A Homecoming 10 Years in the Making: Come From Away Returns to Ford’s Theatre
Long before Come From Away became a Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation, the musical made a stop in Washington, D.C., during its journey to New York. In September 2016, Ford’s Theatre welcomed the production for what would become its final U.S. engagement before Broadway, introducing local audiences to a story of compassion, resilience and the extraordinary kindness of strangers.
Now, a decade later, Come From Away is coming home.
From La Jolla to Ford’s
The Come From Away journey started in 2015 at California’s La Jolla Playhouse, where writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein debuted their new musical inspired by the true events of September 11, 2001.
Rather than focusing on the attacks themselves, the show tells the story of what happened after U.S. airspace closed, when 38 commercial airplanes carrying 6,579 passengers were diverted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. For nearly five days, the town’s residents opened their homes, schools and hearts to thousands of unexpected guests.
“We didn’t want to write a 9/11 musical; we wanted to write a story about our friends in Newfoundland.” –David Hein, Jewish Telegraph, May 2024
Following acclaimed engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, Come From Away arrived at Ford’s Theatre in September 2016, which proved a pivotal moment in the musical’s path.
Washington Fell in Love
Audiences quickly fell in love with the plane people and the citizens of Newfoundland.
What began as a planned pre-Broadway engagement quickly became one of the most talked-about productions of the season. Critics praised its heartfelt storytelling, infectious score and remarkable ensemble, while audiences responded with standing ovations and enthusiastic word of mouth.
The production’s popularity led Ford’s Theatre to extend its run, giving even more theatergoers the opportunity to experience the musical before it continued its journey.
Broadway—and Beyond
Just a few months after leaving Ford’s Theatre, Come From Away opened on Broadway in March 2017.
Emotional standing ovation as Come From Away opens on Broadway
– CBC News Headline from March 12, 2017
The musical became an immediate success, earning seven Tony Award nominations and winning the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Christopher Ashley. It went on to run for more than 1,600 performances on Broadway, tour across North America and launch productions around the world, including London’s West End, where it also earned critical acclaim. Today, Come From Away is recognized as one of the defining musicals of the past decade.
Yet despite its worldwide success, its history at Ford’s Theatre remains an important chapter in the show’s remarkable journey.
Why Now?
This fall, Come From Away returns to the stage where so many Washington audiences first discovered it.
Its return comes at a particularly meaningful moment, coinciding with the 25th commemoration of 9/11. While the anniversary invites reflection on one of the darkest days in American history, Come From Away reminds us of another story from that week—one defined by generosity, compassion and our shared humanity.
“Welcome to the friends who have come from away
Welcome to the locals who have always said they’d stay
If you’re comin’ from Toledo or you’re comin’ from Taipei
Because we come from everywhere, we all come from away:
Welcome to the Rock!” – Finale, Come From Away
Those themes continue to resonate today, making this return more than a revival. It’s an opportunity to revisit a story that encourages us to see the best in one another and reminds us that even in moments of uncertainty, kindness has the power to unite us.
A New Company Takes Flight
This new production reunites Come From Away with Ford’s Theatre under the direction of Kevin S. McAllister, who understudied in the 2016 Ford’s production before becoming part of the musical’s Broadway and national tour companies. Joining him are choreographer Katy Tabb and music director Mason Moss, along with a cast of predominantly local artists who bring more than 80 characters to life through the show’s signature ensemble storytelling.
Although the company is new, the spirit of the production remains unchanged: a celebration of empathy, community and the connections that can emerge in extraordinary circumstances.
Welcome Back to Gander
Ten years after its Ford’s Theatre debut, Come From Away returns to the place where its path to Broadway continued to take shape. Whether you’re discovering the musical for the first time or revisiting a production you loved in 2016, there’s never been a more meaningful time to experience this remarkable story.
We hope you’ll join us this fall as Come From Away returns to Ford’s Theatre.
Works Cited
