BroadwaySF’s “Come From Away” Portrays a 9/11 Tale of Epic Kindness
“Come From Away,” currently playing at Broadway SF’s Golden Gate Theatre (1 Taylor Street) in San Francisco, offers a moving, brilliantly shot and staged spectacle tied to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that brings that moment unerringly back to life. The poignancy of BroadwaySF’s stage presentation offers an uplifting, yet lump-in-your-throat emotional experience all at the same time.
“Come From Away” captures the remarkable use of the physical stage space – with the ensemble cast each playing multiple characters – while putting the cameras in positions that enhance the experience.
This fact-based musical tells multiple stories of the 7,000 people temporarily stranded in a small town in Newfoundland when 38 flights were grounded after the attacks, almost instantly doubling the size of the small but close-knit community.
Nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. The individual tales – of love and loss, bonds strained and friendships forged – are chronicled from a variety of angles, from the challenges to the townsfolk and their heartwarming generosity to the upended lives of those that they refer to as “the plane people”.
Beginning with the opening musical number “Welcome to the Rock,” the songs represent a masterful mix of styles, most sung by the entire ensemble, who remain on stage at practically all times. The swiveling centerpiece does an enormous amount of heavy lifting, transforming the minimalist set into an airplane interior or the local pub at seemingly a moment’s notice.
The show covers a vast expanse of sensitive material with a respect for its complexity. It perhaps does stir fraught memories for many, but refrains from being what could be a teary-eyed production. Instead, it sustains an air of improvisational urgency, and doesn’t linger on obvious moments of heartbreak. In essence, "Come From Away" manages to find a spiritual angle to a horrific story, depicting the goodness in humanity
The cast is so uniformly good it’s practically impossible to single anyone out. Still, accolades must be given to each of the members of this touring cast: Marika Aubrey, Kevin Carolan, Harter Clingman, Christine Toy Johnson, Julie Johnson, James Earl Jones II, James Kall, Julia Knitel, Ali Momen, Kristen Peace, Danielle K. Thomas, Jeremy Woodard, Jordan Barbour, Clint Butler, Kate Etienne, Amir Haidar, Phyre Hawkins and Cailin Stadnyk.
“Come From Away” also features scenic design by Tony Award winner Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Tony Award nominee Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Howell Binkley, and sound design by Olivier & Outer Critics Circle Award winner and Tony Award nominee Gareth Owen.
“Come From Away” is basically a celebration of the best of human instincts, and, particularly at this time, is both satisfying and refreshing. The performance is 100 minutes with no intermission. “Come From Away” performs through April 23, 2023. For tickets or more information please visit broadwaysf.com.
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Photo caption: The First North American Tour Company of “Come From Away.” (Photo credit: Matthew Murphy)