BWW Blog: Christopher Castanho - New Musical: Come From Away

Disaster possesses the power to strip away facades people hide behind and tear down the conflicts that separate us until the only thing left is humanity. When tragedy strikes we cling to one another, humbled by the fact that no matter what color we are, how much money we have in the bank, or how far our education stretches: we are all mortal. Irene Sankoff and David Hein's new musical Come From Away demonstrates that experience.

I felt transformed when walking out of the historic Ford's Theatre this past Sunday afternoon. Billed as the "9/11 Musical" Come From Away tells the story of how 38 planes were forced to land in a small Canadian town after the 2001 terrorist attack in New York, and how after being stranded for five days this large group of strangers suddenly became a family.

Folk music is heard as the lights come up revealing an open playing space occupied by trees, tables, and chairs. A spotlight focuses on a man whose voice is gruff and we are welcomed to a town called Gander in Newfoundland Canada, population 10,000. The ensemble of performers played multiple parts: both being the"come from aways" (passengers) and the Gander natives. Hats or specific articles of clothing would distinguish which character they were depicting, as well as various accents and physical stances. The tables and chairs were moved around the stage to create a number of locations like an airplane, a cafeteria, a cliff, and more.

An orchestra of eight is perched in the back corners of the stage, visible in between the tree trunks. There was a special moment at the end of the performance when the musicians came to the front of the stage and jammed out, thus neutralizing our highly emotional states. Having the musicians be visually detectable throughout the show only heightened the theme of community that the story supports.

A large part of the plot focused on several romantic relationships not often represented in mainstream culture: a gay couple and also an older pair of individuals. Usually, the romantic story line centers around a young heterosexual relationship but Come From Away detailed the struggles of love for everyone. There was such a poignant moment when both couples were on stage grappling with coming to terms that this event had changed them.

Women were also prominently featured, as Jenn Colella portrayed Beverly Bass, the first female pilot to ever rank as Captain for American Airlines. One of Beverly's planes was among the 38 forced to land in Gander in 2001. Her song "Me And The Sky" recounted her perseverance of metaphorically climbing the ladder in a male-dominated career field. I was able to actually meet the real Beverly Bass, as she was at the performance I attended. Hearing her speak about her life and the event was mind-boggling.

This production is a perfect example of why I am enamored with Theatre and Art, and why I am proud to be part of this community. The show not only shared a historical event but gifted us with sharing the power of empathy. The love and selflessness the citizens of Gander and Newfoundland had for all of the foreign travelers is astonishing. The locals 'took in' and fed 6,579 stranded passengers, which was half the size of the town's population.

Sitting next to a complete stranger, he and I were able to witness a show that demonstrated the power of community and love. Everyone in that theater suddenly became a community: we all shared love, heartbreak, and hope, not only with the performers but with each other. Not often do I see a piece of Theatre and am reminded why I possess a burning passion for this art form, but this was that kind of show for me. Surprisingly, a story centered around the results of a disaster also had a lot of light-hearted moments as well, evenly balancing the heaviness with comedy. Come From Away tells a story that needs to be heard, possessing real life anecdotes of friendship and blind adoration.

The theatrical direction by Christopher Ashley was very fluid. The show ran approximately an hour and forty minutes without an intermission but flew by (no pun intended.) The score and book were so skillfully knit and had a quick pace, always keeping us on our toes. The folk style of music and flow reminded me of the musical Once. Kelly Devine's choreography and smooth transitions are very reminiscent of Steven Hoggett, a British choreographer and movement director.

My hands were red and raw by the time I ceased clapping and I was rendered speechless. Feverishly typing notes for this blog post I was taken back by the honesty, love, and how much good humans can do, shown in this musical.

Special thank you to Jacob Brent, Rick Edinger, and Shenandoah Conservatory's Dean: Michael Stepniak for allowing me and my peers such a wonderful opportunity to see this show. Also, special thanks to Sharon Wheatley for organizing a talk-back with the cast and Beverly Bass.

Come from Away will be at The Ford's Theatre in Washington DC until October 16th. You can buy tickets on their website or by visiting ComeFromAway.com. Previews for the Broadway production will start on February 18th, 2017 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre and officially opens on March 12th. If you are to experience any new musical this upcoming season please go see Come From Away. You can thank me later.