Come From Away with Sharon Wheatley
Sharon Wheatley, original Broadway cast member of “Come From Away”,
sets the record straight
Having the distinction of being the only actress who’s performed in the Broadway productions of Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Cats (the final company) among others, Sharon Wheatley was taking a break from New York City when fate intervened and brought Come From Away and her together. Sharon was living in San Diego in 2015 when she received a Facebook message from a casting director saying that she’s perfect for this new show that is originating there, and they needed a local hire. Well Broadway was calling her back to NYC and the rest is history.
What was it about Come From Away that persuaded
you back to New York City?
Come From Away is not a traditional musical. We just
happen to be singing as we tell this beautiful story. There are only three
applause breaks in the whole show. This one is special!
There have been a couple of misconceptions about this
show, for instance, why make a musical about a tragedy such as 9-11? What do
you think about that?
It really isn’t a 9-11 musical, it’s a 9-12 musical. It’s
about finding the good in the most terrible of situations, finding the
humanity. The creators of the show were inspired by Mister Rogers (Fred
Rogers): “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother
would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are
helping.’ “
Another misconception is that Come From Away might
be about divisive issues. What would you say about that?
It’s quite the opposite. Simply put it’s about helping
people and seeing humanity at its finest. There is nothing negotiable about
being a good person. The people of Gander, Newfoundland were from all walks of
life. There was nothing fancy or divisive about them. They were just good
people.
The main character you portray is based on the real-life
person Diane Marson. Did you get to meet her?
Oh yes! We’ve become very good friends. The cast is in
regular communication with the people this musical is based on. We talk all the
time and they’re like our aunts and uncles now. In fact, I just got a text from
Beverley Bass, the American Airlines aircraft pilot, who is heavily featured in
the show.
Why do you believe everyone in Huntsville needs to go see
this show?
Everyone who sees Come From Away will walk out of the
theater feeling better than when they walked in. It happens all around the
world. Just go see it and you’ll see!
“Sharon Wheatley is a Broadway actress, a writer, educator, and a mom. As a writer Sharon recently published her second book DRIVE Stories from Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere, a nationally published memoir/travelogue. DRIVE follows the pandemic shut-down journey of Sharon and her family from Broadway’s sudden closure to when the curtains finally go back up.” To learn more, check out her website at https://sharonwheatley.com/
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