As the world prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Belfast Operatic Company has announced its new production of the internationally acclaimed musical Come From Away, respectfully shifting the focus from the horror of the attacks themselves to an extraordinary story of humanity that unfolded in their aftermath. The show takes place at the Grand Opera House, Belfast from the 23rd – 27th February 2027.
On September 11, 2001, as US airspace was closed following the terrorist attacks, thousands of passengers travelling from across the world suddenly found themselves unable to reach their destinations.
Thirty-eight aircraft were diverted to Gander, a small town in Newfoundland, Canada, bringing almost 7,000 unexpected visitors to a community with a population of around 10,000.
What happened next became one of the most remarkable stories to emerge from those devastating days.
Faced with thousands of frightened, confused and exhausted strangers, the people of Gander and neighbouring communities simply got to work and helped these stranded strangers, by opening their homes and indeed, their hearts, to people they had never met.
For five extraordinary days, barriers of nationality, religion, language and background began to disappear as the stranded passengers, affectionately known as the “plane people” and the people of Newfoundland ate together, drank together, laughed together, cried together and formed friendships which would endure long after the planes finally left.
Those events inspired Come From Away, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and based on the experiences of the real people who found themselves unexpectedly brought together in Gander.
Winner of four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, the show has become an international phenomenon, captivating audiences with a story which manages to find warmth, humour and joy without ever losing sight of the tragedy against which it unfolded.
Director Gary Redpath believes that balance is fundamental to Belfast Operatic Company’s production;
“September 11 will always, first and foremost, be remembered as a day of unimaginable loss. Come From Away doesn’t attempt to change that story or diminish the enormity of what happened. It takes us instead to this tiny community hundreds of miles away and asks what ordinary people did when thousands of complete strangers suddenly needed their help.
“And the answer was remarkably simple – they helped.
“They found beds, gathered clothes, made food, poured drinks and even cared for animals that were being transported in the hold of the aircraft. But more importantly, they sat with people, listened to them, reassured them and made them feel that, for those few days, they belonged somewhere.
“As a director, that is what excites me about this show. There is enormous emotion in it, but there is also fantastic music, great humour and tremendous energy. It is ultimately an incredibly uplifting night in the theatre.”
The characters are inspired by real people and their experiences, from the town’s quick-thinking mayor and the local reporter suddenly confronted with the biggest story of her career, to a mother desperately trying to contact her firefighter son in New York and two strangers who unexpectedly find love.
Among them is pioneering American Airlines pilot Beverley Bass, who was captain of one of the aircraft diverted to Gander.
Beverley, the first female captain in American Airlines’ history, is played in Belfast Operatic Company’s production by Claire Howell. Claire says;
“There is something particularly special about playing a character when you know that person really exists and that the experiences you are portraying actually happened to her.
“Beverley had already broken down barriers throughout her career in aviation, and then suddenly she found herself responsible for her passengers and crew in circumstances nobody could possibly have prepared for.
“One of the moments I am most looking forward to performing is ‘Me and the Sky’, when Beverley tells the story of her lifelong love of flying, the obstacles she overcame to become a captain and then how, in a matter of moments on September 11, the thing she loved most became associated with something unimaginable.
“But her story, like the show itself, doesn’t end there. There is resilience and hope in it. These people went through something extraordinary together and the relationships they formed in Gander stayed with many of them for the rest of their lives.”
Much of the spirit of Come From Away is found in the bars and gathering places of Gander, where music and storytelling help transform nervous strangers into honorary Newfoundlanders. The show promises a rousing folk and Celtic influenced score which will leave audiences on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. From initial fear and uncertainty, the story gradually gives way to trust, friendship and even love.
The musical ultimately brings the story full circle, returning to Gander ten years later as the people whose lives collided in September 2001 reunite to remember those five remarkable days and reflect on how profoundly they changed them.
For Shirley Adair, Chairperson of Belfast Operatic Company, it is that combination of exceptional musical theatre and a deeply human true story which made Come From Away such a compelling choice for the company. She explains;
“From the moment we began talking about Come From Away, we knew this was a very special show for Belfast Operatic Company.
“It demands so much from a company. It is fast, energetic and musically challenging. But underneath all of that is something incredibly simple and incredibly powerful, people looking after one another.
“We are very conscious of announcing the production as the 25th anniversary of September 11 approaches. We are not commemorating a tragedy by turning it into entertainment. We are remembering that, even in the shadow of something horrific, there were people quietly demonstrating the very best of humanity.
“The people of Gander didn’t ask who these strangers were, where they came from or what they believed. They saw people who needed help and welcomed them.
“I think that message feels particularly powerful 25 years later.”
Tickets for Come From Away are priced between £34.00 – £48.00 including booking fee. Book now at www.goh.co.uk/whats-on/come-from-away or call the Box Office on 028 9024 1919.