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Overview

Synopsis

Come From Away chronicles the real-life experiences of the people of Gander, Newfoundland, and the almost 7000 airline passengers who were forced to land there when US air space was closed on September 11, 2001. Twelve actors tell the story of both the Islanders and the Plane People, revealing the fear and uncertainty that came with the terrorist attacks – as well as the profound generosity and compassion of strangers. While some characters and stories are an amalgamation of several people and experiences, others are grounded in true people, such as Captain Beverly Bass, the first female captain for American Airlines; Kevin Tuerff and Kevin Jung, the couple from LA; and Nick and Diane, the couple who met in Gander.

The music of Come From Away blends both traditional musical theatre styles (“Me and the Sky” / “Stop the World”) as well as traditional Newfoundland orchestrations (“Heave Away” / “Screech In”). The Islanders are distinguished from the Plane People by their use of a Newfoundland dialect, which they point out in “Welcome to the Rock.” Along with acting out the events of the four days, characters step out from the story to narrate the events. Staging is minimal, making use of only a few tables and twelve chairs to be the airplanes, the buses, and the various locations within Gander.

The creators of Come From Away have stated that this is not a September 11th story, it is rather a September 12th story - a story of the best people have to offer each other, and a reminder that we are all capable of doing good for each other, especially in the darkest of times.

Show Information

Arrangement
Ian Eisendrath
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2013
Genres
Drama, Historical/Biographical
Settings
Contemporary, Simple/No Set
Time & Place
Gander, Newfoundland, 2011
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Musical Staging
Ideal For
Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Beulah Davis

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Claude Elliott

Lead

Male

Baritone

Oz Fudge

Lead

Male

Baritone

Janice Mosher

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Bonnie Harris

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Kevin Jung

Lead

Male

Baritone

Hannah O’Rourke

Lead

Female

Alto

Ali

Lead

Male

Baritone

Diane Gray

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Nick Marson

Lead

Male

Baritone

Bob

Lead

Male

Baritone

Kevin Tuerff

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Annette

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Captain Beverly Bass

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Company

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone

Songs

"Welcome to the Rock" – Claude, Company

"38 Planes" – Company

"Blankets and Bedding" – Company

"28 Hours / Wherever We Are" – Company

"Darkness and Trees" – Company

"On the Bus" – Company

"Darkness and Trees – Reprise" – Company

"Lead Us out of the Night" – Company

"Phoning Home" – Company

"Costume Party" – Diane, Kevin 1, Beverley, Hannah, Kevin 2, Nick, Bob

"I Am Here" – Hannah

"Prayer" – Company

"On the Edge" – Company

"In the Bar/Heave Away" – Company

"Screech In" – Claude, Company

"Me and the Sky" – Beverley, Company

"The Dover Fault" – Nick, Diane

"Stop the World" – Nick, Diane, Company

"38 Planes – Reprise/Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere" – Beverley, Company

"Something's Missing" – Company

"10 Years Later" – Company

"Finale" – Claude, Company

"Screech Out" – Band

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Guide Written By:

Mychele Lebrun

Mychele Lebrun

Canadian music theatre artist currently based in London, England.

Cindi Calhoun

Cindi Calhoun

Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress