ACT I of Benton County, 906 E Avenue, Vinton, IA (2026)

08/29/2026

Meet Rose Miller, who plays Hannah in COME FROM AWAY!

Rose loves how COME FROM AWAY brings people and cultures from around the world together in a time of crisis to celebrate humanity. She also finds many personal connections to the story—from her dad’s family’s Catholic faith and her cousin who is a German Lufthansa pilot, to her dad and grandparents who worked in Swahili-speaking countries. Even the Prayer of St. Francis, featured in “Prayer”, Rose’s favorite song in the show, hung in her grandmother’s bathroom when she was growing up.

One of Rose’s favorite parts of the show is the friendship between Hannah and Beulah. Their friendship was real, and they remained close for years, even speaking just the week before Hannah passed away last year.

Rose’s character Hannah is a passenger anxiously awaiting news of her son who is a firefighter in New York. She admires how Hannah, like so many others in the story, turned to her faith during an incredibly frightening time. Through Hannah’s story, Rose hopes audiences find peace and hope, even in the midst of heartbreak.

And the most challenging part of preparing for COME FROM AWAY? The chairs!!!

COME FROM AWAY will be performed at the Palace Theatre in Vinton September 10-13.
Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events.

08/27/2026

COME FROM AWAY opens on the Palace stage in two weeks!

Performances:
September 10th at 7PM
September 11th at 7PM
September 12th at 2PM and 7PM
September 13th at 2PM

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events or at the door 1 hour before each performance.

Contact us via Facebook or at [email protected] with any questions!

08/26/2026

A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT COME FROM AWAY!

Starbucks was a long way away! In 2001, if you were craving a Starbucks coffee while stranded in Gander, you had a 4-hour drive to St. John’s.

The passengers weren’t the only ones stranded: Among the unexpected travelers were 19 animals being transported in the cargo holds of the planes, including two Bonobo chimpanzees!

100 Countries were represented. The people stranded in Gander came from everywhere, including England, Thailand, Australia, and many more. For a few remarkable days, this small Newfoundland community became home to people from around the world.

The Screech In is real! The hilarious – and slightly strange – tradition you see in Come From Away isn’t made up for the musical. A Screech-In is an actual Newfoundland tradition welcoming newcomers and involves a codfish, a shot of Screech, and a very memorable declaration of Newfoundland citizenship!

COME FROM AWAY is scheduled for September 10-13 at the Palace Theatre in Vinton. Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events!

08/25/2026

MEET THE CAST, MEET THE CHARACTER: Meet Cory Pierce who plays Oz in COME FROM AWAY!

Cory is a veteran ACT I performer but is finding COME FROM AWAY to be his most challenging production so far. Between lines that pop up in unexpected places, constant chair movement and scene changes, singing, dancing, and accents, there’s a lot to keep track of!

But Cory’s favorite moment – as it is with many of the cast members – is the bar scene for Screech In. He loves the natural fun and energy of the scene, the catchy music, and the challenge of the lyrics. And he gets to play the ugly stick - come see the show to learn what that is!

Cory’s main character is Oz, a police officer and Gander resident who helps welcome the unexpected visitors to town. He hopes that audiences will see the light-heartedness and humor in Oz and the other characters, while also feeling the weight of the events surrounding them. More importantly, Cory hopes the audience becomes as emotionally invested in the story as the cast has been. He is “extremely proud and honored to be a part of this storytelling production!”.

Come experience the laughter, emotion, and incredible true story of COME FROM AWAY. Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events. Performances are September 10-13 at the Palace Theatre in Vinton!

08/24/2026

Imagine 7,000 unexpected guests showing up in your town. Now imagine your town has only about 9,000 people.

That's what happened in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001.

When 38 planes were diverted to Gander International Airport after the terrorist attacks, nearly 7,000 passengers and crew members suddenly needed somewhere to stay.

The people of Gander didn't know these travelers. They didn't know how long they would be there. They didn't know what the next day would bring. But they opened their doors anyway.

Schools became dormitories. Community centers became gathering places. Churches and kitchens became places to feed hundreds of hungry travelers. Residents donated clothing, toiletries, food, and whatever else they could spare. They drove strangers around town or loaned them their cars. They took people into their homes.

And perhaps most remarkably, they did it without expecting anything in return.
For several days, the people of Gander and the passengers they welcomed lived together as one enormous, unexpected community.

That incredible true story became the Tony Award-winning musical COME FROM AWAY.

ACT I will be performing COME FROM AWAY September 10-13 at the Palace Theatre in Vinton. Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events!

08/23/2026

MEET THE CAST, MEET THE CHARACTER: CHRIS OVERTURF AS KEVIN T.

Chris is a veteran of the ACT I stage, with past favorites including Rock of Ages, The Music Man, Newsies, and Burnt Part Boys. He’s excited to be back onstage with COME FROM AWAY!

COME FROM AWAY has been one of Chris’s favorite shows since he first heard the opening drumbeat of “Welcome to the Rock” on Spotify. He was immediately drawn to its unique storytelling and the fact that these stories are based on the real experiences of people who lived through the five days following 9/11. After seeing the show for the first time, he turned to his wife and said, “We HAVE to do this show at ACT I.” And now, here we are!

One of Chris’s favorite moments is the Screech-In. He loves the fun and energy of the scene, but especially what it represents: in the middle of tragedy and uncertainty, the people of Gander find a way to laugh, celebrate, and welcome their unexpected guests. For Chris, it captures what he loves most about the show—finding joy, connection, and community even in the darkest circumstances.

Kevin T. is one of the passengers stranded in Gander. Despite the circumstances, he stays open to new experiences and people and tries to make the best of a difficult situation. For Chris, one of the challenges of playing Kevin T. has been finding the balance between feeling the character’s deeply emotional moments and actually getting the words out!

Performances of COME FROM AWAY are September 10-13 at the Palace Theatre in Vinton. Tickets can be purchased at: https://events.act1.org/events!

08/18/2026

Did you know? COME FROM AWAY is based on real people and real stories.

Before the musical was written, creators David Hein and Irene Sankoff traveled to Gander, Newfoundland, to interview the people who had experienced the days following 9/11 firsthand. They listened to the stories from the locals who opened their homes and hearts, as well as the stories from the passengers and crew members who suddenly found themselves stranded far from home.

Those interviews became the foundation for the musical. The experiences, humor, fears, friendships, and acts of kindness inspired the characters and stories we see on stage today. So when you watch COME FROM AWAY, you are hearing pieces of true stories from those few days.

Come experience the result of those interviews with us! Performances are September 10th-13th at the Palace Theatre in Vinton. Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events.

08/16/2026

Meet MATT WALSTON who plays KEVIN J in COME FROM AWAY!
Matt is no stranger to the stage. He is excited to be back onstage this summer!

His favorite moments from COME FROM AWAY showcase the show’s wide range of emotions – “28 Hours/Wherever We Are” for its humor and memorable one-liners, and “Lead Us Out of the Night” for its poignant reminder of the events of September 11.

And when asked about the most challenging part of preparing for the show? His response was: “The chairs…….if you know, you know.”

Matt’s main character is Kevin J, but he also plays Ali. Both are passengers stranded in Gander, but they offer very different perspectives. Matt admits that he doesn’t admire Kevin much – he’s isn’t always the kindest person – but he respects that he was unapologetically himself, especially during a time when being a gay man came with its own challenges. Ali, on the other hand, interacts with others in a kind and respectful way, even during moments of judgment. Together these characters give us two very different perspectives, another thing Matt enjoys about the show.

We will be performing COME FROM AWAY September 10th-13th at the Palace Theatre in Vinton. Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events!

08/15/2026

DID YOU KNOW? THE CHAIRS TELL THE STORY

One of the most unique things about Come From Away is its minimal set. There isn’t a giant airport terminal or elaborate set. It is a simple stage that allows the actors, music, and story to take center stage.

And then there are the chairs. LOTS of chairs! Throughout the show the chairs become anything the story needs them to be – an airplane, a bus, a restaurant, a meeting space.

COME FROM AWAY is ultimately about the people. The minimal set allows the audience to focus on the passengers, the people of Gander, and the extraordinary connections they make.

Come see what we have created with an incredible cast, a stage, some chairs, and an amazing true story! Tickets can be purchased at: https://events.act1.org/events.

08/12/2026

Meet DEAN BOSTIAN who plays CLAUDE in COME FROM AWAY!

Dean's journey to Come From Away started with a recommendation from his sister, Jane, who had seen the show several times. When Dean mentioned he was thinking about auditioning, she told him he shouldn’t pass up the opportunity. We are glad he listened!

While this is Dean’s first show on the ACT I stage, he is no stranger to performing. His past shows include Miracle on 34th Street, Seussical, The Wizard of Oz, and several plays. After being away from community theatre for a bit, he has loved getting back on stage and working alongside the incredible local talent that makes this production possible.

Dean's character Claude is Gander's mayor—a hardworking, down-to-earth guy who keeps things moving during an incredibly challenging time, while managing to maintain his sense of humor.

What Dean connects with most is Claude's emotional journey. Claude spends the crisis holding everything together, but once the planes finally leave, the emotions catch up with him. For Dean, that moment feels incredibly human. And that's what Dean hopes audiences take away from Claude's story: leaders don't do it alone. When a community comes together, people can accomplish extraordinary things.

Come see Dean bring Claude and this remarkable story to life when Come From Away takes the stage the Palace Theatre this September! Tickets can be purchased at https://events.act1.org/events!

ACT I of Benton County

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