COME FROM AWAY: In Concert at the Lincoln Memorial

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall was lined with lawn chairs and picnic blankets, and the surrounding lawns were packed with thousands of people eagerly awaiting a performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. These outdoor theatergoers were gathered to see a free one-night-only concert production of the Tony-winning musical Come From Away presented by Ford's Theatre.

As the sun began to set behind the Lincoln Memorial, a series of speakers introduced the show and its significance as we commemorate and honor the heroes of 9/11. Come From Away tells a story from that terrible day and its aftermath, but one that took place hundreds of miles from the immediately unfolding tragedy. While the attacks occurred, airline passengers from around the world were midair on planes that would ultimately be diverted to a small town called Gander, Newfoundland. The town ended up housing, feeding, and caring for 7,000 people, nearly doubling its population in a matter of days. In a time before smartphones or widespread internet access, the passengers found out what was happening back home in excruciating increments and had to endure devastating waits for information about their loved ones and the path to returning home. Through this confusion and despair, Gander townsfolk demonstrated radical generosity toward their guests from across the globe and came together to share their wonderfully Canadian hospitality and goodwill.

Come From Away is inspired by real stories from the stranded passengers and the people of Gander who welcomed them. It was written by the Canadian husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein whose densely packed musical numbers transport the audience through this brief moment of unity and hope amidst the ravages of disaster. The story is told as a series of vignettes that are narrated in the first person by the characters, alternating between energetic testimony and reenactments of key exchanges.

Come From Away is focused on the bond that grows between the airplane passengers and the people of Gander, and so it moves swiftly through many snapshots rather than focusing on one character in particular. In doing this, the show captures bits and pieces of different stories of the locals and 7,000 "plane people," including a gay couple named Kevin and Kevin, a Texan woman named Diane and an Englishman named Nick that met and fell in love in Gander, the mother of an NYC firefighter, the town's mayor, and a member of the local SPCA. One of the two Kevins as well as Diane and Nick were present in the audience, and the crowd on the Mall reserved some of the night's loudest cheers for their on-stage counterparts.

Twelve performers play multiple roles in Come From Away, and each one must switch expertly between different accents and personas. This cast included performers from the Broadway and touring productions: Josh Breckenridge, Kevin Carolan, Harter Clingman, Nick Duckart, Chamblee Ferguson, Sharriese Hamilton, Christine Toy Johnson, Julia Knitel, Tony LePage, Happy McPartlin, Julie Reiber, and Sharone Sayegh. The performers moved with deftly synchronized energy on an outdoor platform stage bracketed by two enormous jumbotrons. As they animatedly gestured and stomped (and in one song, smooched) their way through big numbers, it was easy to forget that this was a concert performance. The effect was simultaneously grand and intimate as voices soared across the National Mall and performers' faces were displayed up-close on the big screens.

The show describes itself as having musical influences from folk, rock, and Celtic music, but classic Broadway sensibilities were front-and-center. Come From Away is emphatically an ensemble piece, and at times the score was reminiscent of a medley of ensemble showtune staples: it covers all the classics, from the upbeat, hyper-energetic opening number with an overload of contextual information (this one could describe the majority of the show), to the celebratory group drinking song, to the communal meditation on loss, to the triumphant closing number that reprises the opening theme.

Come From Away has one truly virtuosic centerpiece, "Me and the Sky" - this is sung by the character of Beverley, based on real-life pilot Beverley Bass, who made history as the first female captain of a commercial plane on American Airlines. Julie Reiber gave a phenomenal rendition of the song and her jaw-dropping vocal chops were the musical highlight of the evening. Indeed, Reiber's pitch-perfect mastery of this song sent me hunting for recordings of her previous performances to partially relive the privilege of seeing her sing live.

In a different setting, the relentless warmth of Come From Away might be a bit saccharine - but as the last evening rays of light faded behind the Lincoln Memorial, and thousands of audience members gazed with rapt attention at the twelve performers belting their finale to the just-appearing stars, it was difficult to feel anything but awe at the power of live theatre. When the show came to a close and the band played through the bows, the throng of theatergoers instantly stood up from their lawn chairs and blankets, not to beat the traffic as it originally appeared, but to give a hearty standing ovation. It was a reminder of the uniquely cathartic potential of live, in-person performance and the kind of communal space that quarantine-tired theatre lovers have been starving for. How appropriate then for Ford's Theatre and D.C. to welcome back a season of performances by showcasing a work that invites us to process unthinkable tragedy by turning to familiar rhythms of storytelling and song.

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