The true story behind the musical Come From Away, soon to premiere in Melbourne

Just hearing about the real-life story that inspired the musical Come From Away might induce tears: when the awful tragedy of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks unfolded, and TV screens reverberated with the images of jet planes flying into New York’s Twin Towers, a town’s collective act of kindness was also in play.

Miles away from Manhattan, in the town of Gander – on the Canadian island of Newfoundland – 38 planes in transit were forced to land, following the command to shut down American airspace.

This teeny town with a population of less than 10,000 found themselves suddenly faced with the problem of welcoming nearly 7000 stranded airline crew members and passengers.

Only for the good people of Gander, this wasn’t a problem.

The way they generously opened their hearts and homes to complete strangers proved that on one of the most terrible days in history, the best of humanity was on display as well.

That’s the story of the musical Come From Away, which has been a surprise hit on Broadway and the West End – and will no doubt find an equally responsive audience in Melbourne.

One of the linchpins of the play is Beverley Bass, played by Australian actress Zoe Gertz. Bass, a pilot for American Airlines, was well known in aviation circles before 9/11, being the first female pilot promoted to captain by American Airlines in 1986.

When Bass initially heard that a musical was being made about those who landed in Gander for a four-day stay, she didn’t pay much attention.

She only understood it was a reality when the producers invited her and her husband to its premiere, in the summer of 2015.

“I didn’t go to any of the workshops or festivals for it, so I was very ignorant about it,” she says.

“We didn’t know what we were sitting down to see. And then it was mind-blowing. The first time we watched it, both of our heads were buried in our hands. I think we only saw five per cent of the first show. It was so beautifully done and they stayed so true to the real people.

“They didn’t have to make up stories; they had thousands of stories [from our experiences].”

It’s clear that, almost two decades on, Bass is still in awe of the kindness that she and the rest of the “Come From Aways” were shown.

After being grounded on the tarmac on September 11, her plane’s crew and passengers were allowed to disembark at 7.30am the next day.

By that point, none of them had touched solid ground for 28 hours.

“When we walked into the terminal, we saw tables full of food. There was enough food for everyone, which indicated that the whole town had been cooking all night to prepare it,” she says.

“We were in a very unique place, and it just continued from there for four days. There wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do for you.”

One man handed her the keys to his brand new pick-up truck and instructed Bass to use it for as long as she wanted.

Trickier, though, was the planeload that had been en route to Orlando, filled with 90 seriously ill kids from a children’s wish organisation who were supposed to go to Disney World.

“They had somebody dress up as Commander Gander. People took them on canoe rides and entertained them, so that they wouldn’t miss Disney [World] at all.”

She’s still in disbelief over the town’s pharmacists, who filled over 2000 prescriptions, because nobody could access their luggage.

“And they didn’t take a dime for any of that … the [townspeople] don’t think they did anything special. That’s just who they are,” Bass says.

As the lead in the Melbourne production of Come From Away, Gertz might ostensibly seem like an odd fit: at 34, she’s nearly 20 years younger than her real-life counterpart.

“When I read the casting brief, I thought, ‘Goodness, I don’t know if there’s anything that’s right for me’,” she says.

“What I didn’t realise was, they hire actors not based on their age or look, but based on an actor’s ability and energy … The thing about Come From Away is that in every company from all over the world the actors are very different in the way we look.”

But Gertz does have one secret advantage: her father worked for Qantas for 20 years, as an accountant.

Perhaps that’s why she burst into tears the first time she met Bass, which took place when she was asked to sing one of the play’s key songs – Me and the Sky – at a Qantas training facility in Alexandria, for 150 women in aviation.

She didn’t know Bass would be there and “she ran towards me and gave me the biggest hug. She said ‘I’m so excited and honoured to meet you’, and I was just crying and going, ‘Are you serious?’ ”

And although the play is steeped in the terror of September 11, Gertz points out that it’s not really a show about those events.

“It’s not a 9/11 story. It’s a 9/12 story. It’s about what happened after, and how this small town banded together and led with kindness and love. And those themes are universal.”

For Bass, the far-reaching effect of the play still stuns. As a result of Come From Away’s tremendous success – it has won many theatrical accolades including a coveted Tony Award – tourists now visit Gander and are sometimes led on tours by several of the real-life players in this story.

She calls the play a “masterpiece” and adds that “I don’t think any of us imagined that it would become a world phenomenon like it has.

“When we open in Australia, we will have five companies in four countries on three continents playing eight times a week. Simultaneously. I don’t know if you can say that about another play,” she says.

“I left Gander on September 15 and I said, ‘I wish the world could know what Gander did for us’. And now the world is learning.”

Come From Away preview performances start July 3, premiering July 20, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne. Tickets are now on sale.