Gander is the Canadian town where the Broadway musical Come from Away is set.
The musical dramatizes events after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when aircraft were diverted from U.S. airspace. Thirty-eight commercial planes landed at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, sharply increasing the town’s population for several days.
Residents provided food, shelter, transportation, and practical help to thousands of stranded passengers. The show focuses on the relationships formed between the local community and the unexpected visitors rather than depicting the attacks themselves.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein wrote the book, music, and lyrics. Come from Away opened on Broadway in 2017 and takes its title from a Newfoundland expression for outsiders or visitors. Gander is sometimes mistaken for the musical’s province or airport name; Gander is the town, while Newfoundland is the larger geographic setting.