A musical based on the response of Newfoundlanders in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States is making its Broadway debut tonight.
Come From Away has been in previews on Broadway for weeks, and will now be open to the public.
It tells the story of people in Gander — a town with a population of about 10,000 — that had to swiftly find ways to accommodate and care for nearly 7,000 stranded passengers that had landed at Gander International Airport when U.S. airspace closed in 2001.
Schools, community centres, gymnasiums and churches were commandeered to take in thousands of stranded travellers in the days following 9/11. (CBC)
For days following the attacks, residents opened their homes and hearts to strangers — garnering them international praise for acts of kindness they say where merely instinctual.
Gander was one of many intake centres for grounded travellers, but the story of its people, its generosity, and the strong bonds that formed between passengers and local residents is what attracted the attention of two Canadian playwrights.
Road to Broadway
Husband and wife David Hein and Irene Sankoff, who lived in New York during 9/11, wrote Come From Away after interviewing people in Gander at the 10th anniversary marking the fall of the Twin Towers.
It's one of only a handful of Canadian plays that has managed to reach a Broadway stage.
Playwrights David Hein and Irene Sankoff are shown at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City, a day before the Broadway debut of Come from Away. (Darryl Murphy/CBC)
That rare opportunity is not lost on Hein and Sankoff.
"It's a tough road, but any road in theatre is a tough road. Yes, this is more in the public eye than a lot of Canadian theatres — but no matter where you are, it's tough," Sankoff said.
'We never thought that something like that would end up on Broadway but it's something the rest of the world is crying out for.'- Gander Mayor Claude Elliott
Helping with the show's success is the support from the so-called "Ganderites" and "Come From Aways," she said.
"We got their support. We got their blessing."
Are New Yorkers ready?
The show has been well received by audiences in other parts of the United States and in Canada; it has been shown at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre, Washington's Ford's Theatre, San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse and the Seattle Repertory Theatre.
While in previews on Broadway, clapping and laughter rang through the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with Canadian and Newfoundland flags peppering the crowd.
But are New Yorkers ready to see the light in a tragic mark in their not-so-distant past?
Oz Fudge, a municipal officer in Gander who is played by Geno Carr, pinned a Gander police service badge to the wall of O'Hara's Restaurant and Pub in New York City on Saturday. (Ariana Kelland/CBC)
Oz Fudge, a municipal officer in Gander who is played by actor Geno Carr, thinks it will help heal old wounds.
Fudge tells the story of two New York City police officers who responded to Ground Zero and combed through the debris for months. The musical offered them something that nothing else could years after the tragedy, he said.
"It healed them a little bit because it's on their mind 24/7. But this play has pushed that back a little bit and they're starting to see the good side," said Fudge, a 30-year veteran of the force.
As Hein explains, it's not a musical about 9/11, but rather a story on the bright light that shone from the shadow of a terrible tragedy.
'Ganderites' ready for red carpet
Gander Mayor Claude Elliott says he's been overwhelmed by kind words from New Yorkers and people who have seen the show.
"We never thought that something like that would end up on Broadway, but it's something the rest of the world is crying out for," Elliott said.
"It's a good story in the midst of a tragedy … something good came out of it and we need to keep telling that story as long as it keeps affecting people."
American model and actress Cindy Crawford took in the Saturday matinee performance of Come From Away, a day before its official Broadway debut. (Darryl Murphy/CBC)
Elliott, along with others who inspired the musical, will be on the red carpet outside the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Sunday night.
Actors Victor Garber, Brooke Shields and Jaime Lee Kirchner are among the opening night guests.
But the excitement is just beginning for the Come From Away cast. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie are expected at Wednesday night's show.
Canadian musical Come From Away ready for Broadway debut
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