Taking a cue from Hugh Grant’s finest role—unquestionably the fictionalized British prime minister David in Love Actually (2003)—I’m reminded of his opening monologue: “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.” But it isn’t Heathrow Airport that I think of during some of the darkest moments of 2026, it’s that of Gander, Newfoundland—the setting of Irene Sanhoff and David Hein’s relentlessly uplifting musical Come From Away, now playing at Ford’s Theatre through Oct. 25.

On an average Tuesday, Gander’s population hovers a little over 9,000. But, in the hours following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, its population nearly doubled: Thirty-eight planes, all on different flight paths, were urgently ordered to land in Gander, making this unknown place into “the town that welcomed the world.”

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11—plus 10 years since Come From Away premiered at Ford’s ahead of its Broadway run—this new production directed by Kevin S. McAllister has a heartbeat of its own. On some level, Come From Away is a corny, sappy, “bring your tissues” kind of musical that hits all the right notes and pushes all the right buttons. It’s also quirky, witty, and upbeat. It’s a comedy about a tragedy, a story about finding life in the wake of loss, and, according to the New York Times, the most enduring piece of 9/11 art we have today.

The musical begins on an average day in Newfoundland—the accents are thick and we get the Tim Horton and hockey jokes out of the way early. It doesn’t take much to clue audiences in on where and when we are in history. When the flights begin to arrive, bringing with them thousands of “plane people” (as the locals call them), the tight-knit Canuck community bands together. They establish shelters, prepare food, come with blankets and toiletries, phones, and computers—anything the plane people might need to feel comfortable.

Meanwhile, the passengers grow increasingly restless on the Gander runway. Only some planes learn the real story of the day’s tragedies, some just get quieted with movies and complimentary booze. Visually cued by a simple row of passengers in the song “28 Hours/Wherever We Are,” McAllister tactfully transitions us from plane to plane via deep attention to characterization. By the time everyone has deboarded, tensions begin to seethe and early signs of post-9/11 Islamophobia are already rearing their ugly head.

Come From Away is a succinct but complex musical—it takes a village (and a turn table) to make it work. Depicting a range of people and identities represented across the globe, McAllister’s ensemble welcomes us into this whirlwind of a production with as much hospitality as Gander. Twelve ensemble members are (with help from Paris Francesca’s costumes) multiply cast as Newfoundland locals and passengers from all over the world. A simple costume change or defined accent helps here, but the script is also well-crafted enough to make the actor doubling feel seamless. Among other characters, Lawrence Redmond plays Gander’s mayor, Claude, with earnest gusto—a voice of reason sometimes bridled by his own stubbornness. Kelli Blackwell and Erin Weaver play the kindhearted locals Beulah and Bonnie—the former of whom would go to any lengths to help the people on those planes, the latter is (for comic effect) more interested in rescuing the animals in cargo—cats, dogs, even rare bonobo chimpanzees.

Other Gander locals include Julia Wheeler Lennon as Janice, a cheerful but chippy news reporter who’s new … to town … and to reporting. It’s her first day. Evan Casey plays the dry-as-a-bone constable Oz; Montel B. Butler plays Bob, a hardened New Yorker who finds Gander’s hospitality too good to be true only to realize what it means to pay a good deed forward. Reminding us of the range of personal experiences and emotions encompassed by this musical, Sarah Corey plays Hannah, whose son, a New York firefighter, is missing in action—an angst that apexes with the song “I Am Here.” Corey finds moments of softness and levity in what is by far the musical’s most emotionally demanding track.

Jonathan Atkinson and Michael Perrie Jr. play couple Kevin J. and Kevin T. (which they admit “was cute … for a while”). Their relationship faces new challenges abroad, but while the Kevins begin to drift apart, another couple comes together. At the heart of the production are Caitlin Brooke as Diane and Joe Mallon as Nick, inspired by a real-life couple who met while stranded in Gander. Their slow-burn love story is a gentle reminder that, even when the world is at a standstill, time can still feel like it’s moving too fast.

If there is any sort of standout lead, it’s Housso Sémon as American Airlines pilot Beverley, proud of what she’s accomplished as a woman pilot and scared by the uncertainty that lies ahead. Audiences watch her slowly relinquish her guardrails, though she repeatedly tries to convince us she is “fine.” Much of the musical’s score is Celtic folk-inspired, but Beverley’s solo “Me, and the Sky” stands out as the most “legit” musical number—a well-earned spotlight for Sémon’s understated talent.

Scenic designer Emily Lotz plays with loose bits of furniture and suitcases, backdropped by a wood paneling which—with help from Xavier Pierce’s lighting design—does not just summon different locations but also feelings and emotional hues, which help us understand this story of grief, hope, and the human experience in all its messy glory.

Thanks to Katy Tabb’s choreography and a full band to boot, this feel-everything musical has a soundtrack well suited to the task. The highlight musical number takes place in the local bar where everyone gets to become an “honorary Newfoundlanders” thanks to a bottle of screech (apparently just bad Jamaican rum) and a raucous game of “kiss the fish.” Here the band gets to show off with Kyung LeBlanc utterly slaying her fiddle solos.

After a five-year run on Broadway and subsequent national tour, Come From Away already has a strong sense of identity. This D.C. production infuses local personality that brings us back to the roots of togetherness. More importantly, it reminds us that love—not to mention hope, help, and humanity—actually is all around us.

Come From Away, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Kevin S. McAllister, runs through October 25 at Ford’s Theatre. fords.org. $20–$80.