Narratives about the 9/11 terrorist attacks tend to center on what happened at the World Trade Center, both on the planes and on the ground. But what about the other planes, the ones that were diverted and couldn’t land at their destinations? Thousands of passengers on 38 flights were sent to a tiny town called Gander, home to 10,000 Newfoundlanders. As their population almost doubled, the residents sprang into action to welcome the weary travelers and show them some old-fashioned Canadian hospitality. That’s at the heart of this Tony-winning musical by Irene Sankhoff and David Hein, which combines a Celtic folk and bluegrass score with an inspiring story to illuminate what’s best about humanity. Bring a hankie. – Kat McNevins
