Come From Away (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Thirty-Eight Planes

September 11, 2001. American airspace closes.

Thirty-eight passenger jets bound for the United States are forced to land somewhere most people have never heard of—Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.

The town holds fewer than ten thousand people. That day, it suddenly gained almost seven thousand strangers.

The locals call these travelers “come from away”—outsiders. This musical tells what happened over the next five days.

Me and the Sky

The most moving solo on this album is “Me and the Sky.”

It belongs to a real person: Beverley Bass—one of American Airlines’ first female captains. She fought her way into the cockpit all her life, and on that day in 2001, her flight was one of the thirty-eight.

When Jenn Colella sings it, you hear an entire life—from a mocked little girl to a captain gripping the controls—then gently landing at the song’s end.

Colella earned a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award for the role.

Twelve Actors, a Hundred Souls

The staging is minimal: rows of chairs become the cabin, a bar, a church.

And only twelve actors fill the stage—playing nearly one hundred roles: captains, mayors, reporters, cooks, terrified passengers.

The band sits onstage playing Newfoundland folk—jigs and rhythms carried by Irish immigrants—so even the saddest moments keep walking with warmth.

Taiwan Doesn’t Know Its Name Yet

Come From Away won four Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, plus Tony Best Director—yet has never been staged in Taiwan.

Its nearest Asian footprints are Seoul and Tokyo. But through the Apple TV+ filmed version, Taiwanese audiences have long known Gander.

In an age full of divisive news, this is a work that makes you believe strangers can be saviors.

Further Listening

To continue the tradition of musicals built on true stories, Hamilton stands as another peak; Maybe Happy Ending is Broadway’s newest voice.