Canadian musical up for awards

NEW YORK — Canadian musical Come From Away has earned nine nominations for Drama Desk Awards.

The homegrown production was announced Thursday as a nominee for the outstanding musical award.

Married co-creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein received three nods for outstanding music, lyrics and book of a musical. The 9/11-inspired musical also landed an acting nomination for star Jenn Colella, along with nods for outstanding director of a musical for Christopher Ashley, outstanding choreographer for Kelly Devine, orchestrations for August Eriksmoen and costume design for a musical for Toni-Leslie James.

Gander, N.L., is the setting for Come From Away, which explores the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The remote East Coast town’s population doubled in size as it sheltered 6,579 passengers and crew from 38 planes diverted when U.S. air space was closed.

Before its Broadway debut last month, Come From Away was staged in La Jolla, California, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Toronto. The Come From Away cast was also in Gander for two concerts last October as a fundraiser for local charities.

A Life, by Montreal-born playwright Adam Bock received five nominations, including nods for outstanding play, actor David Hyde Pierce, director Anne Kauffman, set design for Laura Jellinek and sound design for Mikhail Fiksel. The play tells the story of unlucky-in-love Nate Martin, who turns to astrology after his latest ill-fated relationship in an exploration of his past and place in the universe.

The Drama Desk Awards are billed as the sole major New York theatre honours in which Broadway, off-Broadway and offoff-Broadway productions compete in the same categories. The winners will be announced on June 4.