Come From Away. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca

Next season on the Jubilee Auditorium stage, you’ll be seeing a homegrown Canadian musical that celebrates the generous and inclusive spirit of this country at its best.

The grand finale of the upcoming 20th anniversary season of Broadway Across Canada is Come From Away. The hit musical, by the Canuck husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is the heartwarming story of the small Newfoundland town (Gander) that welcomed 7,000 stranded passengers from diverted flights in the week following the terrorist attacks of 9-11 — the terrible day that the world seemed to end. 

It started modestly, in a workshop production at Sheridan College in Ontario. And about a year ago, Come From Away came from away and stormed Broadway, accumulating rave reviews in that tough-minded theatre stronghold, and defying odds in the process (it’s still hard to get a ticket there). Since then, it’s accumulated awards, including the best director Tony for director Christopher Ashley.

The touring production arrives here March 12 to 17, 2019.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Before that, you can feel the earth move under your feet with the season-opener, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. The 2013 jukebox musical, which arrived on Broadway the following year (and won two Tony Awards and a Grammy), tells the story of the rise to stardom of the prolific creator of a dazzling array of indelible songs — You’ve Got A Friend and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman among them. King’s Tapestry remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Beautiful runs Nov. 6 to 11.

The Illusionists. Photo supplied

Arriving here New Year’s Day, 2019 (and running through Jan. 6) is The Illusionists, a high-tech Broadway magic show featuring five top-drawer illusionists.

The optional season additions include two returning hits: the re-thought re-staged version of Les Misérables (July 3 to 8, 2018) and The Book of Mormon, the much-awarded musical comedy/satire that continues to be a hot ticket in New York and London. It’s been here twice before, in sold-out runs in 2014 and 2016, and enthusiasm shows no signs of abating any time soon.

And here’s a sneak reveal of Broadway Across Canada’s 2019-2020 season: it includes the highly original 2017 Tony Award winner Dear Evan Hansen by the hip young team of Benj Hasek and Justin Paul (of La La Land and The Greatest Showman fame).  Subscribers to the upcoming anniversary season get first crack at Dear Evan Hansen tickets.

Starting today, new subscribers to the 2018-2019 season can acquire season packages at 1-866-542-7469 or broadwayacrosscanada.ca