The genius of Come From Away is that it doesn’t ask you to look away from tragedy- it asks you to look at what people did in response to it. Opening night of Come From Away at Super Summer Theatre near Las Vegas was one of those rare evenings – the kind that reminds you why we gather under the stars to share stories in the first place.
The Tony Award-winning musical, which won Best Musical along with five additional Tony Awards, tells the extraordinary true story of what happened when 38 planes carrying nearly 7,000 passengers were forced to land unexpectedly in the tiny Newfoundland community of Gander following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Overnight, this quiet community doubled in size.
But Come From Away isn’t really a story about planes or even September 11. At its heart, it’s a story about kindness and generosity in the face of fear – about what happens when strangers choose to take care of one another when the world suddenly feels upside down.
What happened next is the heart of the musical: ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
The residents of Gander opened their homes, schools, kitchens, and hearts to thousands of frightened travelers from all over the world. They cooked meals, offered showers, provided phones, comforted strangers, and built friendships that still exist today. The show captures these acts of humanity with humor, warmth, and a pulse of music that never stops moving.
And at Super Summer Theatre, that message lands with particular force. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, this production delivers everything you hope for from live theatre: heart, humanity, humor, FABULOUS dialects, and a cast that pours every ounce of themselves into the work. We were moved to tears more than once.
The production itself moves with the same remarkable energy that has made Come From Away such a beloved musical. It’s fast-paced without feeling frantic, funny without diminishing the gravity of its subject matter, and deeply emotional without ever becoming sentimental. The score moves seamlessly between folk, Celtic, rock and musical-theatre influences, while the choreography and staging create the sensation of dozens of people, places and stories unfolding almost simultaneously. The result is a show that can have you laughing one moment and wiping away a tear the next.
The cast is uniformly strong, but several performances particularly stood out. Ayler Evan (Kevin T) brings an impressive combination of emotional grounding and vocal power to the role, giving Kevin T a warmth and authenticity that anchors some of the production’s most affecting moments. Rich Benites (Kevin J) is equally compelling, bringing charisma, humor and a wonderfully understated emotional precision to his performance. Meghan Wise (Beverley) commands the stage with “Me and the Sky,” delivering one of the evening’s standout vocal performances and earning some of the biggest applause of the night. Christopher Hermening (Claude) brings a warmth and steadiness to the role that makes Claude instantly endearing, while Mary Beth Zentner (Beulah) is charming and genuinely funny, with a natural connection to the audience that makes every appearance feel effortless.
What makes those performances work so well, though, is the ensemble and the fabulous musicians who keep the show moving and give it its pulse. Come From Away is a musical in which individual characters constantly become part of a larger story, and this cast understands that balance. Performers shift between characters, accents and perspectives with impressive fluidity, creating the feeling of an entire community coming together before our eyes. There’s a real sense of trust among the actors, and that chemistry keeps the production moving while allowing the emotional moments to breathe.
That’s also what makes Come From Away such a powerful piece of theatre more than two decades after the events it portrays. In a world that can often feel increasingly divided, the story offers something remarkably simple: people helping people. No one asks where someone comes from, what they believe or what they have to offer. They simply see that someone needs help – and they help.
Watching that story at Spring Mountain Ranch adds another layer to the experience. The mountains surrounding the theatre, the cool desert evening, the stars overhead and the collective reaction of the audience all become part of the production. There’s something almost profound about sitting outside near the 25th anniversary of September 11 and watching a story about what happened in the immediate aftermath of that day – not focusing on the tragedy itself, but on the extraordinary humanity that emerged from it.
If you’re in the Las Vegas area, Come From Away is a must-see. Performances run through September 19, including a performance on September 11 – a date that adds even deeper meaning to this particular show.
Come From Away at Super Summer Theatre is more than a night out. It’s a reminder of the goodness people are capable of, delivered by a cast that clearly understands the weight and beauty of the story they’re telling. It’s one of the most moving evenings of theatre we’ve experienced this year.
If you’ve never been to Super Summer Theatre, let this be the show that brings you there. And if you already love it? You’ll be reminded exactly why.
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