The RiverPark Center opens its Broadway season on Monday with the musical “Come From Away,” which depicts the true stories of 7,000 stranded travelers who were displaced after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The production synopsis reads, “On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. This stirring and inspiring musical takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of the small town in Newfoundland that opened their homes to 7,000 stranded travelers on 9/11. During that fateful week, cultures clashed, and nerves ran high — but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.”
The story takes place on an island of Newfoundland known as “The Rock.” After the attacks on 9/11, the nation temporarily shut down all airspace travel, leaving people en route to the country unable to fly in.
With this in mind, Canada opened its doors for planes from Europe. Some planes — including the ones depicted in the musical — landed in the Newfoundland town of Gander, home to about 10,000 people. More than 100 countries are represented by the nearly 7,000 stranded passengers.
The multi-award-winning musical had a Broadway run from 2017 to 2022, making it one of the 50 longest-running shows there.
The one-night show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Tickets are available here starting at $45.
