Timberline High School announces fall 2026 musical — ‘Come From Away’
Originally published on The JOLT News on May 28, 2026
Timberline High School (THS) Theater Director Dr. Adam Jones recently told me about something coming that we should all be very excited about. The THS Drama Department will be bringing us the musical “Come From Away” about the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Performing this musical will be a historic event for numerous reasons.
“Timberline has a really cool connection to the show," Jones said. The music for “Come From Away” was originally arranged, conducted and supervised by Timberline theatre alumnus Ian Eisendrath. The show just became available for licensing, and THS will be the first high school in Washington to perform it.
“Being able to perform our own (alumnus') show is really an honor and a special thing," Jones said.
Keep an eye on The JOLT event calendar as tickets for “Come From Away” will go on sale in mid-October. The show will be performed from Nov. 12-21.
Until then, enjoy reading these insights provided by Dr. Jones.
On ‘Come From Away’
Benton: Besides the special connection to the show, why have you chosen this show, and why right now?
Dr. Jones: "We are always looking for ways to stretch our actors and tech crew, and this show is going to be a nice challenge on both fronts. On a deeper level, this show addresses some national trauma that we really haven’t dealt with as a society. Arguably, a lot of the division we’re experiencing can be traced back to that moment. … Which is ironic, because we all remember the feeling of unity in the immediate aftermath. I think this show does a lot of work towards helping us to heal some of the divides by reminding us of our common humanity. Additionally, this is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, so it is quite timely as a reminder."
Benton: Tell me about student responses to this show. Why is this a good fit for you guys?
Dr. Jones: "Students are very excited about this one! We had the opportunity to see 'Come From Away' during a field trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. After the show, the students were all coming up to me and saying how much they loved the show and wanted to do it at THS. When we got back to the bus and I told them I had signed the contract on it a week prior, they exploded with excitement!"
Concluding thoughts
Benton: Rumor has it, arts education is in danger. In your own words, why are musical productions, theater, choir, all the arts important in school?
Dr. Jones: "Yeah, the rumors are abounding and are discouraging. I think theatre, in particular, is important for many reasons, from being a great equalizer to building confidence and finding your passion.
"In 2025, we produced the musical 'We Will Rock You,' which celebrates the music of Queen. There was a quote from Freddie Mercury in the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' movie that really stood out to me. He said of the band, 'We’re four misfits who don’t belong together. We’re playing for the other misfits … the outcasts at the back of the room, who are pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.'
"For many who get involved in the arts, they aren’t naturally the popular, cool, inside group, but then they come to the arts and realize, 'Oh I’m not the only one.' It’s where a lot of them find their people and feel at home for the first time. To lose that, especially in an age when more and more people are feeling isolated and disconnected, isn’t just a tragedy, it’s morally wrong. "
Benton: Can you share a story about the impact of arts in students' lives?
Dr. Jones: "I could share many —I had a student who had never auditioned for anything before and was a really shy, timid kid. Her favorite movie was “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and we were going to do that show for our musical. She really wanted to play Veruca Salt and so she came into the audition and sang “I Want it Now” from the movie and did the choreography and everything. It was awesome and unexpected!
"When she left the room, I turned to my assistant director and said, “Well that part is done.” After that experience, she realized what a great actor she was and her confidence skyrocketed. She was part of every production after that, including being the lead in 'Mary Poppins' her senior year. She only gained that confidence and success because theatre gave her that opportunity."
Be part of the transformative work of local arts education and make a plan to attend shows like these offered by our schools!
Timberline High School is located 6120 Mullen Rd SE, Lacey, WA 98503