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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
- Book
- Irene Sankoff , David Hein
- Music
- Irene Sankoff , David Hein
- Lyrics
- Irene Sankoff , David Hein
- 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
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Come From Away was first conceived in Toronto, Canada by producer and lawyer Michael Rubinoff. As associate dean of the musical theater performance program at Sheridan College, Rubinoff sought out Irene Sankoff and David Hein to write the music, book, and lyrics, and along with director Brian Hill, created the first iteration of the show as part of the Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan. After a successful workshop, the show was then developed to a full production within Sheridan’s
to read the context for Come From Away and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
The show opens on the morning of September 11th, 2001, in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, as the town residents wake up to a new day. They introduce themselves and their small town but are interrupted by news of terrorist attacks in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania (“Welcome to the Rock”). With this news comes information that the US airspace has closed, rerouting 38 planes to their now empty international airport (“38 Planes”). With over 7000 passengers and 19 animals on their way,
to read the plot for Come From Away and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
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
Scenes
Key Terms
A mode of storytelling and performance, often using non-traditional or experimental styles, that dramatizes people's real-world experiences around an event.
Also known as 9/11; Four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on September 11, 2001.
A form of theatre in which actors speak the actual words of real people without editing.
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Mychele Lebrun
Canadian music theatre artist currently based in London, England.
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress