By now, everyone who has seen a show on Broadway in the last two years has been made aware of the surprise hit, and self-described "9/12 story," Come From Away which is celebrating its two year anniversary on Broadway this month.
The event, hosted by Ruthie Fierberg, featured writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein, as well as actors Happy McPartlin, Jim Walton, and Julie Reiber. It was wonderful to hear from Sankoff and Hein about how the show was created - and how they never thought it would be seen outside of high schools and colleges in Canada. It was also lovely to hear about the whole process of the show, from the interviews in Gander to La Jolla, back to Gander, and now to Broadway.
And with three cast members there, it was wonderful to hear about how the show has changed them and how they have changed as actors. A highlight of the evening was hearing McPartlin and Walton sing "Stop the World" and hearing Reiber sing "Me and the Sky." It was an incredible reminder of how wonderful the music in the show is. The actors also talked about meeting the people they play and how much they have learned from them.
The best thing about celebrating Come From Away's anniversary is that it was clear to see how loved the show is. No one knew it would become as much of a hit as it has become, and at its core it is a story about kindness. So, if for some reason you haven't seen it yet, go to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. I promise you won't regret it.