NEW YORK—The new Broadway musical “Come From Away” does far more than simply recall a horrific incident that changed most people’s perception of the world. The show makes you laugh and cry at the resiliency of the human spirit.
In the wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, all flights in or approaching U.S. airspace were diverted to the nearest available airfield. Thirty-eight of these planes, with a combined total of approximately 7,000 passengers and crew, wound up in Gander, a town in Newfoundland, Canada. For the next five days, the people of Gander took these strangers into their hearts and homes, offering them food, clothing, medicine, and anything else they needed. Many of the resulting relationships continue to this day.
Each of these characters comes off as completely real.
