Come From Away

The true story of an isolated Newfoundland town that absorbed 7,000 stranded airline passengers in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 is the subject of this ensemble musical at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Featuring a driving, Celtic-folk score, the production requires a small cast to rapidly switch between the roles of the bewildered travelers and the overwhelmed, hospitable locals of Gander. The staging relies on minimal props—mostly a set of wooden chairs—to create everything from an airplane cabin to a crowded pub. The performance delivers an aggressively optimistic narrative about extreme generosity in the face of global terror.