Paramount’s uplifting ‘Come From Away’ revival a reminder that human decency endures

“Come From Away” — 4 stars

When every day seemingly brings new reports of unwarranted cruelties, “Come From Away” reminds us that kindness, compassion and courtesy endure.

The Tony Award-winning musical by composer/lyricist/writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein is a tonic for troubled times whose emotionally resonant regional premiere at Aurora’s Paramount Theatre — directed with great heart and humor by Trent Stork — is an uplifting piece of theater that restores, however briefly, one’s faith in humanity.

That humanity is reflected in characters based on the residents of Gander, Newfoundland, and their response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. After federal authorities closed U.S. airspace in response to the attacks, the inhabitants of this small island town fed, housed and clothed (with assistance from several surrounding communities) some 7,000 airline passengers whose 38 flights were diverted to Gander International Airport, which once served as a refueling stop for trans-Atlantic flights.

“Welcome to the Rock,” the anthemic opening of the folk and Celtic-infused score, introduces us to the good Samaritans — hail and hearty Canadians accustomed to rough seas and harsh winters — as they go about their business that September morning. We watch them open their homes to the “plane people,” many of whom are international travelers whose language, culture and religious practices the residents try to accommodate while the stranded increase their town’s population to twice its size.

Six offstage vocalists and eight onstage instrumentalists (conducted by music director Kory Danielson) support 12 singer/actors, all of whom play multiple roles, slipping from one character to another in the time it takes to doff a baseball cap or shrug into a flannel shirt.

Over the course of several days, new friendships form, love blooms and longtime relationships wane among these (mostly) amiable characters. Defined in broad strokes by Sankoff and Hein, they aren’t especially complex. But they are distinctive, thanks to the no-frills, candid performances by the Paramount cast.

Russell Konstans plays the town’s gregarious mayor, Claude. Michelle Duffy is Bonnie, the resolute SPCA-worker who defies orders to care for the animals crated in the planes’ cargo holds. Sara Reinecke is the wonderfully frazzled Janice, a novice reporter who — on the first day of her job — gets assigned what is likely the biggest story of her career.

Sevon Askew earns laughs as Bob, a wary Black man from New York sent by the mayor to collect grills from residents’ backyards, who worries he’ll be shot and is pleasantly surprised when he is not.

Nick Druzbanski is Gander’s resourceful constable Oz and Abby C. Smith is the empathetic Beulah, mother of a firefighter, who takes under her wing Soara-Joye Ross’ distraught Hannah, who is unable to locate her son, a New York City firefighter.

Ron E. Rains is Nick, a buttoned-up British business traveler who takes tentative steps toward romance with Susie McMonagle’s Diane, a divorced Texas mother whose experience in Gander sparks a spirit of adventure she didn’t know she possessed.

Zak Berger and Adam Qutaishat play lovers Kevin T. and Kevin J., who find their small-town hosts aren’t nearly as small-minded as they imagine.

As Ali, a Muslim traveler who’s suspected by fellow passengers and humiliated by authorities, Qutaishat deftly conveys the wounded dignity and profound disappointment of a man misjudged because of his race and religion.

As Beverley Bass, the first female to captain an American Airlines commercial jet, Andrea Prestinario delivers the show-stopping “Me and the Sky,” during which she reflects on her pioneering career and passion for flying, now tarnished by mass murderers.

But the emotional linchpin is Ross’ wrenching performance as Hannah, a character based on Hannah O’Rourke, who lost her son Kevin on 9/11 and died last month at age 91.

Ross’ reprise of the heartfelt “I Am Here” in the show’s penultimate number is the production’s most moving moment, which owes as much to Ross’ performance as it does to Stork’s lovely staging of it. (Note to Paramount theatergoers: bring tissues).

Eliciting belly laughs as well as tears, Stork’s production seamlessly transitions from urgent to earnest and from humorous to heartfelt with nary a false note.

There’s nothing contrived about Paramount’s revival. Yes, “Come From Away” is an emotional show, but Stork and company make sure the sentiment never turns saccharine.

Finally, a word about Milo Bue’s captivating set. Beautifully lit by designer Greg Hofmann, Bue’s set reflects the rugged, wild beauty of the island. Most striking is the old growth forest, represented by the tree rings framing the stage. They symbolize endurance: of nature and of humankind, which owes its survival to the good will of good people.

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Location: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com

Showtimes: 1:30 and 7 p.m. Wednesday; 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 12

Tickets: $31-$88

Running time: About 105 minutes, no intermission

Rating: For teens and older; includes mature language and subject matter