Midwest actress reflects on landing first Broadway-touring role, coming to SGF in April

Hannah Kato remembers exactly what she was doing when she received news that she was cast in her first Broadway-touring production.

"I was at my day job, which was just like a desk job, and I was outside walking and I got a call from my agent and was like, 'Oh my gosh. What is going on?' And he told me I booked it, which was the biggest surprise and gift," Kato recalled. "I just remember crying on the sidewalk as people were walking by me like, 'What's going on?' It's a core memory for sure."

Kato, a Chicago native, plays as Janice and Others in "Come From Away," a musical based on the true story of how 38 planes carrying more than 6,500 passengers and crew were forced to land at the Gander International Airport in Newfoundland following the events of 9/11. With a population of 10,000, the sheer amount of additional people proved to be a challenge for the city of Gander. These "visitors" were deemed the "Come From Aways" and remained in the city until Sept. 16, according to the "Come From Away" production website.

"Come From Away" will make a stop in Springfield next month. The production is a part of the Great Southern Bank Broadway Season and will be at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts on Friday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available on the Missouri State TIX website, ranging between $56-111.

Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and directed by Tony Award-winning Best Director Christopher Ashley, "Come From Away" is approximately one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Following its stop in Springfield, the production will cycle back to Kansas City at Starlight Theatre from Aug. 6-11.

A graduate of private liberal arts North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, Kato didn't expect to land a role in "Come From Away."

"I just remember leaving that final callback (on Zoom) and I was literally talking to my mom and was like, 'I don't think I got it. I really just have a feeling I didn't get it,'" Kato recalled. "I wasn't familiar with the show before auditioning for it, so then working on the material, listening to it and watching it, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this would be something I would absolutely love to be a part of and this one is going to hurt to let go of.'" Fortunately, she didn't have to.

Speaking to the News-Leader from Louisiana on Tuesday (where she was performing that night), Kato said she was encouraged to submit an audition tape by her agent in April 2023. After a few rounds of callbacks, which were entirely virtual, Kato received that exciting phone call from her agent in May. By September, she was in New York, beginning auditions with her fellow cast members. "Come From Away" features 12 on-stage cast members, Kato said, in addition to six stand-bys, who perform if original cast members are unable to.

All of the characters depicted in "Come From Away" are based on real people who either lived in Gander or landed there following 9/11. Kato's character Janice is based on two people, Janice Goudie and Brian Mosher, who were journalists in Gander during 9/11. Goudie worked for a The Gander Beacon and Mosher was a radio personality who worked during the day as a high school media teacher. In the musical, the character Janice works at a television station.

More: Here's how Springfield's theater community continues to grow, change post-COVID

"In a lot of ways, she's someone who I hope I am and aspire to be because she cares so much for others," Kato said of her character Janice. "She is such a light and such a heartbeat for the show."

While touring with her first national production has come with challenges, like traveling to multiple cities in one week and being away from family and friends for extended periods of time, Kato described the opportunity as a "gift."

One of her favorite parts of the tour has been visiting historic venues throughout the country, like the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, New York, where celebrities like Katharine Hepburn, Andy Griffith, Liza Minnelli and John Travolta, have performed over the years. Another standout venue was The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

"Backstage there were just walls ... covered with signatures of previous shows that have come through there before," Kato said. "I remember when we were there, I picked a different signature before each show to high-five in a way. It was kind of a cute way for me to be like, 'Okay cool, I'm going to give Audra McDonald a high-five before we go perform this show.'" McDonald is an actress and singer known for her work on Broadway.

When she's not busy preparing for an evening production, Kato said she enjoys exploring the cities she is in, specifically on the hunt for a good latte.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Broadway-touring actress Hannah Kato reflects on first national role