The Newfoundland story behind Come From Away

The story behind Come From Away began on one of the darkest days in modern history, when a small Newfoundland town suddenly became a refuge for thousands of air travellers stranded by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

When the United States closed its airspace that morning, Canada became a destination for international flights that could no longer continue to their original destinations. Gander International Airport was among the Canadian airports called upon to receive diverted aircraft.

By the end of the day, 38 planes had landed in Gander, carrying thousands of passengers and crew members. 6,549 people were grounded in Gander, while its account of the events records 6,579 passengers and crew aboard the 38 aircraft.

For Gander, a community of about 10,000 people at the time, the sudden arrival of thousands of strangers presented an enormous logistical challenge.

The passengers initially remained aboard their aircraft for more than five hours. When they were finally allowed to leave, residents in Gander and surrounding communities began opening schools, churches, community centres and other facilities to accommodate them.

The communities of Gander, Glenwood, Lewisporte, Appleton, Gambo and Norris Arm all played a role in caring for the stranded travellers. Residents provided food, shelter, clothing and other necessities while local organizations worked to find places for people to sleep.

The stranded passengers came from around the world. People from about 100 countries were among those grounded in Gander, along with 19 animals travelling in the aircraft cargo holds.

The passengers eventually became known locally as "come from aways" — a Newfoundland expression for people from somewhere else.

That phrase would later become the title of one of Canada's most successful musicals.

From Gander to the stage

The idea of turning the events into a musical came about years later.

Toronto theatre producer Michael Rubinoff became interested in telling the story after learning more about what had happened in Newfoundland following the attacks. He eventually approached Canadian writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein about developing the project.

Sankoff and Hein travelled to Gander in 2011 for the 10th anniversary of the attacks. During their time in the province, they interviewed residents and people who had been aboard the diverted aircraft, gathering firsthand accounts that would become the foundation of the musical.

Rather than writing a traditional historical drama, the pair built the musical around the experiences and memories of the people involved.

The first version of the show was developed as a 45-minute workshop in 2012 with students from Sheridan College. The production was subsequently expanded, with a developmental production following in 2013.

The musical was initially known by the working title Gander. That name was eventually changed after the creators recognized that the story belonged not just to Gander, but to the surrounding communities that had also welcomed the stranded travellers.

The term "come from away," used to describe outsiders in Newfoundland, provided the answer.

The name Come From Away stuck.

From Canada to Broadway

The musical continued through development and eventually made its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 2015.

It then moved to Seattle before opening on Broadway in March 2017.

The production quickly became a major international success, earning seven Tony Award nominations and winning the Tony for best direction of a musical for Christopher Ashley.

Its success also brought renewed international attention to the people of central Newfoundland and the events of September 2001.

The story has since been performed around the world, turning an extraordinary Newfoundland response to a global tragedy into a story about hospitality, community and human connection.

The story comes home

For years, Come From Away was performed everywhere except the place where its story actually unfolded.

That changed in 2023, when a fully staged Newfoundland and Labrador production opened in Gander — bringing the musical back to the community at the centre of the story.

The production has since become an annual part of Gander's cultural landscape.

In 2026, the musical returned to Gander for its fourth season as the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approached. The production is scheduled to run through Sept. 13, 2026.

For the community, the story remains more than a musical.

It is a record of what happened when thousands of strangers arrived unexpectedly in Newfoundland — and ordinary residents responded by doing what they could to help.

The events of Sept. 11 are remembered around the world for the destruction and loss of life caused by the attacks.

In Gander, they are also remembered for what happened afterward.

Thousands of people arrived as strangers.

They left as friends.

And their story eventually became Come From Away.

This is one part in a multi-day series about the events of September 11, 2001.