By John Lyle Belden

We all have a story.

Those of us who remember – most of us alive at the time do – all have a story of where they were and what they were doing on Sept. 11, 2001. Just the two numbers, “9/11,” conjure feelings and/or flashes of memory. While people around the world watched on their televisions, many individuals had more personal stories. Among them were thousands aloft on various airlines, unaware what had happened to four other passenger jets that day.

This is their story.

The Indiana Repertory Theatre presents the regional premiere of “Come From Away,” the musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, based on real events and real people involved with the emergency landing of 38 planes (including a jumbo 777) on the remote airfield at Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. All air traffic in and around the U.S. was grounded for days while authorities investigated the terrorist attacks in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania, making certain no other aircraft were involved. To the friendly and very hospitable Newfoundlanders, their only concern was that a number of people that equaled the local population had unexpectedly come to stay for a while. “Welcome to the Rock!”

Directed by James Vàsquez, this production is suffused with the welcoming spirit of the Canadian Maritimes and its folk traditions, set on a simple performing-hall stage partly surrounded by musicians on fiddle, pipes, guitars, and percussion. Wooden chairs and tables suffice for the scenes, as the story is told and enacted by a cast in which every actor has at least two roles.

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott (Brian Ray Norris) coordinates the town’s efforts with the assistance of policeman (of a two-man force) Oz (David Kirk Grant), teacher Beulah (Terra C. MacLeod), new local TV reporter Janice (Hannah Embree) and others, including getting a local school bus driver (Brett Mutter) to put the drivers’ strike on hold to help. Bonnie (Bets Malone) of the local SPCA adamantly seeks out animals in the aircraft holds that need care.

Meanwhile, on the jumbo jet, impatient passengers wonder what’s going on.  This includes Mutter and Jesse Bhamrah as gay couple Kevin and Kevin; Larry Raben as Nick from England, who gets to know Diane from Texas (Crissy Guerrero); Will Mann as Bob from New York, and later as an African traveler; Laraisha Dievelyn Dionne as Hannah, whose son is a New York firefighter; and Embree as a harried flight attendant. Up front is Beverley Bass (Jean McCormick), who was the first woman captain for American Airlines. Bhamrah also plays Ali, a Muslim passenger who gets looked on with suspicion by the others.

No doubt due to the plethora of stories gathered to make this musical, along with the talent and dedication of Vàsquez and the cast, this is an outstanding ensemble effort that still manages to give so many individual perspectives. We get the full range of feelings, from the fear and apprehension, as well as the shock as each character realizes what had happened, to the gratitude and good humor from and in reaction to the Islanders’ generosity. The local flavor includes a sort of Newfoundland initiation so that those “from Away” feel more at home – see the displays on the balcony level of the lobby to learn about the Cod and the Ugly Stick.

Music Director is Angie Benson; especially notable in the band are Liz Browder-Bohall on fiddle and Landon Thomspon on percussion (including the Stick).

Personally, this brought a lot of feelings from that time back for me. I could relate in a small way to what it was like for the people portrayed, as while the 9/11 attacks didn’t happen to them directly, it had a profound effect on their lives. The world had changed, and even after the emergency had passed and the aircraft left, no one would be the same afterward. I hope that some of that impact is impressed on those who can only see this as just a historical event from a quarter-century ago.

There is also a relic from the World Trade Center on display in the IRT lobby, on loan from the Indianapolis International Airport.

If you can, go to “Come From Away,” running through May 10 on the main stage at 140 W. Washington St., in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Tickets and info at irtlive.com.