The hit Broadway musical Come From Away recounts the true story of how unlikely strangers united during the September 11th attacks. Some 38 planes carrying 6,579 passengers and crew, 11 dogs, 9 cats, and a pair of rare Bonobo apes were suddenly forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland (population: 9,651).
Jenn Colella sings "Me and the Sky" in 'Come From Away'
Not only did Gander’s population nearly double, its residents did all they could to be of service to the “plane people.” They opened their homes and hearts to the terrified strangers who arrived from around the world. They cooked food, transformed buildings and homes into shelters and offered whatever they could. Suddenly all these lives intertwined in the most surprising ways.
One of those plane people was American Airlines pilot Beverley Bass, the first female captain of an American Airlines commercial plane. Flying her Boeing 777 from Paris en route for Dallas Fort Worth on September 11, she had been ordered to land in Gander.
Last month, Jenn Colella, who originated the part of Capt. Beverley Bass, returned to the show to reprise her role in the Tony-winning show that is currently playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. She will be in the musical until August 7.
In the song “Me and the Sky” Colella movingly sings about her journey to become a pilot at a time when it was unheard of for women. As the lyrics go: “I got my first job flying for a mortician. In a tiny bonanza, just a corpse and me. Five dollars an hour for flying dead bodies. I had to climb over their faces just to get to my seat. And suddenly the wheels lift off. The ground is falling backwards. I am suddenly alive.”
For Colella, coming back to this gem of a musical written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, is the ultimate bliss. “The joy of coming back to Come From Away is indescribable,” says Colella, who earned a 2017 Tony Award nomination along with the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Craig Noel, Helen Hayes and Dora Awards for playing Bass and other characters in the musical. “I can’t believe how lucky I am to be telling this incredible true story about kindness once again!”
The golden voiced Colella, who most recently played women's suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt in the musical Suffs at the Public Theater, the experience of being in the show continues to transform her. “Come From Away has changed how I move through the world,” says Colella, who appears in the show with De’Lon Grant, Becky Gulsvig, Caesar Samayoa, Sharone Sayegh, James Seol, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Gene Weygandt, Sharon Wheatley, Paul Whitty, Josh Breckenridge, John Jellison, Tony LePage, Monette McKay, Happy McPartlin and Julie Reiber. “It’s helped me take the time to genuinely connect with whomever is in front of me in a loving, respectful way.”
Jeryl Brunner: What qualities doe Capt. Beverley Bass have that you adore?
Jenn Colella: Capt. Beverley Bass is a bad-ass pioneer for women in a man’s field. She is not only the first female American captain, she was the first woman to fly the triple 7, those really huge jets. I admire her for fighting so hard for her dreams. What's more, she's a fantastic wife, mother and friend. I like the way she moves through the world.
Jeryl Brunner: Why do you love doing Come From Away?
Jenn Colella: I love the opportunity to work on my craft while sharing an important message with the audience. It feels like we've turned the Schoenfeld Theatre into a sanctuary, a haven for peace and benevolence—a place the audience and the cast get to commune with one another for a bit. It's heaven.
Brunner: What advice has Capt. Beverley Bass given you?
Colella: She shared her experience of being in Gander and what it felt like to be in charge of her aircraft, her crew and all of her passengers while they were grounded. She had to maintain her composure even though she kept learning more and more about the devastation that occurred back home. She was isolated and she missed her sweet family in Texas. All the while, she had to put on a brave face and focus on when she could get her plane back in the air. I'm attempting to craft that stoicism, leadership and focus that she had so that I can honor her each and every show.
Brunner: The cast has performed the show where it actually takes place, in Newfoundland. Why was that special?
Colella: Visiting Newfoundland was an experience I'll never forget. Those people. I assure you, we're not overselling their capacity for kindness. It was off the charts. We got offered a ride any time we were spotted walking around town. Folks stop to say hello and ask how your day is going. It was incredible. And the reception we received during the concert version of our show was overwhelming. The first time we sang “I'm an Islander,” the crowd leapt to their feet and started clapping and crying with pride. I think of their sweet faces and their huge hearts each and every time I sing that lyric now. They blessed our show and now it's our duty to commemorate their goodwill eight times a week.
Brunner: What was the first Broadway show you saw and what do you remember about the experience?
Colella: When I was in high school I saw Phantom of the Opera and flipped out over the show. I sat in the front row of the mezzanine and almost fell over the ledge because I wanted to get as close to those beautiful performers as I could. Growing up in South Carolina, I'd never seen a production of that magnitude, nor had I witnessed stars who shone so brightly. I was deeply enchanted and the spell has yet to be broken.
The cast of Come From Away
