Top 5 Facts about Come From Away
#5: Tough & True Subject Matter
This hot new musical is based on the incredible true story of what happened in Gander, Newfoundland following the September 11th attacks. Since planes were being diverted from United States airspace, they needed somewhere to land. 38 planes were rerouted to the small town of Gander, and the passengers effectively doubled the population of the town. Many of the characters in the stage production are based on real people involved, both Newfoundlanders and passengers. The play’s themes of hospitality and togetherness are all too relevant today, driving home the message to welcome and embrace people of any ethnicity, religion or sexual identity.
#4: Its Beginnings on Stage Were in Canada
As the story is set in Canada, it’s all too appropriate that the first versions of the play were staged in Oakville, Ontario at Sheridan College. Michael Rubinoff, the Associate Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at the college, had thought the story would make a good stage show, and approached Irene Sankoff and David Hein to write the project. It was workshopped and developed at Sheridan before going on to San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. It moved back briefly to Canada in late 2016, and finally moved from Toronto, Ontario to Broadway, where it’s garnered acclaim ever since.
#3: Famous People Have Already Gone to See It
While the production has only opened officially in March of 2017, some high profile guests have already had the chance to see it. On March 15th, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the show, in the company of first daughter Ivanka Trump, Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, former Canadian PM Jean Chrétien, and several other Canadian politicians past and present. Where Trudeau goes, many will follow, so expect to see more celebrities and famous faces attending this popular play in the near future. Get ahead of the crowds and grab tickets soon!
#2: It Was Created by a Husband/Wife Duo
After getting the idea from Michael Rubinoff, Canadian writing team Irene Sankoff and David Hein created the book, music and lyrics for “Come From Away.” The couple had been living in New York at the time of the 9/11 attacks, and only learned about the situation in Gander after the fact. They flew to the town for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, where they interviewed people who had been involved so they could get a first-hand account about what happened there. They took many of those real people’s stories and crafted them into “Come From Away.”
#1: The Cast Is Small & Always Used
Unlike many major stage productions, “Come From Away”’s cast doesn’t get a lot of breaks. The small ensemble cast of twelve – and now sixteen on Broadway – is on stage together for almost the entirety of the show. Actors will switch roles and portray different characters, sometimes even in the middle of a song. Several cast members have been around since the beginning, and have seen their characters through to Broadway. Just as there isn’t a huge cast to fill each role individually, the set pieces and props are minimal, and the costume reflects the small town where the story takes place. The result is the story itself taking center stage.
