CCT Presents the musical Come From Away opening Sept. 10
Moments after the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001, U.S. airspace was closed. Planes on lengthy flights didn’t have enough fuel to get back where they started from. One after another 38 planes were diverted to a remote air base in Gander, Newfoundland. Everyone was mystified; everyone was terrified. Nobody knew what was going on. And they were stuck on the planes.
How do you make a musical about that?
When the world seemed darkest, the people of Gander took those 7,000 strangers under their wings — with a place to stay and plenty to eat, medicine, clothing and comfort. Even the pets were rescued from luggage holds and taken to shelter.
Come From Away tells the remarkable stories of the stranded passengers and the warm-hearted Gander residents.
The ensemble cast brings to life the mayor of Gander, the pilot who followed her childhood dream, the young woman whose first day as a news reporter was September 11, the Middle Eastern passenger, the New York mom trying desperately to reach her firefighter son and many more.
Mike Box directs this Tony Award-winning musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein.
Cast members include John Hutchinson, Justin Gipson, Lesley Anne Roberts, Malinda Powers, Candan Alexandria Sarp, Steven Alsip, Kat Hewitt, Zach Petrie, Jennifer Poole Precht, Shadoe Valentin, Xavier Johnson and Melissa Laster.
Greg Wiggins is music director and Jacqueline Bodet Stepan is choreographer.
Come From Away will be presented for two four-day weekends, opening Thursday, September 10, and closing Sunday, September 20. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets are available via the CCT website, cctshows.com. Some tickets may be available at the door. Cost is $20 for adults; $17 for seniors; and $15 for students and active military.
Chickasaw Civic Theatre is at 801 Iroquois Street, Chickasaw. For further information, visit cctshows.com or call 251.457.8887.