Former Mayor of Gander visits St. Andrews for Come From Away's New Brunswick Premiere

By Vicki Hogarth

Mayor of Gander in St. Andrews for Come From Away premiere

From Broadway to the Bay of Fundy, Come From Away has landed in St. Andrews—and its message of kindness and resilience is striking a powerful chord in uncertain times.

The Canadian musical, beloved worldwide for its retelling of how the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, welcomed thousands of stranded airline passengers on 9/11, made its New Brunswick premiere this weekend at the KIRA Amphitheatre.

Among the audience Friday night was Claude Elliott, Gander’s former mayor, who lived the story at the heart of the show. After the cast received a standing ovation, Elliott himself was called to the stage—where he was met with another. Friday night marked his 127th time seeing the musical, a journey that has taken him around the globe, sitting alongside presidents, world leaders, and icons, and even watching performances in multiple languages.

“No matter how many times you see the show, it brings you back to those five days that those people were in Gander," said Elliott. "I always say on the first day, we had 7,000 strangers. On the third day, we had 7,000 friends. And on the fifth day, we lost 7,000 family members. We became very close to those people. They became close to us. We had people from 95 countries. So trying to... I mean, there's lots of food in Newfoundland, but there wasn't a lot of diverse foods for different countries and that. But they tried a lot of the local stuff, and everybody accepted what we had to give them.”

Elliott stopped by the CHCO-TV studio on Sunday, where he sat down for a half-hour episode of Southwest Magazine. In conversation, he reflected not only on Gander’s response but also on how the musical has transformed his hometown into a global tourism destination—drawing thousands who want to see the place where compassion came first.

“We had a disaster plan, but there was nothing in that book to say, what do you do with 7,000 people who's going to drop in for five days?" said Elliott. "So it was quite different. But the greatest asset, the greatest resource any community got is this people. And I had a role to play. But the people that stayed home all day and made sandwiches and made soup, and the people that volunteered in their churches 24 hours around the clock, making sure those people were comfortable, that was just as important as my job, because I couldn't do it all, and they couldn't do it all. And I think that's why we came together as a community.”

As the world faces its own era of uncertainty, the message feels as vital as ever. Elliott hopes audiences carry its lessons forward: 

“Our story is 9: 12, not 9: 11," said Elliott. "On the 11th of September, we saw the worst act of mankind. But on the 12th, we saw the best of it. And I think that that goodness and generosity will outdo evil anytime at all.”

The New Brunswick premiere was brought to life by Fredericton-born Broadway performer Tony LePage—an original cast member and star of the Apple TV+ film version of Come From Away—and his wife, Broadway director Courtney LePage. With their company, Rogue Productions, they’ve assembled an all–New Brunswick cast to bring this global story home to the province where LePage first got his start.

After its run at the KIRA Amphitheatre in St. Andrews, which continues until August 31st, the production will travel to the Imperial Theatre in Saint John from September 10th to 13th, before heading across the Maritimes to share its message of hope and humanity with even more audiences. In a new era of global uncertainty, Come From Away reminds us that compassion is still our greatest currency.

Wildfires continue to burn

Wildfires are still burning across New Brunswick, and while most restrictions on Crown land have now been lifted, the provincewide burn ban remains in effect.

"Should we have multiple fires ignite after we open Crown lands, or should we face a fire of significance that is threatening homes, businesses, or other infrastructure, we may need to reconsider adding additional precautions on Crown lands again," said John Herron, Natural Resources Minister.

So far this season, more than twenty-two hundred hectares have burned, nearly six times the 10-year average, with almost three hundred fires reported, compared to just over two hundred last year.

Timber harvesting is restricted to the hours of six p.m. to noon, peat harvesting limits remain in place, and municipalities will decide whether to reopen local parks and trails. Check your municipality’s website for updates. For more information on Crown land activities, call 1-833-301-0334.