Dahlia Viprino (left), Gabe Ferreira, Aspen Langley, Bridget Williams, Jack Martin, and Jacob Rabold (right) are some of the faces in Come From Away. (Kendra Murphy)
By Chris Bixby and Bruce Bowen
Editors Note: The opening weekend of Come From Away has been cancelled due to cast illness. The show will open on April 16. If you bought a ticket to the show for opening weekend, please check your email for details.
A story of strangers brought together in a time of crisis will take the stage at Cape Cod Community College this month.
The college’s Performing Arts Program will present Come From Away, opening April 16 on the Main Stage of the Tilden Arts Center.
The musical tells the story of Gander, Newfoundland — a town of 9,000 that suddenly welcomed 7,000 stranded airline passengers on Sept. 11, 2001, after U.S. airspace closed and transatlantic flights were diverted. Gander residents fed, housed and comforted the unexpected visitors during an uncertain and frightening time.
“The production reflects that spirit of community,” said Director and Performing Arts Program Coordinator Vana Trudeau.
“One of the really special things about our theater program here at 4Cs is that all of our shows are open not only to students, faculty, and staff, but also community members,” Trudeau said during a WKKL interview with 4Cs students Chris Bixby, Bruce Bowen and Christopher Bitter. “…half of the cast is comprised of students, and then we have one staff member, and then a number of community members joining the cast. So we have a number of people that this is their first play, and we have other people for whom this is their 77th play.”
“So you have all different age ranges, you have all different levels of experience, and this show centers so much on the notion of community and what it means to build a community out of strangers,” she said. “And this cast and crew has been so remarkable in their willingness to build that sense of community within their own … cohorts.”
Trudeau added that the group has built strong connections throughout rehearsals.
“We do a lot of conversations with each other, just getting to know each other personally,” she said. “… everyone shows up every day that they are in the rehearsal room ready to tell this story. It’s beautiful.”
Come From Away, directed by Trudeau, will run April 16-25, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday with an additional 2:30 p.m. matinee show on Saturdays at the Tilden Arts Center Main Stage Theater.
Tickets are $10 to $25 and can be purchased at this link or by calling the box office at 774-330-4044.
