Come From Away tells the story of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador and how the town responded to an influx of sudden visitors after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
Planes were flying to and from Europe and Asia from Canada and the United States. With U.S. airspace restricted, the planes had to land somewhere. That somewhere was Canada.
Operation Yellow Ribbon process had 256 planes in Canada in 17 different airports. Gander took in 38 airplanes while Halifax had 40 planes. Other transatlantic flights ended up in St. John's, Moncton, CFB Goose Bay (Labrador), and Stephenville, NL.
Vancouver and Winnipeg handled the majority of flights coming from the other direction. Edmonton and Calgary airports helped out as well.
Transport Canada didn't want flights coming into Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal. Despite this announcement, some planes did land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto and Montréal–Mirabel International Airport and Dorval (now Pierre Trudeau) International Airport in Montréal.
The Broadway musical Come From Away touring the United States takes us through the anxieties of those traveling and wondering where they were as well as the dilemmas of those in Gander about how to accommodate the influx of travelers.
They landed with little news about what had happened and had to stay on the planes for awhile. Once they exited the planes, the passengers and crew had a lot of disorienting confusion and concern. They were also greeted with warmth, love, and lots of food.
The townspeople were settling into an ordinary day when called upon to help those trapped by events in the United States.
The show is filled with ordinary details such as a school bus strike temporarily lifted to help get large amount of people to destinations. At one point, a woman is happy to be there but still wants to go home.
A gay couple try to hide their relationship because they aren't sure about whether these people will understand. Turns out gay people are everywhere, even in Newfoundland.
They see a moose at one point. We hear Newfoundland lingo. Cod tongues were mentioned. There is even a song about the screech ceremony, which might have seemed unusual even if the passengers had been to other parts of Canada.
The warmth, friendliness, and generosity of the people of Gander and Newfoundland is apparent, obvious, and loved. The lasting friendships of those people in the play and in real life are awe-inspiring.
There are Canadian references such as Tim Hortons (which got a big laugh at the show I attended in Chicago) and Shoppers (Drug Mart). Even if you didn't know what Shoppers was, you soon figured it out.
The deterioration of the U.S.-Canada relationship ties back to September 11, 2001
There might be a concern about seeing or laughing at a musical that has to do with 9/11. The show has little to do with the actual attacks but more about the people temporarily in a foreign land and their triumphs and struggles. The show might trigger such moments if you are more sensitive about what happened that fateful day. Your feelings are more than valid. We do not judge.
The Chicago audience had a chance to learn more about what happened during a Q&A session, featuring Lt. General Rick Findley from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD); James Earl Jones II, a Chicago native who is in the show; and Beverley Bass, the first female American Airlines pilot who features prominently in the musical.
Even for those who landed in Canada but closer to the United States, Findley reminded the audience that the Canada-U.S. border was closed for awhile. The musical makes a note about showing how long it would take just to get to the U.S. border from Gander.
Jones told the story of taking an initiative to visit Gander. The touring company only had a single official week off in the year. Jones took that opportunity to go to Gander.
His plane didn't arrive until 3:15 am yet Jones were greeted upon his arrival in Gander. Jones said Gander has a Wal-Mart, mom/pop shoppes, and an open door policy. He said they took him everywhere and he was immersed in the community. Jones mentioned the Bread Box and noted the "mug shot" there is having your picture in front of a wall of mugs.
Jones got an offer to chase icebergs where a woman was driving a random stranger (Jones) for several hours to see icebergs. He said the people there never wanted a thank you or money for their help for Operation Yellow Ribbon.
He told the audience that Gander is now up to 12,000, up from 9,000 in 2001.
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Beverley Bass arrived late with a delayed flight the night of the discussion. Bass said her plane was the 36th of 38 planes to land on September 11. Her September 11 day started in Paris and was scheduled to end in Dallas.
The passengers on her flight were forced to remain on the aircraft with limited news. Bass said the passengers and crew didn't leave the airplane until 7:30 am on September 12. They stayed in Gander for 5 days.
When they did leave the airplane, they went through a tiny terminal. Bass remembered the tables full of food that the people of Gander had cooked up the previous night. They handed everyone a plastic bag full of food.
I asked Jones how much he knew about the story before doing the play: "Nothing." He didn't know Gander existed and had never been to Canada. Jones didn't even know about the Tom Brokaw Operation Yellow Ribbon video (above) that NBC News ran during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Jones said the story blew my mind and "you will be compelled to find out about Gander once you've heard the story."
Location might be a factor in seeing this musical as opposed to where you see Hamilton. Jones said the Toronto Come From Away shows felt like a party. He was reminded in the Q&A that a lot of Newfoundland people live in Toronto (not just Q's Tom Power).
If you don't get a chance to see the musical, you can find out more about the experience through a documentary You Are Here. Jones mentioned the documentary in his presentation and noted that the documentary is already available in Canada.
There are screenings in 800 theatres across the United States on September 11.
Come From Away is based on a true story, a story that Americans should know about how Canada responded at America's lowest modern moment.
map credit: Google
photos credit: me
video credit: NBC News
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