theater restrooms on the first floor.  

WELLNESS ROOM is located near the Bagley Wright Theater restrooms on the first floor.  

Contact Us 

BOX OFFICE 
Call 206.443.2222
Text 206.565.2996 

ADMINISTRATIVE
206.443.2210 

Setting the Scene

A Note from the Director

Come From Away has a deep history in Seattle; I have very fond memories of seeing the world premiere right here in this exact theater 10 years ago, and it has since come through twice on its National Tour. So, when I started thinking about how I might approach a new production of this show for the current Seattle Rep community, I asked:

Why tell this story now?

What have we learned in the last 10 years?

In what new ways do we need to hear or see this story told?

As I contemplated these questions, I thought about the core of Come From Away: a community throwing its arms open to strangers, welcoming them in with kindness and compassion showing we are stronger unified than divided. It illustrates how the best of humanity can be found by connecting across cultures, identities, and beliefs to acknowledge our collective responsibility to each other. I tried to find ways to further expand upon these themes of openhearted community and generous acts of humanity which led me to the question: how do we tell stories as a community?

I have been developing actor-musician musicals for over a decade, an interest first cultivated when I directed Justin Huertas’ Lizard Boy at Seattle Rep in 2015. Through this work, I’ve come to believe that as soon as you put an instrument in someone’s hands, it immediately breaks through the conventions of formal storytelling; it extends a metaphorical hand to the listeners and builds a communal experience, as if we are around a campfire and telling stories together rather than separated as actors and audience. Embracing the core theme of community in Come From Away, the actor-musician form felt like a compelling lens through which to freshly examine this story.

As I started researching the northern Canadian setting of our story, I stumbled upon the Newfoundland tradition of the “kitchen party,” a traditional home gathering, often quite literally centered in the kitchen, where musicians, friends, and neighbors gather to share songs and tunes (and food and drink!), creating a lively and intimate atmosphere. I was thrilled to find this culturally-specific tradition that blended directly into my instincts to tell this story with actor-musicians—I knew it was fate! (Read more about kitchen parties below.)

We have set our Come From Away at the largest kitchen party you could imagine: the town of Gander is holding a 10th Anniversary Reunion for all the Come From Aways who were stranded there on September 11, 2001 to commemorate what was lost and celebrate what they found. A kitchen is a bit too small, so they’ve moved it into the local school gym. The town is gathering, they’ve brought their families, their instruments, their casseroles, and their Screech to reunite and tell the story of the events that brought them together in the first place. The bonds the people of Gander found with the Come From Aways are palpable and lasting—many people from these events are still in touch today.

And this bleeds perfectly into why you are here, also 10 years later, reuniting to celebrate this beautiful story of the best of humanity. I hope in our production you can find new ways to connect to this story, are able to see your neighbors with warmer eyes, and go out into the world with your arms and hearts more open. Please grab a beer, say hello to your neighbor, kiss the cod, and enjoy
Come From Away!

Brandon Ivie
Director of Come From Away

Andi Alhadeff

Bonnie & others

Andi Alhadeff is a local performer, writer, costume designer, and educator. Select theater credits: The 5th Avenue Theatre: Ragtime (Emma Goldman), RENT (Joanne); Book-It Repertory Theatre: Howl’s Moving Castle (Witch of the Waste); Seattle Shakespeare Co.: Twelfth Night (Olivia). Seattle Rep: Indecent (Chana), Mother Russia (Katya). She has a B.A. in Theater from Northwestern University. She is incredibly grateful to get to create in this place with these artists. Thank you to friends and family for their support, especially Mom and Dad who she carries in heart every time she tells this story.

Rob Burgess

Nick & others

Northwest born and bred, Rob is delighted to be sharing the stage with this wonderfully creative team of artists! A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, his work has been seen (and heard) in numerous productions spanning four decades in the Seattle area. For Seattle Rep: Primary Trust, Sherlock Holmes and The American Problem, Hound of the Baskervilles. Rob is married to Seattle-based costume designer, Melanie Taylor Burgess.

Merideth Kaye Clark

Beverley & others

Seattle Rep debut! Wicked (Elphaba Standby, First National Tour); Oliver! (Nancy, The 5th Avenue Theatre); Bright Star (Alice Murphy, Arvada Center); Evita (Eva Perón, Northern Stage); It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Winter Song (co-writer/performer), The Last Five Years, Fiddler on the Roof (Portland Center Stage); Matilda (Miss Honey, Portland Playhouse). Concerts: “Joni Mitchell’s Blue,” “Happy Days Are Here Again: The Music of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.” TV: “Portlandia” and the Emmy-nominated “Documentary Now!” episode “Original Cast Album: Co-Op.” For my family. @meridethkaye

Eric Dobson

Oz & others

Eric is honored to be making his debut at Seattle Rep. When away from theater, Eric has one million hobbies which include rollerblading, surfing poorly, wrestling with his cat Rue, and performing in his My Chemical Romance tribute band @mychemtribute. Check out his solo bedroom band Ugly Little Brother on Spotify. Eric would like to thank his incredible family and wonderful friends for all their support and encouragement. “What you do for yourself dies with you, but what you do for others lives on.” —An unnamed Gander resident

Lauren Drake

Janice & others

Lauren Drake (she/her) is a Seattle-based actor, singer-songwriter, and voice teacher. She is overjoyed to be making her Seattle Rep debut with this powerful story and incredible group of artists. Select credits include Ilse in Spring Awakening (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Snowed In (Again) (ArtsWest), and An Improvised Musical with We Have Some Notes (Jet City Improv). Her original music can be found on all streaming platforms. Much love to her family, friends, Dan, and the dogs. For F Suite and Alaina. @laladrake, lauren-drake.com

Billy Finn

Kevin T. & others

Billy Finn is thrilled to be back at Seattle Rep after appearing last season in Mother Russia. Other Seattle-area credits include Sherwood at Village Theatre and A Christmas Carol at Union Arts Center. New York credits include appearances at Irish Rep, Ars Nova, Playwrights Horizons, and others. Regional credits include The Wanderer (Paper Mill Playhouse), Macbeth in Stride (American Repertory Theatre), Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre Under the Stars), Romeo and Juliet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), A Lie of the Mind (Trinity Rep), and others. @billythefinn

Richard Gray

Claude & others

Richard Gray has appeared in 29 shows with The 5th Avenue Theatre including ACT Theatre co-productions of Murder for Two (Gregory Award winner), Assassins, and First Date. Other favorite productions include The Producers and Chicago at Village Theatre and The Nance at ArtsWest. As a composer, Richard’s musical scores include Cold Turkey, Time Again in Oz, Lyle the Crocodile, and The Flea and The Professor (Barrymore Award for Best Musical). He is currently the Program Director of Musical Theater for Cornish College of the Arts and was Seafair’s King Neptune in both 2019 and 2022.

Maggie Hollinbeck

Beulah & others

Maggie Hollinbeck is happy to be making her Seattle Rep debut with these gorgeous humans! National Tours: Once, Annie. Regional: Ring of Fire (Florida Repertory Theatre), Woody Sez (Merrimack Repertory Theatre), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Weston Theater Company), Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show (Bucks County Playhouse). With her music partner Graham Sobelman, Maggie is co-developing Songs from Eagle Pond, a love story centered on New Hampshire-based poets Jane Kenyon and Donald Hall. maggiehollinbeckcreative.com

Cedric Lamar

Bob & others, Dance Captain

Cedric Lamar is excited to be making his Seattle Rep debut! He recently closed Into the Woods at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he’s been in many productions, such as Much Ado About Nothing, Mother Road, Hamlet, The Wiz, and Pericles. Last year, Cedric had the awesome experience of understudying and performing in the new Jason Robert Brown musical, The Connector, at MCC Theater. As a composer, his work has been seen at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. @cedricandthe7ages, cedriclamar.com

Corinna Lapid Munter

Hannah & others

Corinna Lapid Munter is beyond thrilled to be part of this amazing production. She was last seen at Seattle Rep in Bruce. Noteworthy performances: Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett), The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion (Grace), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), In the Heights (Abuela Claudia), Into the Woods (The Witch), Avenue Q (Christmas Eve). Select regional productions: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pirates of Penzance, Elf: The Musical, The Music Man, Candide, Titanic: The Concert, Cinderella. Corinna lives, performs, and teaches at her Center of the Arts in Bangkok, Thailand. Universe Keke.

Andrew Mayer

Kevin J. & others

Broadway: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, A Christmas Carol. Off-Broadway: The Hello Girls, I Spy A Spy, Dying for It. Regional: The Band’s Visit, It Happened in Key West, Oliver, The 12, Appoggiatura, Fiddler on the Roof. TV: “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” “Law & Order,” “The Blacklist,” “FBI.” Training: Boston University School of Theater, Manhattan School of Music, LAMDA (U.K.). In addition to being an actor/musician, Andrew is a stage combat specialist. Fun fact, he appears in the hit video game “Red Dead Redemption 2” as the magician Benjamin Lazaraus.
@theandrewmayer

Vickielee Wohlbach

Diane & others

Vickielee (she/her) is excited to be a part of this gorgeous show and on stage for the holidays! Regional: The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Empty Space, Village Theatre, ACT, Showtunes, Cabaret de Paris (including many merry seasons with Rich Gray’s Forbidden Christmas)! Leading roles in Taming of the Shrew, Seven Brides, Stellaluna, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Ring of Fire, Menopause the Musical, Das Barbecü, and The Miracle Worker. Vickielee has performed in Japan, Canada, Europe, and across the U.S. and can be heard locally rocking out with The Usual Suspects. Love to C!

Irene Sankoff & David Hein

Book, Music & Lyrics

Irene Sankoff and David Hein are the Olivier Award-winning and Tony and Grammy Award-nominated Canadian writing team behind the worldwide award-winning hit musical Come From Away, currently playing to over 100 countries on Apple TV+ and around the world. Their first show, My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding—based on David’s mother’s true story—has won Best Musical awards across North America, with Sankoff and Hein performing in many productions. Together, they have written for Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., HBO, and the CW, as well as Marvel Comics and the Canadian government. They are the recipients of the Four Freedoms Good Neighbor Award and the Meritorious Service Cross of Canada, which recognizes Canadians’ exceptional accomplishments.

Brandon Ivie

Director

Seattle Rep: Lizard Boy (also Off-Broadway, Best Musical Drama Desk nomination). Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Goodspeed Musicals, Barrington Stage Company. NYC: The Public Theater/Joe’s Pub, HERE Arts Center, Musical Theatre Factory, Prospect Musicals. International: Edinburgh Fringe, Hope Mill Theatre. Currently Artistic Producer at Center Theatre Group in LA. Previously Associate Artistic Director at Village Theatre, Casting Director at The 5th Avenue Theatre, Artistic Director at Contemporary Classics.
LCT Directors Lab. Drama League Directing Fellow. B.A. UW School of Drama. For Mom. @brandonivie

William Carlos Angulo

Choreographer

William Carlos Angulo is thrilled to return to Seattle Rep where he choreographed In the Heights and Shout Sister Shout! Favorite recent choreography credits include Falsettos at Court Theatre, Poor Yella Rednecks at Manhattan Theatre Club, Presencia at The Bushwick Starr, Lucha Teotl at Goodman Theatre, and Legally Blonde at The Muny. He is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Alliance of Latine Theatre Artists, and he currently serves as Director of Education for Dance Lab New York. Thanks to Brandon, Bobby, Tim, and Diego. @worldwidewilliam

Chris Ranney

Music Supervisor & Conductor

Chris Ranney is thrilled to return to Seattle Rep for this 10th Anniversary production. He was last seen on stage at Seattle Rep in the original production of Come From Away and went on to spend five years on Broadway with the show. Other Broadway credits: A Christmas Story. Favorite Seattle credits include Paint Your Wagon, A Chorus Line, and Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Chris performs frequently in New York with Tony Award-nominated actress Jenn Colella. He also plays traditional Irish and Scottish music on the button accordion and piano with partner Caitlin Warbelow. chrisranney.com

Tim Mackabee

Scenic Designer

Seattle Rep: True West, Roz and Ray. Broadway: The Elephant Man (starring Bradley Cooper), Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (dir. Spike Lee). West End: The Elephant Man. Off-Broadway: Heathers The Musical; Seared (Manhattan Class Company); Guards at the Taj (Atlantic Theatre Company); The Last Match (Roundabout Theatre Company); Poor Yella Rednecks, Vietgone (Manhattan Theatre Club); and others. Music Video: Carly Ray Jepsen’s “Surrender My Heart.” TV: “Gotham,” “Smash,” “Today Show,” “Football Night in America.” Education: NCSA, Yale School of Drama. @timmackabeedesign, timothymackabeedesign.com

An-lin Dauber

Costume Designer

An-lin Dauber is thrilled to be back at Seattle Rep where she previously designed Primary Trust, Little Women, The Tempest, and Metamorphoses. Other Seattle credits include The Lehman Trilogy (ACT Theatre); The Scariest, Stupidest Time (Swim Pony); The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (Intiman Theatre/The Feast); Champagne + Sodomy, Amen Corner, Marisol, and Blood Wedding (The Feast). Assistant Professor of Costume Design at the University of Washington. M.F.A. Yale School of Drama. Upcoming: Young Dragon at Seattle Children’s Theatre. anlindauber.com

Robert J. Aguilar

Lighting Designer

Designs for Seattle Rep include Laughs in Spanish, The Skin of Our Teeth, Fat Ham, Lydia and The Troll, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Indecent, In the Heights, MAC BETH, I Am My Own Wife, Lizard Boy, and others. Regional: Theatre Under the Stars, Portland Center Stage, ACT, The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Old Globe, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Intiman Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, and Village Theatre. Film: The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special, Potato Dreams of America. Robert is the Lighting Director at Seattle Rep and a member of USA 829. robertjaguilar.com

Ken Travis

Sound Designer

Seattle Rep: Blue Door, Twelfth Night. Broadway: Aladdin, In Transit, Jekyll & Hyde, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Scandalous, Newsies, Memphis, The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias. New York and Regional: The Old Globe, The 5th Avenue Theatre, McCarter Theatre Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, ACT (Seattle), Guthrie Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Playwrights Horizons, The New Group, New York Shakespeare Festival/The Public Theater, Signature Theatre Company, The Civilians, Mabou Mines, and international festivals and tours.

Hattie Claire Andres

Associate Director

Hattie Claire Andres is a theater director, producer, and educator working extensively across the region. Select directing credits: Public Works’ The Tempest and Twelfth Night (Seattle Rep); Waitress (Associate Director, The 5th Avenue Theatre); Into the Woods (Rising Star Project); Everybody and Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls (Cornish College); Village Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Seattle Public Theater, and Pork Filled Productions. Hattie is an award-winning film producer and the incoming Artistic Producer at South Coast Rep.

Kate Drummond

Assistant Director

Kate is a Seattle-based director, intimacy choreographer, and teaching artist. She is the co-Artistic Director and founder of Dacha Theatre and a founding member of the PNW Theatrical Intimacy Collective. She’s worked locally with The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Rising Star Project, ArtsWest, and the University of Washington School of Drama, among others. Recent intimacy credits: The Play That Goes Wrong, The Skin of Our Teeth (Seattle Rep); Late: A Cowboy Song (UW); Emma and the Dice Series (Dacha). Associate Member, SDC. M.F.A. in Directing, University of Washington. kate-drummond.com

Elisa Money

Associate Music Director

Elisa Money (they/she/he) is a noisemaker and storyteller from Vancouver, Canada. Select credits: Revenge Song (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Wakeman, Cowboy Bob (Village Theatre Festival of New Musicals); Miss Step (Village Theatre Beta Series); Lydia and the Troll, Shout Sister Shout! (Seattle Rep). They have contributed to productions at The 5th Avenue Theatre, Theater Mu, The Arsht Center, ACT, and others across the U.S. and Canada as music director, composer/lyricist, arranger/orchestrator, and copyist. Their music is available for streaming and was recently played on KEXP. @elisamoneymusic

Kate Myre

Dialect Coach

Kate Myre is a professor at Cornish College of the Arts. She has worked extensively with playwright and director Brian Yorkey and dialect and text coached his Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, Echoes, and Outer Banks. In Norway, she coached the acclaimed production of The Hamlet Complex at the Royal Opera House. She has coached for Seattle Rep, Seattle Children’s Theatre, ACT, Village Theatre, Seattle Public Theater, Immediate Theatre, Borealis Theatre, Jack Straw Cultural Center, and Boston Repertory Theatre. She is very grateful to be working with Seattle Rep again.

Stina Lotti

Stage Manager

Select stage management credits: The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale, As You Like It, The Odyssey (Seattle Rep’s Public Works); The Servant of Two Masters (Seattle Rep, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Guthrie Theater, ArtsEmerson); Fat Ham, MAC BETH, Here Lies Love, A Raisin in the Sun, All the Way, The Great Society, The Piano Lesson, Boeing Boeing, Fences, Gem of the Ocean (Seattle Rep); Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast (The 5th Avenue Theatre); Angels in America, A Doctor In Spite of Himself (Intiman Theatre); and A Raisin in the Sun (Pittsburgh Public Theater).

Quy Ton

Assistant Stage Manager

Quy Ton is excited to return to Seattle Rep! They were a 2015/16 Season stage management intern and worked on Disgraced, Luna Gale, and Sherlock Holmes and The American Problem. Additional stage management highlights include Sanctuary City, Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer, and Here Lies Love (Seattle Rep); Cambodian Rock Band (ACT, Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Julius Caesar (upstart crow collective); Jane Eyre, The Three Musketeers, Where We Belong, and Destiny of Desire (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Go, Dog. Go!, And In This Corner: Cassius Clay (Seattle Children’s Theatre).

Music Theatre International (MTI)

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theaters from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theater as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists, and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community, and school theaters in the U.S. and in over 150 countries worldwide. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theater and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

The Newfoundland Kitchen Party Takes the Stage 

By Nicole Bearden
Seattle Rep Communications Manager

Kitchen Party—The phrase evokes a feeling of warmth, community, family fun, and celebration. The kitchen as a gathering space is a recurring theme throughout cultures (which makes sense, since that is where the snacks live, and is often the warmest room in the house), but what is it about Canadian—specifically Newfoundlander—kitchen parties that have captured our hearts and attention?

The tradition of Newfoundland kitchen parties dates to Irish and Scottish settler groups hosting cèilidhs (Scottish)/céilís (Irish) (pronounced “KAY-lees”), which are casual gatherings that involve singing, dancing, storytelling, playing instruments, and sharing food with friends and neighbors. 

Newfoundland kitchen parties share many of these traditional aspects of their ancestral social gatherings, including a decidedly Celtic musical influence. Over the years, newer traditions like “kissing the cod” and “screech-ins” (named for the high-proof “Screech” rum imported from Jamaica that became a traditional Newfoundlander drink) have become a stalwart part of the celebratory shenanigans. Today’s kitchen parties feature more modern foods such as fried bologna, which are served alongside more customary offerings like fried cod tongues and toutons, a traditional Newfoundland dish made from fried, leftover bread dough often served with molasses. 

When director Brandon Ivie was contemplating how to approach the 10-year anniversary staging of Come From Away at Seattle Rep (based on a true story set in the Newfoundland town of Gander), he wanted to focus on the theme of community coming together. During his research, Ivie discovered this celebrated Newfoundland pastime.  

In adopting the kitchen party as inspiration for his direction, Ivie found a way to embrace (in his own words) “…the core of Come From Away: a community throwing its arms open to strangers, welcoming them in with kindness and compassion showing we are stronger unified than divided…” Through this lens, Ivie’s vision for this restaging promises to show “…how the best of humanity can be found by connecting across cultures, identities, and beliefs to acknowledge our collective responsibility to each other.”  

As part of Seattle Rep’s treasured community, I hope that you, too, will embrace the chance to gather together with us all, enjoy a joyful song and dance or two, nibble at some delicious tidbits from our Concessions, and—who knows? You might even get a chance to kiss the cod before the curtain falls.  

New Year, New Classes! Level Up Your Learning in 2026 with Seattle Rep Studios

Seattle Rep Studios encompasses Seattle Rep’s extensive education programs, including opportunities for youth, adults, educators, and businesses. 

Why Seattle Rep Studios? 

• Work with professional artists from Seattle’s vibrant theater scene 
• Access top-quality spaces and mentorship 
• Build friendships, confidence, and a toolkit for creative success 

For Adults:

Rep Pro Membership

Rep Pro is Seattle Rep’s adult learning program for participants ages 18+ who are working professional artists or seeking rigorous professional training and personalized feedback.

For $100 per month, your Rep Pro membership includes weekly drop-in classes on Monday and Thursday evenings, free and discounted Seattle Rep tickets, and much more.

From January–March 2026, dive into:

• A process-driven lecture series with Seattle Rep Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez
• Actor’s Studio sessions with active participation and real-time feedback on your work
• A participatory Grotowski Technique intensive
• Creative playwriting to bring your ideas to life

For Youth:

Winter Young Rep Classes

These engaging classes for young people ages 13–20 provide hands-on theatrical experience taught by Seattle-based theater professionals.

Winter sessions run Saturdays, January–March 2026. Explore your creativity with:

• Acting Through Monologues – Hone audition pieces and build confidence in storytelling
• Devising – Collaborate to create and perform an original play
• Design – Dive into scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design
• Scene Study – Take your work to the next level through dynamic partner work

Young Rep scholarships are available!
Contact education@seattlerep.org for details. 

New Year. New reasons to go to the theater.

Through Spring 2026, experience unforgettable stories that uplift, challenge, and spark conversation—brought to life by extraordinary local and national artists. Start the new year off right with plays that celebrate resilience, connection, and the strength we find in one another.

Extraordinary art requires extraordinary support. Much like the heartwarming story on stage, community generosity and support is at the heart of bringing this beloved musical back to Seattle Rep’s stage a decade after its unforgettable debut. We are so grateful to the nearly 400 incredible donors whose generous contributions at all levels raised over $500,000 to help this reimagined staging of Come From Away soar!

Print Edition

More About Seattle Rep

• Individual Donors
• Institutional Donors
• Staff & Board