Know the Show: Come From Away
Come one, come all for Come From Away at Starlight August 6-11. See the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town that welcomed them.
Come From Away is based on a true story of selflessness and compassion after the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. The show opens in the small Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001.
The town contains an airport that was once a major transatlantic refueling stop, but no longer gets much air traffic — until 38 planes are rerouted there when the American airspace closes. In the week after 9/11, the town’s population doubled as its residents banded together to house, clothe, and feed nearly 7,000 plane passengers from all over the world.
Come From Away isn’t a story about the events of September 11. It’s about the stories of September 12 and the days that followed.
Run time: 90 minutes with no intermission. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Facts About Come From Away
● The musical takes its title from the phrase “come from aways,” which is the nickname Newfoundlanders give to non-locals.
● The song “Screech In” is named after an initiation ceremony that non-Newfoundlanders undergo to become honorary Newfoundlanders. It’s a real ritual: Participants drink a shot of Newfoundland Screech rum, recite a standard response to the question “Are you a Newfoundlander?,” and kiss a fresh or frozen codfish on the lips. New Come From Away cast members traditionally undergo the “screech-in” at the end of their first performance in the show.
● Gander has an unofficial mascot, a duck named Commander Gander, who is the subject of the children’s book “Commander Gander Goes to Come from Away.”
● Many of the characters’ real-life counterparts are friends with the actors that play them, largely because they’re frequent audience members at Come From Away.
● Fittingly for a show about uniting the world, Come From Away has gone on to launch many international productions in countries like the U.K., Australia, Argentina, China, Sweden, The Netherlands, and of course, Canada.
Deals + Events
Add 4 tickets to your cart, and 1 is free! This offer is available for all nights of the show. No promo code needed. Grab some friends and enjoy a night under the stars!
Opening Night Talk Back
August 6
Stay after the show for a 30-minute question and answer session with members of the cast.
I Love KC Night
August 7
Join us to celebrate kindness, unity, and the power of human connection at “I Love KC Night!” Come From Away is inspired by true events, where strangers became friends, and a small town opened its arms to the world. KC is a great place with lots of great people. Wear your KC attire and show your KC heart!
Angel Flight Table
August 6-11
Angel Flight serves people in need by arranging charitable free flights for health care or other humanitarian purposes. Every night of the show you can meet with volunteers and pilots to learn more about their valuable work.
Pay It Forward 9.11 Table
August 6-11
Pay It Forward 9.11 aims to help develop communities where harmony grows through individual “pay it forward” actions, and the ripple effect they cause. Kevin T. is the president and founder and is one of the “come from aways” who landed in Gander.