I’ll be honest, I walked into Weathervane Playhouse’s production of Come from Away with serious concerns. As one of my all-time favorite shows, I wasn’t sure a local theater could do it justice. I’m thrilled to say I was completely wrong. This cast blew me away and reminded me once again why Northeast Ohio’s talent pool is absolutely incredible.

Full disclosure: I bought my own ticket, and the media team had no idea I was coming until after I’d arrived. This was purely my choice to see the show, and what I witnessed was nothing short of remarkable.

Was it perfect? No. But it was damn close, and the flaws were easily overshadowed by the sheer talent on display. My biggest frustration was the audio issues, and I’ve seen sound problems at every level of theater, but this was particularly painful. Half the time I struggled to hear lines because microphones weren’t unmuted in time. The worst moment came during what every Come from Away fan knows is THE gut-punch line: when Hannah delivers “He’s gone” to Beulah. Shaneen Harris, who played Hannah, delivered it beautifully, but the missed audio cue robbed the moment of its full devastating impact. Thankfully, the theater’s intimacy meant I could still hear it, but imagine how much more powerful it could have been.

Here’s what absolutely floored me: Sydney Jahnigen as Captain Beverly Bass. Her voice touched my soul. When she performed “Me and the Sky,” I was completely transported; it was breathtaking in every sense of the word. This is the kind of performance that sticks with you long after you leave the theater.

My other standout favorite was Micah Harvey as Officer Oz. This guy was born to play this role. His personality radiated from the stage, and his facial expressions had me laughing harder than I’ve ever laughed during this show. During “Blankets and Bedding” when they got to the feminine products line, his reaction made me completely lose it. Perfect casting, perfect performance.

I’ve been to other local productions where I’ve asked myself what the hell I was doing to myself. This time, I walked out feeling incredibly inspired by what’s happening in Northeast Ohio’s theater scene. Yes, there were technical flaws, that’s community theater, but the heart, passion, and raw talent more than made up for it.

This was hands down my best local theater experience, and if you have the chance, you need to see this show. Trust me on this one, it’s absolutely worth your time.

Come from Away continues at Weathervane Playhouse through October 12, 2025. Tickets are available at Weathervaneplayhouse.com.

Photos courtesy of Dale Dong Photography / Weathervane Playhouse.