Theater Review: Come From Away

 

The world is getting more dangerous by the day, but “Come From Away” (playing through the weekend at San Diego Civic Theatre) commemorates a disaster that reminds us how good people can be.

That disaster was 9/11, in which terrorists crashed jetliners into New York’s Twin Towers and other places.

When it happened, all pilots were instructed to land their planes at the nearest airport. This show is based on the story of 38 planes that landed at Gander, Newfoundland, the reception the passengers got and the friendships that developed.

San Diegans call this show a local product, because it was directed by La Jolla Playhouse’s own Christopher Ashley, who workshopped it first, then opened it at the Playhouse where it had a record-breaking run, eventually opening to a successful run on Broadway.

It’s a strange bird of a show, for several reasons. All the actors play multiple characters, for one. The music (by Irene Sankoff and David Hein) is almost constant, an intriguing conglomeration of Celtic and country that uses some instruments you’d expect and some you wouldn’t, such as fiddles, bodhrans, Irish bouzoukis and uilleann pipes. 

But the story here is about taking care of one another. What would you do if your small town had suddenly added 50% more people without 50% more housing or food or anything else?

The residents of Gander figured out a way to take care of the “plane people,” somehow providing shelter, food, consolation and just plain goodheartedness.

Mayor Claude (Kevin Carolina), immediately thinks there’s nothing to do but drink, and finds himself trying to talk the truck drivers’ spokesman into momentarily suspending their strike so they can take the visitors to whatever shelter can be found.

The characters include Beverley (Marika Aubrey), the first female American Airlines pilot; Nick (Chamblee Ferguson), an English oil engineer; Bob (James Earl Jones II, third cousin of the famous actor), afraid he’ll be shot when he’s asked to gather grills from backyards for a big barbecue; and gay couple Kevin T. (Jeremy Woodard) and Kevin J. (Nick Duckart). Duckart also plays Ali, an Egyptian passenger branded “Middle Eastern” and feared by a few.  But the locals soon start inviting passengers to their homes for a shower and a meal.

There’s also Bonnie (Sharone Sayegh), the local animal shelter person, who checks the cargo holds for any animals that may be lost, hungry or scared, and local constable Oz (Harter Clingman).

This is, as I said, a show like no other, with intriguing characters, unusual music, 

and Kelly Devine’s hometown-look choreography that’s snappy and understated.

This show came about because of an event we all wish had never happened, but we can leave with a little more hope for the kindness of strangers.

The details

“Come From Away” plays through Sunday, May 22, 2022 at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., San Diego.

Shows Thursday at 7:30, Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6 p.m.

Tickets: Google Broadway San Diego