Canadian 9/11 musical ‘Come From Away’ finds new meaning in current climate

TORONTO – The Canadian co-creators of the 9/11-inspired musical “Come From Away” say they’re finding new meaning in the Gander, N.L.-set story headed to Broadway.

Five years ago, husband-and-wife duo Irene Sankoff and David Hein travelled to Gander for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. In 2001, the small town saw its population double as it provided refuge to 6,579 passengers and crew on 38 planes that were diverted when U.S. air space was closed.

The true-life tales of humour, hospitality and heroism collected by Sankoff and Hein during a month in Gander helped inspire “Come From Away.”

“It feels like there’s never a bad time to tell a story about people being good to one another,” said Hein. “But especially I think today, in today’s political climate, it feels more important, more relevant than ever to talk about welcoming strangers off of planes and being good to one another.

“I think people are also interested and hungry for a story about a place where it’s ordinary to do that: to welcome strangers into your homes, to give them everything. And the people out there (in Gander) say: ‘You would have done the same.’ But what’s extraordinary about them is that they’re ordinary — they’re incredible.’”

Directed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Ashley (“Memphis) and choreographed by Tony nominee Kelly Devine, the musical has already received critical raves at earlier showcases in La Jolla, Calif., and Seattle.

Following recent shows in Gander to raise funds for local charities, “Come From Away” is now onstage at the newly renovated Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto before heading to New York this winter.

The Regina-born Hein, who was raised in Saskatoon, grew up on music from Newfoundland acts like Great Big Sea, Shanneyganock and Figgy Duff. Along with Sankoff, a Toronto native, they sought to translate the “infectious” Celtic-based rock-folk vibe into their production.

“I think Newfoundlanders, they’re natural entertainers, they’re natural gifted storytellers,” said Sankoff.

“Everything from the generosity of bringing people into their home and giving them dinner and then telling stories, and then taking them on tours…. I think everything about them is just so open and warm,” she added. “You just want to spend time with them. I think that’s a large reason why they’re so fascinating.”

Newfoundlander Petrina Bromley plays Bonnie Harris, the manager of the Gander and Area SPCA who helped care for animals travelling in cargo holds of planes. In addition to the stranded passengers known as “plane people” seeing the production, Bromley said it’s been an incredible experience to also have 9/11 survivors and first responders in their audiences.

“People are finding it to be a positive memory that they can attach to an event in time that is so traumatic and so destroying to them in their personal lives, to see it through a different lens and to know that not everything that came out of those moments was terrible,” she said.

“Most of it was absolutely. But in small pockets — and I’m sure Gander is not the only one … there were one-on-one human connections that were able to be made. And those are things that we need to shine a light on.”

Joel Hatch, who portrays both Gander Mayor Claude Elliott and Mayor Derm Flynn of nearby Appleton, finds great comfort in seeing Gander’s 9/11 legacy endure today through present-day actions reflective of the generosity shown 15 years earlier.

“They have a group of Syrians that they’ve invited to their community and are providing homes (for) and a new start in life, and they were sitting front and centre during our concert,” he recalled.

“It’s not like they’ve stopped. They’re not living on their laurels. They’re continuing. And that’s an example that, I think, I am really happy to share with the world.

“You can continue, in this climate, to reach out to people, to connect with them, to listen to them, to try to understand them. And that’s something we definitely need right now.”

Toronto performances for “Come From Away” will run through Jan. 8, before the production moves to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York on Feb. 18.

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