'Come From Away' at Playhouse Square is Pure Hope and Heart

Surprise visitors can be a vexing subject. Consider the person who rings a stranger's doorbell and is shot through the front door by a terrified homeowner.

As standup comic Sebastian Maniscalco has shown in his hilarious bit, the appearance of an unexpected visitor at your home used to be cause for jubilation by most but is now viewed with suspicion or worse.

Expand this idea to the size of a small Canadian province and you have Come From Away, the big-hearted, jocular and poignant musical, now at Playhouse Square for a brief stay.

It all happens on 9/11 and the days following, after the horrific attack on the World Trade Center and other targets. All planes in or approaching U.S. airspace were ordered to land immediately at the nearest airport.

That included many planes coming across the Atlantic that were diverted to emergency landings at the huge airport near the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland. (The airport had been built for military purposes during World War II and used later as a trans-Atlantic refueling stop for commercial airlines).

Initially, the passengers and crews were held on the planes, but as it became obvious they wouldn't be leaving soon, they all were brought into the small terminal and eventually welcomed into the town itself.

This unexpected visit of almost 7,000 strangers, equal to the population of Gander itself, was turned into a rousing musical (book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein) that brings out the quirky humanity of this island. As they sing in the infectious opening number "Welcome to the Rock" Gander is "the farthest place you'll get from Disneyland."

Gander may not have Mickey and Minnie, but it boasts a charming selection of local eccentrics who fling open their homes to the strangers who have been marooned on their little patch of land. As one resident says when encountering a visitor, "Welcome to Walmart! Do you want to come to my house to take a shower?"

The songs range from securing the mundane necessities of life ("Blankets and Bedding") to a drinking ritual ("Screech In") that includes swallowing a shot of bad Jamaican rum and then kissing a cod on the lips.

Along the way, we learn more about an accidental couple—Nick from England and Diane from Texas— who hook up against all odds, while a gay male couple, both named Kevin, soft-pedals their relationship until they realize they're being welcomed, not judged.

Sure, all this requires an industrial-size suspension of disbelief, but it's all in the service of a feel-good show that never takes itself too seriously. It does touch on some small town prejudice involving a Moslem passenger, but all is well when they discover he's a high-end chef (who is depressed by the local fish and cheese menu item).

The 12-person ensemble cast, diverse in all aspects, is in fine form under the direction of Christopher Ashley. Their ultra-precise group singing and movements are sharp as they each switch roles in a blink, from townspeople to stranded passengers and crew members.

Whether they're sitting on a plane, riding in a school bus, or getting buzzed on booze in somebody's basement the tone of acceptance and joy is never far off.

It all concludes with a mini-concert featuring the eight-person band and accordians, whistles, Irish flutes, Bodhran drums, and Uilleann bagpipes in addition to the standard guitars and keyboard.

Come From Away is a collection of music, laughs and joy all wrapped inside the tragedy of 9/11. While it never minimizes the sorrow of that day, it points out a way through it to a better place. Even if that place is a little rock in a big ocean.

Come From Away
LIMITED RUN—Through August 18 at the Playhouse Square, Connor Palace Theater, 1615 Euclid Ave., playhousesquare.org , 216-241-6000.

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