The tragic story of 9/11 will be told from a new angle on Tuesday, March 5, at the Gertrude C. Ford Center in a performance of the Tony Award-winning musical “Come From Away.”
The musical focuses on the days after Sept. 11, 2001, telling the stories of almost 7,000 real people, the “come from aways,” who were stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, when the United States airspace was closed.
With a set comprised of a handful of chairs and three tables, “Come From Away” uses a simple stage setup that focuses on the audience’s attention on the story and message of the show. Actor Andrew Hendrick, a member of the nationally touring cast of “Come From Away,” gave insight into how the show functions.
“There are 12 actors onstage,” Hendrick said. “All of us play around four to eight characters.”
Hendrick’s primary character is named Claude, the mayor who is trying to help all of the newcomers feel welcome, but he also plays a “come from away” character referred to as the Texan.
“I get to explore both sides of the story,” Hendrick said.
While watching the show, it is important to note that every character in the musical is a real-life person.
“It’s not just some character from the 1900s. I’m literally Facebook friends with the man that I play in the show … It’s really important, because we can reach out to ask the people, ‘Hey, what did you do in this moment?’” Hendrick said. “We can bring the actual story to life.”
Freshman criminal justice student Caroline Oswick shared her thoughts on the show after viewing a previous performance of it.
“I liked the way the characters interacted,” Oswick said. “The music is incredible, and I enjoyed watching it. It was an excellently produced musical.”
Despite the solemn tone of the show, it also has fun, lighthearted moments. Hendrick shared one of his favorite moments from the show, a number called “Screech In.”
Hendrick described the number, in which all of the “come from aways” partake in a Newfoundland tradition to become a Newfoundlander.
“The ceremony involves drinking a shot of really terrible rum and then kissing a fish,” Hendrick said. “So, by the end (of the number), everyone is just partying together.”
All students at the University of Mississippi will be able to find importance and meaning in the “Come From Away” story. The creative use of set design and the way that actors play multiple roles in the show will intrigue theater and film students, but the general message of love and acceptance will ring true with everyone.
“The idea of choosing kindness and generosity in the face of terror is a really wonderful message,” Hendrick said.
Hendrick encouraged members of the Oxford community to attend the performance.
“Come see the show,” Hendrick said. “If you haven’t heard of it, once you see it, you will be telling everyone you know about it, and if you have heard of it, there’s a reason.”
The show will commence at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available on the Ford Center website.
