Kevin Tuerff is the man who plays the character Kevin in the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland that opened their hearts and homes to thousands of stranded airplane passengers on September 11, 2001. Kevin Tuerff was one of those passengers grounded in Gander on 9/11 who is portrayed in the show.
The Musical Come From Away
Come From Away first opened on Broadway in March 2017. The show was an immediate critical and commercial success, earning 7 Tony Award nominations in 2017 including Best Musical. Come From Away is based on the true story of 38 planes that were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland after the United States closed its airspace on September 11, 2001. With a population of just 10,000 people, the residents of Gander found themselves taking care of nearly 7,000 stranded passengers for 5 days until flights resumed.
The musical Come From Away depicts the stranded passengers and the townspeople of Gander coming together during this crisis. The show focuses on themes of generosity, humanity, hope, and unity in the face of adversity. While many Broadway musicals use fictional stories, Come From Away is unique in telling a real life tale of compassion and grace under extraordinary circumstances.
Creation of Come From Away
Come From Away was created by the Canadian husband-and-wife duo Irene Sankoff and David Hein. In 2011, Sankoff and Hein began interviewing residents of Gander and stranded airline passengers to learn their stories from being stuck in Gander on 9/11. They wove these real life testimonials into the book, music, and lyrics for the musical. Come From Away premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in California in 2015 before opening on Broadway in 2017.
Response to the Musical
Come From Away was met with immense acclaim from critics and audiences alike when it opened on Broadway. The New York Times praised it as “a cathartic reminder of good in the world.” NBC News called it “the most moving musical of this Broadway season.” Come From Away resonated with audiences as a heartwarming story of human kindness triumphing over tragedy. It offered audiences hope and uplift in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
The musical was also a box office smash, consistently playing to sold-out crowds. Demand greatly exceeded availability for tickets. Come From Away recouped its $12 million capitalization costs after just 4 months on Broadway, an incredibly fast rate of return. The musical set and broke several box office records for a new show without star celebrities. Come From Away exceeded expectations for both critical and commercial success on Broadway.
Kevin Tuerff’s Inspiring Story
One of the key passengers featured in Come From Away is Kevin Tuerff. Kevin was flying back from a Paris vacation to his home in Austin, Texas on September 11, 2001 when his flight was diverted to Gander along with thousands of other displaced airplane passengers. He describes the unexpected several days he spent in Gander as “five of the most remarkable days of my life.”
Kevin’s Experience in Gander
Kevin Tuerff found himself stranded in Gander along with the 6,600 other airplane passengers with no knowledge of when he would be able to get home. As he describes it, upon getting off the plane in Gander, the passengers were greeted by locals “holding trays of sandwiches and apple juice… I assumed they were caterers hired by the airline. We soon discovered they were volunteers.”
Despite the shock of 9/11, Kevin was astounded by the kindness, compassion, and generosity of the Gander residents who embraced the stranded passengers of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The locals opened their homes to travelers who needed a place to sleep, converted public buildings into shelters, provided food and clothing, and even threw a party for the displaced passengers. Kevin remembers being incredibly moved by the goodwill of the townspeople.
Kevin’s Life After Gander
Kevin brought the spirit of generosity he encountered in Gander home with him. Shortly after returning to Texas, he decided to pay forward the kindness he received by treating 247 total strangers to dinner in Austin to “recreate a small-scale Operation Yellow Ribbon.” Kevin’s act of generosity inspired national news coverage and motivated strangers across the country to also perform good deeds for others.
Kevin now works as an international speaker telling his story of being stranded in Gander. He speaks to corporate audiences about using challenges as opportunities and embracing humanitarian leadership. He also partnered with the Gander International Airport to launch the initiative “Pay It Forward 9/11” which encourages people to volunteer and help others in tribute to the compassion witnessed in Gander.
Kevin’s Portrayal in Come From Away
Kevin Tuerff’s uplifting story from his time in Gander is portrayed in the character also named Kevin in Come From Away. The role of Kevin is pivotal to the musical as he represents the passenger perspective of being warmly welcomed by the people of Gander despite the surrounding tragedy.
In the show, the character Kevin expresses profound gratitude for the generosity of the Gander residents. He is featured especially in the songs “Prayer” where he joins other passengers in reflecting on 9/11, and “Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere” where he celebrates the kindness he experienced in this remote Canadian town.
The real Kevin Tuerff attended Come From Away’s opening night on Broadway and was deeply moved by seeing his experience from 16 years prior come to life on stage. He has praised the show’s creators for accurately portraying the spirit of generosity he encountered in Gander. Kevin remains close with the residents of Gander and a part of the Come From Away family.
The Actor Who Plays Kevin
In each production of Come From Away, the role of Kevin Tuerff is portrayed by a different actor. Kevin’s character appears along with 11 other principal roles that depict both passengers and Gander residents. Being part of such an uplifting ensemble cast has been a profound experience for many actors involved in Come From Away.
Actors Who Have Played Kevin
Production | Actor |
---|---|
Broadway | Chad Kimball |
1st National Tour | Daniel Kluger |
Toronto | Douglas Nyback |
Melbourne | Phillip Lowe |
UK Tour | Harry Morrison |
The role of Kevin was originated on Broadway by Chad Kimball who earned a Tony nomination for his performance. In touring productions of Come From Away across North America, Australia, and the UK, Kevin has been played by several different musical theater actors. Wherever it is performed, Kevin’s story of unexpected compassion continues to profoundly move and inspire audiences.
Significance of Role
Playing the role of Kevin in Come From Away is incredibly meaningful for the actors who get to portray his journey on stage. Chad Kimball has shared that Kevin was his favorite character he ever played because “I get to deliver a message of hope and human kindness and compassion.” Phillip Lowe said portraying Kevin taught him how “people’s inherent goodness and human nature and community can prevail.”
The actors who play Kevin take great pride in bringing his inspirational story to life each night. They feel privileged to remind audiences that goodness trumps evil and encourage people to pay kindness forward in their own lives. Portraying Kevin’s encounter with generosity in Gander has proven to be a moving experience for multiple actors.
Conclusion
Kevin Tuerff’s heartwarming story of being stranded in Gander, Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 lies at the emotional core of the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. Kevin’s own encounter with the kindness of strangers was life-changing and motivated him to spend the rest of his life advocating for humanitarian leadership and paying generosity forward.
In Come From Away, Kevin appears as a central character bearing witness to the incredible compassion displayed in Gander. Every night Kevin’s story of the townspeople embracing stranded travelers despite extraordinary circumstances reminds audiences that goodwill and humanity can prevail in dark times. The actors who have the privilege to play Kevin describe his character as the most meaningful role of their careers. His story continues to profoundly impact both actors and audiences.