Ralph Meranto’s choice of Come From Away, a Tony- and Oliver Award-winning Broadway musical, was a prescient booking for the opening of the JCC CenterStage’s 50th season. The show, a story of compassion from our Canadian neighbors in the aftermath of Sept. 11, is presented on the heels of the tragedy’s 25th anniversary. It also comes at a time when the United States has initiated unpopular tariff wars with Canada while renaming Lake Ontario, our shared body of water, Lake America. And clearly, the message resonated with Rochester—the show is sold out, even after adding additional dates due to demand, and has broken records as the company’s best-selling show in its history.
Additionally, the JCC’s Hart Theater opened its doors with this show after a million-dollar renovation: new (and comfortable) seats and carpeting, new lighting and sound systems, expanded accessibility with more wheelchair seating, and a hearing assistance system. It was a much-needed overhaul that Artistic Director Meranto says “celebrates not only the revitalization of a beloved performance space, but also the JCC’s continued commitment to bringing outstanding live theatre, meaningful storytelling, and shared cultural experiences to audiences throughout the greater Rochester community.”
Great storytelling is at the heart of Come From Away. This true tale is set in Gander, Newfoundland, the town of 9,000 residents who took in almost 7,000 people when 38 planes were forced to land there on September 11, 2001. We get parallel storylines: the townspeople getting ready for a significant disruption in their daily lives and the “plane people,” who are dropped into this town with no idea of where they are and why they’re there. Canadian writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein interviewed many people from those days, both residents and travelers, to draw together the multiple stories told.
The pacing of the show is generally brisk, with short narratives sandwiched between musical numbers, rarely giving the cast and audience a moment to breathe. There is, after all, so much to do; there are mouths to feed, animals on the plane to care for, concessions to be made for the needs of so many. At the same time, the plane people are grappling with fear of the unknown, with distrust and disorientation. For many there is a fear of others, while learning to embrace otherness. And for everyone, there is the realization that nothing will ever be the same again. People fall in love, couples break up, friendships are formed, prejudices are overcome, and the death of so many looms above it all. But there are also moments of introspection. “Prayer” is particularly moving, as it intertwines a Christian hymn (“Prayer of St. Francis”), a Jewish prayer (“Oseh Shalom”), and a Muslim prayer (Salah/Daily Prayers). It reminds us that we all seek light, yet the apprehension of otherness remains; a Muslim man seeking a place to pray says, “Sometimes I catch them when they think I am not looking and I can see the fear in their eyes,” immediately followed by a Ganderite offering him a space for prayer. We are not all afraid.
Meranto reminds us in his director’s note that this is not a September 11th musical; it’s a September 12th musical. It’s about the profound changes that happened to each of us after that day, and how so many people now see the world differently because of it.
The 12 actors play multiple roles seamlessly, with a quick change of sweater or accent, and are all faultless in their various guises. The ensemble is strong, with solid, believable performances, and the staging and choreography are nimble and fluid, using only chairs and tables to set the scenes. Likewise, the pit orchestra, all wearing plaid flannel shirts, is outstanding—and who doesn’t like a little pennywhistle from time to time?
The only ding on the evening is the QR code in the program to access the full playbill, including the list of songs and the director’s notes. While it cuts down on printing costs, it also diminishes the experience. Following the songs as the show progresses is impossible without turning on your phone, which we are asked not to do. Other audience members concurred; the woman in front of me expressed her displeasure with the program omission as she put on her coat.
Come From Away is an apt production for this moment in history. As we have just commemorated the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we also see the administration assailing Canada with heavy tariffs and bans on imports. In the end, as the travelers gather their things to leave Gander, they try to repay the residents. But they are rebuffed time and again with the simple sentence, “You would do the same for us.” But as our political divide has deepened and the rhetoric has sharpened, I wondered if this was so. And then the audience in Hart Theater rose as one with resounding cheers for this Canadian musical and I thought, perhaps, it is still true.
The show has sold out, but the JCC CenterStage will allow and facilitate ticket transfers. CenterStage will, however, present “Cut From Away” on Monday, November 30th, a fundraising event where “Come From Away” creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein will showcase material cut from the Broadway production’s final version.
Featured photo by Lou Schneider.
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