The Playhouse on Rodney Square in Wilmington, DE is thrilled to host the national tour of Come From Away this weekend. This beloved Broadway musical tells the true story of the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed the world on 9/11. When 7,000 stranded passengers arrived in Gander, people came together to show love and light in the darkest of times. Come From Away is one you won’t want to miss.
Cast member Kristin Litzenberg, who plays Beulah in the show, is from nearby Kennett Square, PA and looks forward to sharing the story of Come From Away with her friends and family. Read more about her career, the podcast she hosts with fellow Come From Away cast member Addison Garner, her favorite scene from this Tony AND Olivier award winning musical, and the Wawa order she’s looking forward to while home!
Come From Away is in Wilmington JUST for the weekend- April 19-21, 2024, so visit BroadwayinWilmington.org for tickets.
Q: When did you decide you wanted to be a performer? What was your first role?
A: I didn’t truly decide to go into performing until the summer before my junior year of high school. While I had always been a part of school and church musicals I never even knew Broadway existed until I was around 14 years old. I had a pretty well-rounded childhood and participated in a lot of different extracurricular activities. My parents were both music teachers so I was active in music as well as the travel and school soccer teams. My first role was “Clara” in The Elves and the Shoemaker at a local children’s theater when I was 5 years old. I couldn’t read very well so my parents taught me my lines by speaking them and having me repeat them back.
Q: Everyone in the Come From Away cast plays multiple roles. Who do you portray in this real-life story?
A: I play Beulah Davis, the school teacher at Gander Academy. My character is actually a combination of two women; Beulah Cooper and Diane Davis. I’m friends with both of them on Facebook and even got to meet Diane when she came to see the show in Halifax last fall.
Q: You co-host a podcast, Girls On Tour. Can you tell us a bit about it?
A: The podcast is such a passion project of mine because it’s something I know I would’ve loved to have when I was cast in my first national tour back in 2014. Addison Garner, my co-host and Beverley Bass in Come From Away, and I would joke that we needed to start a podcast about all of our very specific knowledge of tour life. From how to pack, what to eat, and even which hotel chain has the best beds. We’ve only put out a few episodes so far, people seem to really enjoy it. So many people over the years have asked me what life is like being a professional actor so this is a little peek into the behind the scenes of the show and our lives.
Q: What are some of your tour must-haves? What do you pack?
A: In the beginning of the tour I actually purchased a dog hammock that you would use in the backseat of a car so I could have a little bed to lay down on. We joke about it because lots of other members of the company have bought the same one as well so they call me a “dog bed influencer” . My number one favorite item is my Roku. Being able to plug it in and have all of my go-to shows is a nice way to feel at home. I also always travel with a small candle and photos of loved ones to have next to my bed at night.
Q: Do you have a favorite song or scene in Come From Away?
A: My favorite moment in the show is right before the Finale when the mayor says “Tonight we honor what was lost but we also commemorate what we found”. All 12 of us are standing together in this moment and it feels like such an accomplishment knowing that we rose to the occasion to tell this amazing story with everything we had.
Q: What do you love most about this story?
A: I love how this is a story about normal, everyday people, who stepped up to do extraordinary things. One of my favorite lyrics from the show is “A candle’s in the window. And the kettle’s always on”. It truly exemplifies the people of Gander and what they provided to the stranded passengers. They always say “ Oh, we only gave them some blankets and fed them some sandwiches”, but in reality they provided the plane people a sanctuary during what was most likely one of the hardest moments of their lives.
Q: You are from nearby Kennett Square- is there anything you’re looking forward to doing or seeing since you’ll be so close to home?
A: I am so excited to see all my friends and family this weekend and share with them this amazing story. The last time most of them saw me in a show was when I was there in the ensemble of the Sister Act national tour in 2014. Now, ten years later, I’m in a more principal role so I hope I make them proud. I’ll also be at Wawa every morning for some coffee and a pork roll bagel melt.
Brenda on Broad 
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