‘THE BIGGEST SURPRISE AND GIFT’
Broadway-touring actress reflects on landing first national role
Hannah Kato remembers exactly what she was doing when she received news that she was cast in her first Broadway-touring production.
“I was at my day job, which was just like a desk job, and I was outside walking and I got a call from my agent and was like, ‘Oh my gosh. What is going on?’ And he told me I booked it, which was the biggest surprise and gift,” Kato recalled. “I just remember crying on the sidewalk as people were walking by me like, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s a core memory for sure.”
Kato, a Chicago native, plays as Janice and Others in “Come From Away,” a musical based on the true story of how 38 planes carrying more than 6,500 passengers and crew were forced to land at the Gander International Airport in Newfoundland following the events of 9/ 11. With a population of 10,000, the shear amount of additional people proved to be a challenge for the city of Gander. These “visitors” were deemed the “Come From Aways” and remained in the city until Sept. 16, according to the “Come From Away” production website.
“Come From Away” will make a stop in Springfield next month. The production is a part of the Great Southern Bank Broadway Season and will be at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing
Arts on Friday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on the Missouri State TIX website, ranging between $56-111.
Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and directed by Tony Award-winning Best Director Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away” is approximately one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Following its stop in Springfield, the production will cycle back to Kansas City at Starlight Theatre from Aug. 6-11.
A graduate of private liberal arts North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, Kato didn’t expect to land a role in “Come From Away.”
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