By JESSICA NEU 

Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s 2013 musical Come From Away is colloquially described as a show about September 12, 2001. Come From Away tells the true story of Gander, Newfoundland, a small town whose population swells as they welcome stranded travelers after 9/11. The show has been translated into at least nine different languages and has been performed all over the world. It has also won innumerable awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. Staying for less time than the stranded travelers in Gander, Come From Away flies into the Benedum Center May 2-4 as a season special in the Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series. Before their plane lands in Pittsburgh next week, I had the immense pleasure of speaking with cast members Justin Phillips and Kathleen Cameron. 

Phillips (Standby) reflected on his excitement about being a part of Come From Away and returning to Pittsburgh. Phillips is a Pittsburgh native who resided here until he was 18. After discovering Central Catholic’s robust theater program and falling in love with choir, musicals, and “a little bit of band,” he continued his theater studies at St. John’s University. Phillips’ time at St. John’s led to a stint at William Esper Studio Drama School in NYC. It was there that he saw his career transform from non-paying gigs to paying gigs. Despite accruing an impressive resume with credits including Rent, The Color Purple, Memphis, and Ragtime, Come From Away marks the first time Phillips will come to Pittsburgh as part of a national tour. “Every time I come back home, there’s something new, Phillips exclaimed. “I get to see Pittsburgh in new eyes every time, which is exciting. Everything is growing.” 

As he reflected on his memories of 9/11, Phillips explained how much Come From Away means to him. “I’m an only child, and when the day [9/11] happened, I was in 6th grade. Someone in school had family in New York City so we all banned together to ensure he was okay. What happened was very far away but also very close. The show has a community aspect of coming together in the face of tragedy,” he continued. “We let our egos aside and come together to figure out how to bring solace and peace to strangers. That is the type of person who I am inherently. It is how I was raised – to help when people need help.”

Both Phillips and Cameron, who plays Bonnie and others, described the powerful themes of community and kindness in Come From Away, and how these themes can even change your perspective on 9/11. [The show] “gave me a new lens for which to see that day,” Cameron explained. The show gives us a more optimistic and humanized version of the events surrounding that time, and 9/12 is all about showing kindness to a stranger.” There is power in being kind to a stranger, Cameron continued. “We don’t know what everyone else is going through. The fact that the townspeople of Gander opened up their homes to strangers without a second thought…we don’t see that level of kindness in our country today. This show is a learning lesson and a great model for what kindness can do for the world.”

However, just because this show takes place post 9/11, does not make it irrelevant to those who do not remember that fateful day. “There’s a song in the show called “Stop the World,” Phillips explains. “Those who were not alive on 9/11 can still relate to this song and the show from the lens of the pandemic. A lot of people went through a lot of things during the time of the pandemic, and the community grew out of those efforts. Whether we are talking about 2001 or 2020, so much can still be understood about the importance of community.” Cameron echoes Phillips’ sentiment, adding, “We’ve performed for school children who weren’t born, so for them, it’s a historical period piece, but for adults, it’s a mixture of the two. I think even if the show is about an event from 2001, the themes are so universal and timeless. There is a reason the show has been translated and performed all over the world. I think that it’s about a specific, tiny place, but it is about all of us.” Ultimately, they hope that the audience is inspired to be kinder to one another and walk out with their toes tapping. “We as a cast have often been told by theater staff that everyone is opening the doors for each other as they exit the space because their hearts are so open and warm. They take away a sense of joy and generosity,” Cameron shared.

This is the last original production happening in the United States. The show will now be able to be performed regionally. Cameron and Phillips shared their excitement about the next chapter of Come From Away as they agreed that more of the country needs to see this show. “I am really hoping that the CLO picks it up,” Phillips stated. “Come From Away is so special. There are 12 people playing dozens of characters and now we have the opportunity to open it up and add more people, use creativity and see true communities on the stage,” he continued. “I’m so excited to see how different each production will be as it is produced regionally,” Cameron added. “There will be different blocking, sets, and combinations of characters. I’m so interested to see how people interpret the show. Our production uses the magic of 12 people and 14 chairs, but that can all be interpreted differently in regional productions.”  

Cameron also discussed how much she appreciates the structure of the show. “I love that it is a quick one act show with no intermission. We speed through events, which is what those events felt like for the people in Gander, but the pace also requires audiences to listen closely. It is a very dense, packed, complicated, and wonderful piece of theater, where you are still home by 10 pm.” 

When asked what they hope audiences will take away from the show, Phillips explained, “Come From Away is a gentle reminder of how our world did change in 2001. Many of these changes can still be seen today. As a society, we need more love, tolerance and acceptance. Come From Away is full of those sentiments. We live and breathe love, tolerance and acceptance on stage and I hope the audience feels that.” Cameron concluded, “I would love for Pittsburgh to know that Come From Away is a 9/12 story that is full of heart, but also funny with amazing music and moments that will choke you up as well. The show is not a downer, it is uplifting. You will laugh some laughs and cry some tears. There is something in the show for everyone because it is a show about normal everyday salt of the earth people. It is not a show about a princess, but the characters are so compelling and wonderful. Everyone knows someone like one of the characters in Come From Away. It is a story of normal people who did something extraordinary.” 

TICKETS AND DETAILS

The Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series presentation of Come From Way is at the  Benedum Center May 2 – 4,2025 as a season special. Tickets at https://trustarts.org/production/94994/come-from-away

Categories: Arts and Ideas