The Tony and Olivier Award-winning smash hit musical Come From Away tells the remarkable and now famous true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them on September 11, 2001.
Veteran stage actor James Kall costars in the new North American touring production of Come From Away. He was part of the original Toronto cast, and also performed the show in Newfoundland.
Born in Cleveland, the Broadway veteran – he starred in By Jeeves in the Helen Hayes Theatre – currently lives in Toronto with his husband Randy Mulville. Kall was also a member of the original Canadian cast of Kinky Boots and can be seen on the small screen in such shows as Schitt’s Creek, Law & Order and Queer as Folk, and the TV mini-series Life With Judy Garland.
Kall and I recently sat down for a candid Q&A about his storied career, and talked about why Come From Away is the perfect feel-good play to see during these turbulent times.
What was it like for you to see the theatre locked down for so long during COVID, and how much of a relief is it to be back live onstage?
A huge relief! I didn’t think that day would ever come. That 18-month lockdown was pretty intense and theatre is one of the last industries to sort of come back.
You were part of the original Canadian cast of Come From Away in Toronto. Come From Away is such a feel-good story. Why is it an especially good time now to see this production?
It’s always a good time because the show resonates with people in terms of what it means to be compassionate and kind when facing the odds or an emergency. And I think we’ve been through a lot of that lately with COVID, with the political unrest in the world and the emergence of unkindness and selfishness. As human beings, I think the show is a good reminder that it’s easier to choose kindness, and the results are far more rewarding and positive.
What has life like been on the road for you on this tour? You worked through the holiday season. Has this been difficult?
I’m used to it. I mean, this is my 40 th year as a professional actor, so I’m used to spending some holidays away from home. This year was a little more difficult travelling from Hartford to Ottawa via Kingston to go see family on Christmas Day. But because of the snowstorm I got stranded in Watertown, New York, for a night. But I was safe, had warm food and shelter, so I’m really not complaining. It’s just one of those things. I accept as a performer that I sometimes miss weddings or holidays, but I’m very thankful I make a living in this profession.
What was it like to perform on Broadway in By Jeeves?
It was exciting. The Helen Hayes Theatre is a very small but beautiful historic theatre, real homey and perfect for that show because it was a smaller Broadway show. It was always my dream to perform on Broadway, my goal was to make it to Broadway by my 40th birthday and I had just turned 40! I was staying about five blocks away from the theatre, so I had to walk through Times Square to get to work. And it was Christmas time. So it was quite lively and beautifully decorated. I lived in New York for six years but I don’t think I could ever do it again. I was back there recently with Come From Away and I thought it’s a city for younger people. But I love visiting there.
You’ve done a lot of TV work. Do you prefer working on a film set or on live theatre stage?
Definitely live theatre. I enjoy film and TV but it is a lot of hurry-up-and-wait to get there early in the morning, get made up and in costume, then sit in your trailer for hours and hours and hours. Then work for maybe four or five minutes. I do prefer live theatre. I love the immediacy, the audience changes every night. It’s fresh and invigorating.
What was it like playing The Tin Man in Life With Judy Garland?
Fantastic! It was another dream job because they duplicated our costumes from the film The Wizard of Oz. They were exactly like they were back in the day. During a 24-hour shoot, one of my favourite memories, it was about two in the morning on a little break. They took the heavier part of my tin costume off but I was still wearing a silver leotard. And I’m standing there in the hallway eating fried chicken with Judy Garland’s daughter Lorna. She’s telling me stories about her mom. It was incredible.
I’m an out gay man, for the longest time there was a lavender ceiling in my profession. What was it like for you being an out gay man in your profession?
I would say it’s easier in my profession. Unfortunately there are other jobs and professions where there is still a stigma being LGBTQ. But I’m proudly out, married to my husband of 27 years. The world is slowly changing for the better.
What was it like performing Come From Away in Newfoundland?
As a dual US-Canadian citizen, I am very proud of travelling to Newfoundland a few times with the show. It just made me really proud of being Canadian and of the kindness and compassion that comes naturally to Newfoundlanders. In Gander, we played in a small arena for a couple thousand people. They were so
emotionally invested in the show, and the sites that we mention in the show were right there outside the door. So yeah, it reverberated deeply. I have been involved with Come From Away since late 2017 and I’ve not grown tired of it in the least. It’s been a very rewarding show.
Come From Away headlines Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts for six performances from January 10 to 15. The show is presented without intermission (1 hr 40 minutes).
For tickets, visit www.ComeFromAway.com.
