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Canadian musical phenomenon Come From Away is winging its way back to Calgary for a run at the Jubilee from Sept. 17 to 22.
Come From Away tells the inspirational story of how, in 2001, the tiny community of Gander housed and cared for 7,000 stranded passengers and airline personnel when 38 planes were diverted to the airport because of the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York.
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Former Gander mayor Claude Elliot would like to have been in the audience during the musical’s run in Calgary, but he’ll be in Madrid to see a Spanish-language version scheduled to run until the end of November. Before taking in the Spanish premiere, Elliot had seen the musical 112 times. Elliot had been the mayor of Gander during that fateful time, and it was his responsibility to co-ordinate the transferring, housing and feeding of all those international strangers.
Elliot’s journey to theatres across the world began in September 2011 when many of the passengers returned to Gander for a special reunion, as did David Hein and Irene Sankoff, the young couple who researched and wrote the award-winning musical.
“David and Irene had a grant to come to Gander to interview the locals and visitors about our shared experiences. They stayed here a couple of months. They were such a nice couple. I felt sorry for them because I couldn’t envision how they could write a musical about blankets, pillows and soup. I told them they’d probably end up on welfare,” says Elliot.
He recalls that when those 38 planes landed, the town only had 500 hotel rooms, 14 taxis and a few school buses whose drivers just happened to be on strike. Essentially, it was an impossible situation that he quickly had to make possible.
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“The drivers laid down their picket signs, and, like everyone else in town, pitched in to make our visitors as comfortable as possible.”
Four years after he said goodbye to Hein and Sankoff, Elliot was invited to see a production of Come From Away in Seattle where it had just transferred from its premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego.
“I didn’t enjoy watching it. There was way too much anticipation. I didn’t know if the musical would do us justice, and I couldn’t figure out what was coming next. It was a bit of a blur, but when it was over and I relaxed, I knew they had nailed it. I was so happy.”
A year later, while the show was being prepped to open at the Royal Alexander Theatre in Toronto, the company brought Come From Away to Gander to thank the townspeople.
“We put up a makeshift stage in our community centre where 2,500 people saw a matinee and another 2,500 saw an evening show. Unless you were there you cannot imagine the reception it received. Three minutes before the end of the show people were already on their feet, clapping, shouting and crying. It was that crying, in particular, that convinced David and Irene they had a hit. Many of us who are portrayed in the musical also got to see it at a special screening on Broadway.”
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Elliot has seen numerous companies perform the show and insists that “not a single one of them has done anything but an incredible job that warrants the standing ovations they receive.”
There are so many moments in the show that coax tears and smiles, but two are always his favourites.
“When the lady at Walmart says, ‘Thank you for shopping at Walmart, and would you like to come to my house for a shower?’ because that simple line really defines what we’re like in Gander. I also like the scene when the gay couple go to the bar (and are) terrified people will discover their sexuality. When they do, it seems like everyone in the bar has a family member or friend who’s gay. The one guy remarks they must have found the gayest community in North America. That line gets such a big, warm, happy reaction, it makes me feel so good that people see what a welcoming community we are.”
Elliot was 51 when he took charge of the situation that was thrust upon Gander. He likes people to know his real job for 30 years was as a paramedic. He was raised in a fishing community in Labrador and he never thought he’d be a star on Broadway.
“The feeling I get watching those actors portray me never gets old. It’s always like a first time.”
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