THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

Twenty-five years after 9/11, Ford’s Theatre
revives a remarkable story of ordinary
people doing extraordinary things

The company of the 2026 Ford’s Theatre production of Come From Away, directed by Kevin S. McAllister

Some musicals leave you humming a tune. Others send you home thinking about the people you’ve just met. Come From Away, now at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, manages both. From the opening number to the final curtain, when the audience rose en masse, I was swept back to September 11, 2001, and reminded that even on that terrible day, there were stories worth celebrating.

The Company

With book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, this musical tells the true story of Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 planes carrying 6,579 passengers were diverted after American airspace closed on 9/11. The unexpected arrivals nearly doubled the small town’s population. With little time to prepare, residents opened their homes, cooked meals, collected clothing, and found beds for people who had no idea when they would see their families again. For five days, strangers from around the world became honorary Newfoundlanders, whether they were ready for it or not.

The Company

What makes Come From Away so appealing is that Sankoff and Hein don’t turn these people into saints. Drawing on interviews with actual passengers and townspeople, they find humor in the confusion, language barriers, and occasional clashes of temperament. There are romances, unlikely friendships, and moments of outright silliness, including a local initiation ceremony involving a codfish. But the laughter never lets us forget what brought everyone together. As news of the attacks filters through, the travelers must confront their own fears and losses, even as their hosts do everything possible to make them comfortable.

Ten years after Come From Away first played Ford’s Theatre, the musical returns during the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Director Kevin S. McAllister, who previously worked with the Broadway and touring productions, keeps the action moving at a terrific clip. Twelve actors play dozens of characters, switching from passengers to townspeople with a change of accent, a jacket, or a shift in attitude. It’s a demanding assignment, especially when the same performer must make us believe in several people within minutes of one another. This company handles it beautifully.

Erin Weaver

Lawrence Redmond plays Claude, Gander’s mayor, who suddenly finds himself responsible for thousands of unexpected guests. He gives the character a wonderfully practical air, as though accommodating an international airport’s worth of visitors were simply another item on the day’s agenda. Kelli Blackwell is equally engaging as Beulah, whose concern for the passengers is matched by a no-nonsense approach to getting things done. Whether playing a major character or appearing for only a few moments, everyone in the ensemble seems to know exactly where they belong.

The Company

One of the evening’s greatest pleasures is Katy Tabb‘s choreography. I don’t know how much of the original staging has been retained, but her work here is marvelous. The actors rearrange chairs, tables, and other pieces so smoothly that the furniture seems to have a life of its own. One moment we’re aboard an airplane; the next, we’re riding a bus or sitting in a local bar. Nothing stops for a cumbersome scene change. The movement is part of the storytelling, and watching twelve people negotiate all those transitions without missing a beat is a delight.

Emily Lotz‘s economical set gives them plenty of room to work, with wooden panels framing a stage that can become almost anywhere. Paris Francesca‘s costumes make it easy to tell the characters apart, even when an actor switches identities in seconds. Xavier Pierce‘s lighting helps establish the changing locations and moods without requiring elaborate scenery. It’s a deceptively simple arrangement, one that leaves the focus where it belongs: on the people.

Caitlin Brooke and Joe Mallon

Then there’s the band, which deserves a hearty round of applause of its own. Under Mason Moss‘s music direction, the musicians fill the theater with a lively mix of fiddle, guitars, whistles, and Irish-influenced percussion. The score can be rowdy and infectious one minute, tender the next. The folk rhythms suit the Newfoundland setting, but there’s nothing quaint about the sound. The players have a marvelous time, and so do we. Near the end, when they join the cast for a jubilant celebration, we were all clapping along.

Housso Sémon and the cast

What struck me most, though, was how vividly the show brought back the emotions of that September morning. I remember the sadness and uncertainty, but Come From Away also recalls something we don’t hear nearly enough about: the instinct to reach out, help one another, and hold our loved ones close. The residents of Gander didn’t know the people arriving at their airport. They didn’t ask what country they came from or whether they shared the same beliefs. They saw people in trouble and did what they could.

That may sound like a simple lesson, but a quarter of a century later, it’s one we could stand to hear again. Ford’s Theatre has given this wonderful musical a revival full of heart, humor, and first-rate performances. I left feeling grateful for the reminder that, even in the worst circumstances, people can surprise us with their goodness. It’s a tremendous night of theater, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

photos by Scott Suchman

Come From Away
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th St. NW in Washington, DC
1 hour and 45 minutes, without intermission
Fri at 7:30; Sat at 2 and 7:30; Sun at 1
ends on October 25, 2026
for tickets, visit Ford’s Theatre

for more shows, visit Theater in DC

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦