Playhouse-born musical to end its Broadway run

“Come From Away,” the uplifting 9/11-themed musical that made its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in 2015, will conclude its Broadway run on Oct. 2.

The musical opened at Manhattan’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on March 12, 2017, and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. It won one trophy — for its director, Christopher Ashley, who is the artistic director at La Jolla Playhouse.

The musical’s successful Broadway run was interrupted by the pandemic’s arrival in March 2020. It reopened again this past January. But like several other musicals that were doing strong box office business before the pandemic, “Come From Away” was not able to regain its momentum this year due to a COVID-19 case surge last winter and a general decline in theatergoing nationwide.

By the time the Broadway production of “Come From Away” closes next fall, it will have played 25 previews and 1,670 regular performances — giving it the rank of 60th on the list of Broadway’s 100 longest-running shows. The musical has spawned several international productions, a filmed performance for the streaming network Apple TV+ and a North American national tour, which visited the San Diego Civic Theatre last month.

In an email over the weekend, Ashley wrote about what the musical has meant to him over the years.

“It has been an incredible honor and a joy to work with the extraordinarily talented creative team, cast, band and crew of ‘Come From Away’ throughout its journey from the Playhouse to Broadway and beyond,” Ashley wrote, adding: “‘Come From Away’s’ story of kindness and generosity during difficult times is more urgent now than it ever was, and while we are sad to see the Broadway run end, it is gratifying to know that the national tour, along with productions in London, Australia and Newfoundland, will continue to share the show’s vital message.”

“Come From Away” is based on the true story of how residents in Gander, Newfoundland, mobilized to care for, feed and house roughly 6,600 stranded international air travelers, after 38 passenger jets were grounded there for days in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.