Come From Away is a jaunty musical that creates community out of tragedy

By Hannah Caparino, October 3 2024—

The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium presented Come From Away, a Tony-nominated Broadway show that was on its North American tour from Sept. 17-22. The musical went through a number of preliminary productions, doing out-of-town shows in both San Diego and Seattle, before the show found its home at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City. The production ran from the beginning of 2017, but was forced to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shutdown, the musical reopened in 2021 and ran until the show closed in October of 2022.

Come From Away is a musical that takes place during the events of 9/11 and the forced landing of multiple planes in the Nova Scotia town, Gander. The plot follows two groups of people, the first being the townspeople of Gander, and the second being the grounded passengers who were forced to land. Opening song “Welcome to the Rock” introduces both the setting and the townsfolk, and how their daily lives were changed drastically due to all the planes being forced to the ground. As the song “Blankets and Bedding” plays, the townsfolk of Gander begin to transform their town into a place of refuge for the stranded passengers, gathering supplies and putting up makeshift shelters. The actors on stage seamlessly switch between their designated townsfolk and passenger characters, with the passengers being played in a state of frustration and discomfort as they deboard the plane and are forced to make Gander home.

Although the cast is small, the characters and interactions make the stage feel significantly more full and lively. The music and songs transition into each other in an uninterrupted manner which allows for the musical to maintain a high paced story. Despite the musical’s high energy, there are songs that slow down the characters movement’s in order to let the characters grieve or reflect on the tragic event of 9/11. The seriousness of the matter is more impactful as the musical curates moments that mirror the collective feelings of fear and uncertainty. The show didn’t shy away from exposing unfortunate instances of budding discrimination against the Muslim community in the improvised safe haven, in a sombre scene that audiences audibly responding to with gasps or murmurs being heard within the theatre.

While Come From Away is a product created from tragedy, it highlights how community and hope can still withstand earth-shaking events. The connections formed between characters, whether that be romantic or familial, depict how people are capable of growing with one another. The musical encapsulates how the momentary feelings of loss can turn into  connection and celebration, exploring how the best of humanity can thrive under such pressures. There is a feeling of hospitality and acceptance from the people of Gander which creates a sense of togetherness that binds the entire show together.

Come From Away is a story that is rooted in community and compassion, and audiences have become immersed in the town of Gander. Although the show has ended its run in Calgary, a proshot version featuring the original Broadway cast of “Come From Away” is available to stream on Apple TV+. For more information about Broadway shows in Calgary, Broadway Across Canada has released its 2024-2025 season and the line up can be found here.