As national policy becomes increasingly malevolent and capricious, a play like “Come from Away” can ground you in common sense, human decency, and the strength of community. Syracuse Stage’s moving production, handsomely directed by James Vásquez, helps us breathe fresh air again. I regretted missing the play when it opened in New York almost a decade ago and am grateful to have seen it now.
Set in Gander, Newfoundland, immediately after the 9/11 attacks and the closure of U.S. airspace, “Come from Away” tells the story of a small Canadian community that welcomed some 38 diverted planes carrying 7,000 passengers. And it’s those voices that we hear: Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics, based the play on their interviews with residents and travelers returning for the 10th-year anniversary of the attacks. (The performance itself concludes on this joyous reunion.)
With a cast of 12 playing well over 50 different roles, including at least one Gander local and one stranded passenger, this fast-paced show needs a solid, simple set, here splendidly designed by Diggle and lit by Zach Blane. A warm wooden circular floor, equipped with only a few straight-backed chairs, is backed by an enormous dark wall, hung with rows of lights and cables and a long horizontal ladder. At first this just seems to be the theatre’s backstage, but the methodical arrangement indicates intent –– a world of systems, power grids, order. An airport? A firehouse? Darkly dominating, yet somehow reassuring…