Jack Noseworthy: coming home to Come From Away
18 April 2018

Jack Noseworthy is a busy man. Not only is he performing eight times a week in the smash hit Come From Away, but he and his partner, legendary choreographer Serge Trujillo, are busy with their company Truworthy Productions. They have also just welcomed their latest production, their son Lucas Alejandro Truworthy, to the family.

Noseworthy has always been in demand and he is instantly recognizable from his many film and television roles or, if one has been very lucky, his stage and cabaret performances. Attempts to set up an interview while Come From Away was in rehearsals stalled due to scheduling overload, but Noseworthy graciously cleared the time between feedings, singing and dancing, to answer a handful of email questions.

Drew Rowsome: Now that you have a few months of shows under your belt, how is the Toronto reaction? 

Jack Noseworthy: Simply amazing! The show was originally part of the Mirvish subscription series, and that core audience was the first to get access to the show. You could feel the excitement from folks who knew they were seeing something special. We've recently segued into group sales and single ticket buyers, who have have been waiting a long time to see what all the excitement is about. They are not shy about showing their appreciation. The response they give us is like a rock concert!

Playing a version of a real life character, did you read his book Channel of Peace or talk to Kevin Tuerff?

Kevin keeps telling me he will give me a signed copy. When he does . . . I will read it!

What is your favourite moment in the show?

In my song "Prayer" when the rabbi talks about not telling people he was Jewish, not even his wife, and how the events of 9/11 changed him. The experience he has, helps him face his truth and accept who he really is. It strikes a chord with me, and I'm sure anyone who has had to come out. My favourite song? "Somewhere In The Middle of Nowhere."

Though you were in Los Angeles when 9/11 happened, do you, as a New Yorker, feel extra pressure to present this story?

 As a Canadian permanent resident living in Toronto and also as a New Yorker, I wouldn't say I feel "pressure." What I feel is a responsibility to be as authentic and honest as possible. The show is very entertaining and the audience feels incredibly fulfilled when they leave the theatre, but these are true events and real people. I want to show them respect.

As a gay man, how do you make Kevin T a character that appeals to a mainstream audience?

My being a gay man has very little to do with the character being appealing. The writers, David Hein and Irene Sankoff did all the work. They wrote a great character that the audience loves. I just have to stand in my light, say the lines and sing the songs. The audience loves Kevin T.

Is it important to make a gay character palatable to a mainstream audience?

 One of the reasons I was attracted to the show is because it portrays a truthful example of a gay couple and their relationship. The show does not make excuses for them in any way. Having positive examples of gay people in the media is a vital way to help create tolerance and acceptance. I am thrilled to be a small part of that.

How did you achieve chemistry with your onstage partner Ali Momen?

 You can't create chemistry. You either have it or you don't. And Ali and I have it.

How does this version improve on the Broadway version?

They are both exceptional!

Does Toronto feel more like home because of your relationship with Sergio Trujillo?

 Without a doubt, having my husband and his family hail from this city has made Toronto feel like home for years. I love Toronto!

Does he give you choreography tips?

I have my BFA in dance and theatre from The Boston Conservatory. We give each other tips.

You've had a varied and extensive career with lots of celebrity contact, including playing opposite Meryl Streep in Mother Courage. Who in the cast of Come From Away is most Streepian?

Unga, the rare bonobo monkey.

One of your first, and longest-haired, roles was in the music video "Always" for Bon Jovi. Who in the cast of Come From Away rocks the hardest?

Anna Ludlow our fiddle player.

All of your grandparents were born and raised in Newfoundland. Has that heritage helped you in creating this role?

 My family is on stage with me every night.

What do you hope that audiences take away with them after seeing Come From Away?

To never lose hope. Mankind is good.

How does it feel to be entering what will undoubtedly be a long run?

 It feels great. Being an actor for as long as long as I have, you experience a lot of us and downs. Come From Away is definitely a high point in my career, and I've been around long enough to know you have to enjoy it while it lasts, because it will not last forever. How do you keep it fresh every night?  I don't have to, every night there are 1,200 people in the audience who are experiencing the show mostly for the first time. That does it for me.

As a member of the leadership council of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and having been very active raising funds would you like to express why this charity is so dear to your heart and how our readers can help?

 I went to New York in 1987 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, to start rehearsals for the fourth national tour of Cats. I was in the original production of Jerome Robbins' Broadway in 1989 and was in the final cast of A Chorus Line on Broadway in 1990. I watched hundreds of friends and colleagues die of AIDS. Many of them under 30 years of age. BC/EFA has been there from the beginning, helping and educating hundreds of thousands of people over the years. As a gay man, I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me, and those we have lost to this terrible disease. Being part of the leadership council is my way of giving back.