Kathy Mitchell, second from the left in the front row, performed in the acclaimed musical Come From Away in Logan, Utah, this summer.
Susie Nee
Did you know that our own Kathy Mitchell spent part of this summer onstage in Logan, Utah, performing in the acclaimed musical Come From Away.
The production was presented by the Lyric Repertory Company, a summer theater company in residence at Utah State University. Kathy played the role of Beulah and several other characters, making it a summer she says she will never forget.
If you’ve enjoyed theater or music in PebbleCreek, there’s a good chance you already know Kathy. She has become a familiar face—and voice—in our performing arts community as a singer, pianist, actor and director. She has appeared in numerous ShowTime productions, including Nunsense, Hello Dolly, and Beauty and the Beast, and acted in PC Players productions including 12 Angry Jurors, The Dixie Swim Club, and Calendar Girls.
Kathy has also directed several ShowTime productions, including Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Damn Yankees, and Singin’ in the Rain. Most recently, she added another PebbleCreek role to her résumé: president of Open Mic Night, one of our newer entertainment clubs.
So, how did this familiar PebbleCreek performer end up onstage in Logan, Utah?
For the past five years, Kathy has participated in Logan’s Summer Citizens Program, in large part because of the opportunity to enjoy theater at both the Lyric Repertory Company and Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.
Designed for adults 55 and older, the Summer Citizens Program offers classes, lectures, educational tours, community festivals, theater productions, and opportunities to enjoy the beautiful mountain setting.
Last year, Kathy performed in the Summer Citizens Talent Show. Richie Call, Artistic Director of the Lyric Repertory Company, happened to hear her sing and encouraged her to audition.
Then, last October, she received a phone call asking whether she would consider playing Beulah in Come From Away.
Of course, she said yes.
For those unfamiliar with Come From Away, the musical tells the remarkable true story of the days following September 11, 2001. When U.S. airspace was closed, 38 planes carrying approximately 7,000 passengers were unexpectedly diverted to Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada.
The residents of Gander opened their homes and hearts to the stranded passengers, creating an extraordinary story of kindness and human connection during one of the darkest moments in recent history. The events are also chronicled in Jim DeFede’s book, The Day the World Came to Town.
For Kathy, helping bring this extraordinary story to life was a once-in-a-lifetime experience—and one more memorable chapter in a life filled with music and theater, both onstage and here at home in PebbleCreek.