Earlier this season, the team at The Arts STL had the pleasure of reviewing STAGES St. Louis’s two big summer productions: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Guys and Dolls. Both are classic musicals driven by a light, comic touch. Their latest offering, Come From Away, is a contemporary musical based on true events. Tackling the heavy and emotional subject of 9/11, Come From Away has far higher stakes than a spelling bee plagued by awkward puberty or even a craps game run by cutthroat gangsters. In a frequently dark modern era where trust among Americans seems to be at a historic low, this play dares to offer a hopeful story about a small community banding together to navigate an unprecedented crisis.
A musical about September 11th might not sound like the most natural fit for the stage, but Come From Away is brilliantly written and staged. It is dynamic and fast-paced, telling its entire story in about two hours without an intermission—a choice that respects the audience’s time and attention. The whole show feels like a nonstop narrative. The transitions from spoken dialogue to song are smooth; as a result, no single number stands out as a pop chart-topping showstopper à la SIX. Instead, the songs work collectively as storytelling vehicles.
The story takes us back exactly 25 years. On 9/11, pilots all over American airspace received orders to land immediately at the nearest airstrip. For many of these planes, that meant rerouting to far-flung Gander, Newfoundland. This small, sleepy town of lumberjacks and tradesmen—where everybody knows each other and locals are on a first-name basis with the mayor—saw its population of less than a thousand more than double overnight as international travelers made emergency landings. Suddenly, the people of Gander had to find translators for dozens of different languages, scrounge up diapers and formula for babies, and even secure emergency veterinary care for a pregnant bonobo. Amazingly, they banded together and treated their unexpected guests with radical compassion and kindness. Over their five-day stay, the “come from aways” formed unbreakable bonds with the locals. When they returned to their normal lives, they never forgot the generosity of Gander; one couple who met during the stranding even returned there for their honeymoon.
The show relies on an ensemble cast—each actor plays multiple roles, switching between plane passengers and Gander locals. The STAGES cast is universally superb, featuring Leah Berry (Bonnie), Amy Blake (Diane), Patrick Blindauer (Oz), Rheaume Crenshaw (Hannah), Albert Jennings (Kevin), Antonio King (Bob), Jamie Laverdiere (Nick), Cara Palombo (Janice), Kilty Reidy (Claude), Zoe Vonder Haar (Beulah), and Alena Waters (Beverley). It is impressive to watch these actors undergo seconds-long scenic and costume changes and portray characters of various ages and ethnicities. It’s easy to suspend your disbelief when the story is presented with such clarity and confidence.
Just like the tiny town of Gander, the ensemble is far greater than the sum of its parts. A few performances, however, deserve special mention. The connection forged between Beulah and Hannah—a mother desperately waiting for news of her firefighter son in New York—is especially moving, anchored by beautiful work from Vonder Haar and Crenshaw. (It is also a treat to see a complete transformation from Vonder Haar following her turn as a mob boss in Guys and Dolls.) Meanwhile, the dashing Antonio King commands almost every scene he is in. He brings a quietly powerful presence to the stage, complemented by a rich voice and graceful, deliberate moves.
Come From Away relates the various crises the people of Gander overcame alongside their new friends. Its poignant, final message is this: hope can be found in the most unexpected places. The play does a masterful job of summarizing a complex historical event while instilling deep emotional truths. You will walk out of the theater yearning for that same kind of small-town spirit—wishing that humanity could come together as one big family today, just as we briefly did in a tiny town in Newfoundland 25 years ago.
Come From Away runs at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until October 18. Evening performances take place Tuesday through Saturday at 7:00 p.m., with 2:00 p.m. matinees available on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Ticket prices range from about $30 to $80, with discounts available for families and veterans. Because the show does not have an intermission, it is highly recommended that you arrive early—parking is limited and this beloved venue frequently sells out. Grab a pre-show refreshment, settle in, and enjoy some top-notch, socially conscious and life-affirming entertainment. | Rob Von Nordheim
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit stagesstlouis.org.
