THEATRE: COME FROM AWAY.
Come From Away tells the inspiring true story of how a small town reacted to strangers after of a major terror attack.
ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, WHEN THE WORLD
Trade Centre’s Twin Towers were under attack by terrorists, all air traffic in North America was grounded. That meant that 38 passenger airliners were unexpectedly diverted to the small Canadian town of Gander. Come From Away is the story of how the locals looked after the 7,000 strangers suddenly in their midst.
We all know what horrors occured on that day, but the play tells a story of love, compassion and the kindness of strangers.
Written by husband and wife team David Hein and Irene Sankoff, Come From Away has earned awards and critical praise, including from Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau who hosted a special performance in New York. Following successful runs on Broadway and London’s West End, it opens in Melbourne, Australia this month.
For creators Hein and Sankoff, bringing the story and real-life characters to the stage involved interviewing the locals and returning passengers at Gander on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“It was incredibly emotional,” says Sankoff. “We’d hear stories and be chocking back tears because some of these people who returned a decade later to thank the people of Gander had lost friends or family members. But the next thing we’d be laughing because the Newfoundlanders would spin you out with a joke and a bit of irreverence. They just knew how to take care of you. It was a magical time.”
Visiting the actual town and transferring that experience of humanity onto the stage was the creative duo’s objective, Hein explains.
“We wanted to give the audience the same experience of laughter and tears that we felt, and then bring the show back to Gander to share their story,” he says. “We did two concerts there, with the proceeds going to local charities because we wanted to give back to that community. We met a woman who lost her sister in the Pentagon attack. She had travelled to Newfoundland specially to see the show. She said it helped her to heal.
“We looked at musicals that told stories about groups of people, such as Into The Woods, RENT and A Chorus Line, which is probably the closest to our production. We also considered plays like The Laramie Project, which involved a small town’s reaction to a tragedy [the murder of gay teen, Matthew Shepard].”
“There’s a wide variety of musical theatre that I love and it depends on what suits the moment,” says Sankoff of the music. “For instance, there’s a song in Come From Away inspired by The Telephone Song in Bye Bye Birdie, which is about as far away from this as you can get. At the same time, we are hugely influenced by Les Miserables.”
“It’s such a gift to have started with the interviews of the real people and to have everyone’s voices so distinct,” says Hein. “To see them represented on stage with 12 actors is like an incredible magic trick that the cast does!”
“We’ve seen how this story resonates with people all around the world,” says Hein. “On that particular day, we were all in the same moment. It feels good to remind people that there are moments where we all come together, and it doesn’t have to be a response to tragedy. We can show kindness every single day.”
“What we hear from audience members is that they think a little differently after seeing the show,” says Sankoff. “They’re a little more open and giving. They want to be a little more kind once they’ve left the theatre – even before they’ve left the theatre!”
Audiences say they think a little differently after seeing the show… and want to be a little more kind.