‘Come From Away’ makes it into the black
Broadway musical has recouped its $12-million investment in eight months
“Come From Away” has recouped its $12 million capitalization costs in the eight months since it opened on Broadway.
The Tony Award-winning musical, based on the story of 7,000 stranded airline passengers who landed in Gander during the events of 9/11 and the local people who took them in, has taken in gross earnings of just under $40 million.
Recoupment is the point when producers have repaid a show’s investors the money raised to develop and produce the show.
“Since we first saw the presentation of ‘ Come From Away’ four years ago at the NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre) Festival, helping to share the remarkable story of generosity and compassion has been a passion project for us,” producers Junkyard Dogs said in a media release. “It has been such an incredible experience to see audiences of all across North America and on Broadway connecting so viscerally with this celebration of the best of humanity.”
For the week ending Oct. 8, the Broadway production of “Come From Away” had grossed $1,379,848 over eight shows, with an average ticket price of $162.07.
The musical, created by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, had limited engagements in La Jolla, Seattle, Washington and Toronto before moving to Broadway last February.
In addition to the Tony Award for Best Direction of the Musical (for director Chris Ashley), “Come from Away” has won 28 awards across the continent, including three 2017 Drama Desk Awards and three 2017 Dora Awards.
Until now, tickets were available for Broadway dates until the end of May 2018; a new block of tickets has been released for dates until the end of September 2018.
Two Newfoundland natives feature in the Broadway show: Petrina Bromley stars in the cast, while percussionist Romano Di Nillo is a member of the band.
A second “Come From Away” company — including local native Greg Hawco in the band — will play a four-week engagement in Winnipeg in January before moving indefinitely to Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre Feb. 13. A third company will launch a tour across North America in October 2018.