20 years after 9/11, the story of "Come From Away" brings light in another dark time: "The message is so needed"

It's one of the most uplifting stories from one of the darkest days in American history. Amid the terror and chaos of September 11, 2001, a small community opened its homes and hearts to thousands of stranded airline passengers. The story of what happened in Newfoundland 20 years ago inspired a heartfelt Broadway hit, "Come From Away" — and now that same musical is helping the theater community emerge from another dark time: the coronavirus shutdown.

On 9/11, residents of Gander, Newfoundland, a Canadian island community off the North Atlantic coast, took in 7,000 stranded airplane passengers — along with 11 dogs, nine cats, and two Bonobo chimpanzees — after their flights were diverted. Thirty-eight planes landed at the tiny Gander International Airport, which had once been a major hub for refueling stops. The community of 9,000 found itself nearly doubling in size as residents welcomed strangers into their homes for five days before flights were deemed safe to take off again.  "Come From Away" opened on Broadway in 2017 and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, winning for best director. But on March 12, 2020, the show was shut down — like all other live entertainment — due to the pandemic. Everyone on stage and off found themselves out of work.