Unionville High alum takes on big role in ‘Come From Away’
Broadway musical will be in Wilmington April 19-21
Set against the backdrop of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Broadway musical “Come From Away” tells the true story of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, and its extraordinary response to the tragedy.
When airspace across the United States was closed following the attacks, 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted to Gander’s airport. Overnight, the town’s population nearly doubled as locals opened their homes, hearts and resources to stranded travelers from around the world.
“This is very different from most Broadway musicals,” said Chester County native Kristin Litzenberg, who plays Beulah Davis in the Broadway touring production of “Come from Away.” “I only saw it on Broadway once. I remember listening to the original Broadway cast recording when I was actually on tour in China with another tour called “Sister Act.”
“About a month before it closed, I was like, ‘I have to go see it.’ It was magical. As someone who had been researching it and heard it before, I was still so moved by it.”
The tour will hit The Playhouse on Rodney Square in Wilmington, Del., on April 19-21. Go to http:// www.broadwayinwilmington.org for more information.
Litzenberg’s character is a combination of two people (Beulah Cooper and Diane Davis) who helped the passengers during the stressful time. Playing a real person in a musical has been an experience.
“I had the opportunity to meet Diane when we were in Halifax (Nova Scotia),” Litzenberg said. “She came and saw a show. Some of them made the journey, the 28-hour journey from Gander to Halifax to come see us. She talked to all of us all after the show. I’m going to say probably a once-in-alifetime experience.”
Meeting a person you are playing on stage gave Litzenberg an insight she may not have on other shows.
“Seeing just a little bit of their lives, especially on Facebook, I can see how they ended up in the show,” said Litzenberg. “I think casting did a pretty good job.”
Litzenberg grew up in West Chester, then her family moved to Kennett Square in time for high school. While at Unionville High School, LItzenberg took part in the spring musicals, but was much more interested in soccer.
“I played until my junior year of high school,” Litzenberg said. “So, I was doing soccer, I was doing plays. I was singing in the choirs, I was playing instruments. Just doing everything I could possibly do. So when it came down to it, I don’t even think I even realized that professional theater was a thing, which kind of makes me laugh.”
Growing up in a musical family — her parents are both music teachers — gave Litzenberg a good base for when she found her passion. After high school, she attended the prestigious
American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and eventually Los Angeles.
“Moving from Unionville, Pennsylvania, to New York City, having only visited twice was another crazy thing that I look back on like, wow, I really just went to that,’ ” said LItzenberg. “I think going to school there, really immersing in the city itself, and having that security blanket when I went out to start auditioning while I was still in school was really a nice thing to have. And you’re right there going to see shows every weekend and you’re really living it to know whether or not you like it, whether or not you really want it.”
Soon Litzenberg was on the stage, including going on a world tour with “Sister Act.”
“We opened the Sister Act Tour in Wilmington in 2014,” Litzenberg said. “We are super excited and it’s really special for me. I have someone coming to every show. It’s going to be a fun and exhausting weekend.”
After the weekend in Wilmington, the show heads back on the road, but will cycle back to Philadelphia in 2025.