Come From Away, the critically acclaimed and Tony Award-winning musical, is set to make its New Zealand debut at the Isaac Theatre Royal next month.

Brought to Christchurch by Showbiz Christchurch, the production tells the extraordinary true story of 7,000 airline passengers who found themselves unexpectedly stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, following the closure of US airspace in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

The people of Gander, a town of just 9,000 residents at the time, responded with an overwhelming display of generosity, opening their homes and hearts to strangers in need. The musical, which has captivated audiences around the world, is a moving testament to human kindness and resilience.

Former Gander mayor Claude Elliott, who played a pivotal role during those five days in 2001, reflected on the experience and the impact the story continues to have in an interview with chrislynchmedia.com.

“I don’t think our lifestyle has changed much,” Elliott said. “We are a compassionate community. We help others. And during 9/11, we just did what you’re supposed to do—show compassion and love to people. When it was over, we went back to our normal lives. But what we did learn was that we should never take our way of life for granted, because any day, it could change.”

Elliott recalled the moment he first heard about the attacks. Sitting in a Tim Hortons coffee shop, he initially dismissed reports of a plane crash in New York as an unfortunate accident. It wasn’t until news broke of a second plane that he realised the gravity of the situation. Soon after, he received a call informing him that 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were being rerouted to Gander.

“At first, we thought we’d be getting up to 200 aircraft, but once some were turned back and others landed at different Canadian airports, we ended up with 38 wide-body planes and 7,000 people who dropped in on us for five days,” he said. “These were people from 95 different countries, and they had no idea what was happening or where they were going. They were scared, confused, and had been flying for hours with no real information.”

BOOK TICKETS 

Despite the sudden influx of people, Gander’s residents quickly mobilised.

“As mayor, I declared a state of emergency, and we did that because we wanted to keep the hotel rooms for the airline crews,” Elliott said. “We knew that when they were ready to fly out, we wanted them to be well-rested. So we set up makeshift motels in every school, church, building, and organisation that had space.”

The community’s response was nothing short of remarkable.

“Our elementary school had 700 people staying there. There were 60 people at the Legion, 200 at the Salvation Army. Every space was filled,” Elliott said. “We even turned the ice rink into a giant fridge, storing food for the passengers. And the Salvation Army coordinated all the meals—278,000 meals over those five days. I’d say about 6,000 of our 9,000 residents were volunteering in some way.”

Elliott said one of the most profound aspects of the experience was watching passengers’ perceptions of the town shift.

“At the beginning, some people were a little bit apprehensive,” he said. “One guy even told me later that he didn’t know if he should leave his wallet lying around because he thought we were going to steal it. But that’s not our way of life. Our way of life is helping people. Even if you’re a complete stranger, you’re still treated like family.”

For Elliott, the memory of those five days remains deeply emotional.

“The first day, we had 7,000 strangers. By the third day, they were our friends. By the fifth day, we lost 7,000 family members,” he said. “Even now, 22 years later, many of us still stay in touch with the people who were stranded here. The bond hasn’t been broken.”

Despite the profound impact of those events, Elliott admitted he was initially skeptical when he first heard that Gander’s story was being turned into a Broadway musical.

“The first time I saw the show was in Seattle,” he said. “I didn’t know how we would be portrayed. Was I going to be made out to be some drunk mayor who didn’t know what he was doing? Were we going to look foolish? But once I saw it, I realised they got it right. Everything in the musical really happened. Some of the wording has changed, but the heart of it is exactly how it was.”

Elliott has since seen the show 121 times and will soon attend his 122nd performance when he travels to Christchurch for the opening night on April 11.

“I’ve been asked why I don’t play myself in the show,” he said with a laugh. “It’s very simple—it’s a musical. And if you heard me sing, you’d know exactly why I’m not in it.”

The former mayor believes Come From Away has resonated with so many people around the world because, at its core, it is a rare good-news story.

“When I first heard about the musical, I thought, ‘Who would ever want to see this?’” Elliott said. “But in today’s world, people are starving for a good news story. Come From Away is one of those stories that reminds us what we’re capable of when we choose kindness.”

Canadian High Commissioner Keith Smith and other dignitaries from the High Commission will also attend the Christchurch opening night, underscoring the musical’s significance.

Tickets for the limited run at the Isaac Theatre Royal are available now.