The 2019-20 Broadway season at Wharton Center kicks off this month with the arrival of “Come From Away,” the Tony-nominated musical based on true events surrounding 9/11 and the days that followed. The national tour’s East Lansing stop runs from September 10-15, 2019, making it an especially poignant time of reflection for the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“Come From Away” tells the true story of 7,000 passengers stranded in a small town in Newfoundland and the local residents who helped feed, house, and support them in the confusing and chaotic aftermath of 9/11.
Julie Johnson stars as Beulah and other characters in the touring company of “Come From Away.” Johnson isn’t a stranger to the Wharton Center: she also starred as Mama in the first national tour of “Memphis,” which stopped in East Lansing during the 2011-12 season.
I spoke with her about the humanity in “Come From Away,” her connection with the cast, and her unexpected voice role in the 1990s and 2000s.
STEFANIE POHL: What was your journey to joining the “Come From Away” tour?
JULIE JOHNSON: My journey with the people from “Come From Away” actually started in the 1990s, when I first went to New York and did my first off-Broadway show. Chris Ashley directed it. Prior to that, I had worked at the Goodspeed Opera House with Sue Frost, who is one of the producers of “Come From Away.” I worked in New York for years, and was also the voice of Baby Bop on the “Barney and Friends” series, which we filmed in Dallas.
So I went back and forth a lot. I always stayed in touch with everyone and would audition for shows. When they were doing the tour of “Memphis,” they thought of me and cast me as Mama. I did a couple of things in La Jolla with Chris Ashley, and then this came along. They already had their team that took it into New York, but I was so thankful I got a call to audition for the tour. I was very lucky to work with Sue and Chris over the years and that the relationship was maintained.
POHL: You play Beulah and others in “Come From Away,” and your cast mates are also in multiple roles. What does that entail for you, and what is the fun and challenge of playing more than one role on stage?
JOHNSON: The fun of it is, and not that any actor should ever get bored with what they’re doing, but you have no chance to get bored when you’re popping in and out of different characters. It also is the opportunity for us to tell so many different people’s stories. There were almost 7,000 people who landed in those planes, in an area where the towns that came together had about 7,000 people in them. This show makes a point to tell the story of both the people who landed there and felt so displaced and frightened, and the people of Newfoundland who were so helpful. They never questioned it. The beauty of getting to play more than one side of this story is that there were so many stories. We get to bring to life so many wonderful people. We’ve gotten to meet several of them that we portray. Some of our characters are a combination of people, and some are directly pulled from one story. The writers did an incredible job. The audience feels like they’ve been there the five days, but it has whizzed by in an hour and thirty minutes.
POHL: Your character Beulah has a bond with the character Hannah, played by Danielle Thomas. Have you fostered special relationships with Danielle and others offstage in order to portray those bonds onstage?
JOHNSON: Absolutely. The thing is there are only 12 of us, so we have all bonded so deeply, but with Danielle in particular. We have gotten to meet both Beulah and Hannah, and that story is absolutely true; every moment that you see and hear on stage comes from their story. Their bond is still just as strong today as it was the five days they were getting to know each other. They both had firefighter sons in common. I don’t want to reveal too much about the story, but they are both there for each other in a very hard time for mothers. They’ve come out on the road with us a couple of times. We’ve seen Beulah and Hannah walk arm-in-arm down the street, and one of their granddaughters said, “since the day those two women met, that’s the way they’ve walked through life: holding onto each other.” I told Danielle that story, and of course we both burst into tears. The bond is extremely strong with all of us, but of course that one is one we get to play out on stage every night. It’s quite an honor.
POHL: What are some of your routines when you’re on tour?
JOHNSON: Probably the most hectic part is our Monday day off when we leave a city and head to another one. Our Monday day off is spent in an airport, and that can be a little stressful. The nice part is that we’re well taken care of, and every now and then if it’s less than a 4-5 hour drive, we get on a big luxury bus and see the countryside. I have also rented cars several times to drive from one destination to another. I love seeing the U.S. The most exciting thing on the other side of that hectic day at the airport is we get to see another incredibly beautiful and distinct city. Each city has its own personality and something wonderful to offer. It’s a fantastic way to see this country and meet people who share how they felt about the show.
POHL: Well, you’ll be arriving just at the start of a new school year at Michigan State, and it’s a beautiful time of year in Michigan!
JOHNSON: There’s nothing I love more than college football on a Saturday! If I get to walk by a stadium with the bands playing and hearing the ref whistles, I will be very happy. I’m from Texas. Football is in our bloodstream.
POHL: The themes of kindness and love prevailing over hate are represented in “Come From Away.” Why do you think this story is so important and needed at this time?
JOHNSON: The fact that this show is truth, and not just a fictionalized, wonderful world where people suddenly had 7,000 people drop out of the sky and into their homes — you could make this up and have a wonderful story, but the fact that it’s true is so special. They never asked for any thank you, publicity, or anything. The Newfoundlanders could have called someone years ago and said, “hey, we did this phenomenal thing during 9/11 and 9/12.” But they didn’t. It took a Canadian couple who wrote the music and lyrics to bring it to life, and then a lot of people joined in. The Canadian government was huge in making the story happen. People tell us after they’ve seen this show that they are reminded about the good of humanity, and how people just open their arms and embrace and take care of people in need. That’s the best feeling in the world to know that that still happens and we can all do that.
POHL: And what a wonderful thing for you to be a part of.
JOHNSON: It’s wonderful to know you’ve entertained people, it’s great to be in a big, spectacle show with a lot of fun music. But with this one, when the audience literally leaps to their feet, they’re leaping not just from a fantastic show. I think they’re truly emotionally driven to stand up. We’re representing some amazing human beings that deserve a standing ovation every day of their lives. But they would never ask for it.
Don’t miss the amazing true story of “Come From Away” at the Wharton Center, September 10-15,2019. Click here for show and ticket information.
Excellent interview Stefanie. 🙂 .