A musical about 9/11 sounds like a downer, but the story of “Come from Away” is surprisingly uplifting. With an ongoing production helmed by the Nashville Repertory Theatre and directed by Vanderbilt theatre professor Leah Lowe, “Come from Away” depicts the true story in which 38 planes (with around 7,000 passengers) were forced to be rerouted to Gander, Newfoundland, following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Contrary to what one might expect from a 9/11 story, the musical is about belonging, joy and hope in the face of tragedy, highlighting the immense efforts from Gander townsfolk in caring for the displaced passengers. Over the course of five days, the Gander locals and the “plane people” come to view one another as family members rather than strangers, even forming lifelong bonds in some cases.
“Come from Away,” which originally ran on Broadway from 2017-2022, tells the story of a people, not a person; featuring a cast with no clear protagonists. Most of the show’s musical numbers are ensemble numbers. The characters, with their casual clothing, are average, everyday people. This aspect of the production, along with the minimalist staging and the small folk band backstage, serves to create an intimate theatrical experience between stage and audience.
Lowe isn’t the only Commodore involved with the show. Lacy Tier (B.A. ‘25) serves as an apprentice stage manager, assisting the stage managers in supervising the production and has expressed that it has been “an absolute dream” to work on the show.
“Come From Away displays the importance and beauty of taking care of one another, no matter the personal cost to oneself,” said Tier. “The 12-person cast takes on many (literal) hats, spanning 30+ characters, with no ‘principal’ or ‘lead’ player. The show’s ensemble-driven nature and the true story it’s based on remind us that we are better when in community.”
Although cast members play multiple distinct roles, they still seamlessly transition between each scene. For example, actor Travis Darghali plays both Kevin J., a man who makes quippy comments at his boyfriend, and Ali, an Egyptian man who is discriminated against in the aftermath of 9/11. Watching the show, I never confused these roles with one another.
Now let’s talk about the set design. Upstage, a map of Newfoundland, Canada, hangs from the ceiling, where the town Gander is starred. Situated in the middle of a large blue circle, Newfoundland is a lone patch of land in the middle of vast, frigid ocean; it is an island “in between there and here,” as sung by the cast in the memorable opening number “Welcome to the Rock.”
Although the setting is a remote location, the rest of the stage evokes warmth. With its hardwood flooring and wooden chairs, the stage nearly resembles a home, perhaps signifying the Gander townsfolks’ hospitality. Additionally, the set is deceptively minimalistic; while the stage looks empty other than chairs and tables, there are in fact many moving parts within each scene (in addition to the numerous props utilized), making the show incredibly complex in its movements and blocking. The cast members use these moving parts exceptionally creatively. For example, two columns of chairs and a rectangular spotlight are all it takes to conjure up the image of a plane. Flip the chairs, and it’s suddenly an entirely different plane.
“Come from Away” tells a story of unity in a time of division, a much-needed production at this time, and not just because it was recently the 24th anniversary of 9/11. In a fractured society, “Come from Away” reminds us that we are ultimately all painted from the same strokes — that, regardless of our differences, we can all learn, laugh and heal as a community. “Come from Away” is playing at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Polk Theatre until September 21.
