Gene Weygandt Joins Broadway's Come From Away; Original Cast Member Joel Hatch Sets Final Performance

Welcome to the Rock, Gene Weygandt! The Broadway alum will return to the stage in Come From Away as Claude & Others on March 22. He replaces original cast member Joel Hatch, who will play his final performance in the Tony-nominated musical on March 20.

Weygandt arrives on Broadway from the Australian production of Come From Away. He has previously appeared on Broadway in Wicked and Big, the Musical.

He joins a cast that includes Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Sharon Wheatley, Rachel Tucker, De’Lon Grant, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Paul Whitty, Pearl Sun and James Seol. 

Featuring a book and score by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away is based on the true story of when the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland played host to the world. What started as an average day in a small town turned in to an international sleepover when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from across the globe, were diverted to Gander's airstrip on September 11, 2001. Undaunted by culture clashes and language barriers, the people of Gander cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar and the recognition that we’re all part of a global family. Christopher Ashley took home a 2017 Tony Award for his direction of Come From Away. The production features Tony-nominated choreography by Kelly Devine and musical direction by Ian Eisendrath.

Apple TV+ released a filmed stage adaptation of the musical in September.