‘Come From Away’ opened to a full house at the Majestic Theatre last night as part of North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio. This Broadway musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Performance times are Wednesday February 26 through Sunday March 1, 2020 at 7:30p.m. through Thursday; 8p.m. on Friday; 2pm. and 8p.m., Saturday and 2p.m. and 7:30p.m. on Sunday. Tickets start at $45 and are available online or in person at the Majestic Theatre box office.

‘Come From Away’ takes place in the week following the September 11 attacks in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It begins on the morning of September 11, 2001 as the townspeople, including Claude the mayor (Kevin Carolan), Oz the police constable (Harter Clingman), Beulah the teacher (Julie Johnson), Bonnie the SPCA worker (Sharone Sayegh) and others describe life in their small town and how they learned about the terrorist attacks. “Welcome to the Rock” Because of the attacks, US airspace is closed and therefore, 38 international airplanes are diverted and land at the Gander airport. This immediately doubles the population of the small town and they find themselves ill-equipped to deal with the influx of stranded travelers. “38 Planes” Regardless, the town’s citizens immediately band together to house, feed, clothe and comfort the nearly 7,000 passengers and 19 animals in cargo. “Blankets and Bedding” At first the travelers are not permitted to leave the planes but eventually the citizens open up their homes without regard to their guests’ race, nationality or sexual orientation. By the time the passengers and crew prepare to leave, they bond with the citizens who showed them kindness in their time of need without asking for anything in return. They return voluntarily ten years later to celebrate the lifelong friendships and strong connections they formed.

On September 11, 2001 the world stopped. On September 12, their stories moved us all. Out of all the stories that came out of that dreadful day, the story in ‘Come From Away’ is one of those that is rarely talked about but needs to be told. Complete strangers who did not hesitate to help simply because it was the right thing to do. For those who remember September 11, it may stir up painful memories but as a whole, the feel-good and comforting moments balance out the heartbreaking ones and there are also plenty of hilarious scenes. Animal lovers will be delighted to hear that the animals in cargo, who are often neglected in times of crisis, were also cared for by the local SPCA. The extremely talented cast play various roles and do so quite well with minimal costume changes. Show highlights include “Prayer” when people rely on their own different religious beliefs to comfort them and “Heave Away/Screech In” when, in an effort to distract them, the passengers are initiated as honorary Newfoundlanders at the local bar. One inspiring moment is the real story of trailblazing female pilot Beverley Bass, which drew the most applause. “Me and the Sky” With a book, music and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award nominees Irene Sankoff & David Hein, ‘Come From Away’ is directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley and runs an hour and a half long with no intermission. It is a definite must see for its inspiring message and successful attempts at reminding audiences that what unites us is truly more than what divides us.