Canadian musical, Come From Away, gets extended run in California

The world premiere of the Canadian musicalCome From Awayhas been such ahitat the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California,its theatrical runhas been extended twice.

The showis based on the true story ofresidents in Gander, N.L.,whocame to the aid of thousands of international airline passengers left strandedin the wake of theSept. 11 attacks.

The Toronto-basedhusband and wife writing team, David Hein and Irene Sankoff,had great success with their firstmusical,My Mother's Lesbian JewishWiccanWedding,also based on a true story, aboutDavid's mother.

In 2011, Gander marked the tenth anniversary of 9/11 with a reunion. Hein and Sankoffwentto gather storiesfrom thosemarking the event;travellers, airline flight crews,pilots,and residents alike.

Experience changed lives

"The experience was one that changed people's lives," says Hein, "with foundations and scholarshipsfounded as a result."

"There was a couple who fell in love there," adds Hein.

"Nick was from England and Diane was from Texas and they met over that time and they completely fell in love."

• Gander's 9/11 experience used as basis for San Diego musical

The pair wasalsostruck by how much a part of everyday life music isin Gander. Residents even went around to shelters and performedto cheer passengersup, and it seemed natural forthe story to became a musical.

Radical hospitality

LaJollaPlayhouse artistic directorChristopher Ashleysayshe didn't know the Celtic-inspired sounds of Newfoundland beforehand, buthe decided to directCome From Awayafterfirst fallingin love with the music.

"I just kind of thought the rock score was propulsive and exciting," he said. "And the lyrics are smart."

After visitingNewfoundland to meet some of the real life characters portrayed in the musical, hewas keen to share the story of"the radical hospitality" shownto vulnerable and traumatized strangers, some of them withrelatives and friends they lost in the terrorist attack itself.

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The cast of twelveplayhundreds of people, with accents from all over the world.

Petrina Bromley,fromSt. John'sN.L., is one of three Canadian actors in the musical. Sheplays the role of Bonnie Harris, a real-life Gander resident andSPCAworker, wholooked after the nineteenanimals fromdivertedflights that hadto be quarantined.

"It's such a life-affirming story," Bromleysays,"a moment in such a dark time when people were able to find joy and give comfort to people who needed it. That's the thing that everyone takes away from witnessing the show, let alone being in it."

"The characters in our show are following us on Facebook and cheering us on" says Hein. "Everyone from Newfoundland knows about the show and is excited about it and now that they're coming to see the production it's just magic, there's nothing like it."

And how well does a Gander N.L. story translate to an audience south of the border and on the opposite side of the continent?

"I mean as soon as we walk into the TimHorton's in the show and the townspeople start talking to each other, people are laughing," says Sankoff.

With shows likeThe Who's TommyandJersey Boysthat openedatLa Jolla Playhouse before successfulBroadway runs, a promisingfuture for Come From Awayseems likely.

For now,HeinandSankoffjust hopethey can bring the show hometo Toronto and hopefully even toGander.

Come From Awayrunsat the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego until July 12.

You can seetheinterviews from this story in the video above.