AS International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world this weekend, Letterkenny Musical Society is preparing for a week-long celebration to champion strong women, when they perform the phenomenal global hit Come from Away in An Grianán Theatre from March 10-14.
From the fact that the show was Co-written by Irene Sankoff to the amazing female on-stage characters who are all based on the stories of real women, Come From Away is practically built on the backbone of female resilience.
The soaring true story of Captain Beverley Bass played superbly by Sarah Terry, is just one outstanding example that will leave audiences in awe and admiration next week.
As the first female captain in American Airlines’ history, Bass’s journey from a young girl with a dream, to a commander of the skies, serves as a centrepiece for the show’s themes of resilience and leadership.
Sarah Terry who plays Captain Beverly Bass in Letterkenny Musical Society’s production of Come from Away, pictured at rehearsals last week.
Sarah’s spine-tingling rendition of the anthem “Me and the Sky,” which chronicles Bass’s career – navigating not just the clouds, but the obstacles she overcomes in the aviation industry, truly is an anthem for female ambition.
“International Women’s Day is about honouring those who paved the way,” says Sarah.
“Beverley Bass didn’t just fly planes; she changed the trajectory for women in STEM and aviation. She sees the sudden grounding of her career on 9/11 not as an end, but as a moment of profound leadership and I am honoured to be sharing her story with our audience.”
While history often remembers the names in the headlines, Come From Away also celebrates the women who hold the world together from the ground up and the show gives a chance for people to witness the power of real-life “radical kindness” through the characters of Beulah Cooper, Bonnie Harris, and the women of Gander.
Faced with a crisis and the imminent arrival of thousands of strangers (Come from Aways), these women became the backbone of a global humanitarian effort – organising massive food drives, creating makeshift shelters, and ensuring the safety of animals in cargo.
Their leadership was not defined by titles, but by the tireless work of community building, something that Nicola Shields, who plays Beulah Cooper, is quick to point out.
“Strength isn’t always loud,” says Nicola. “In Come From Away, we see that the most powerful form of leadership is often found in the kitchen, the community centre, and the quiet moments of empathy. That is the spirit of International Women’s Day.”
And it is not just on-stage that the show celebrates strong women, because there is a strong female creative force behind this stunning production as well.
“Strong women aren’t always just the characters out front and centre on stage; they are also often the ones holding the pens and the notes and there is no doubt that Come from Away really is a testament to the importance of the female perspective in storytelling,” says show Director Maria Rushe.
Nicola Shields who plays Beulah Cooper and Sarah Terry who plays Captain Beverly Bass, pictured at rehearsals for the upcoming production of Come from Away by Letterkenny Musical Society.
She adds: “Representation matters as much behind the scenes as it does on stage, and the phenomenal work done by Niamh Porter, Eimear Kavanagh and Lorraine Porter in promotion, props and costumes for this production continues the tradition of the show being a global phenomenon led by a female creative voices.”
“I know that audiences will absolutely love this story of 7,000 passengers, 38 planes, and 5 days of chaos – managed by a town where women didn’t just take a seat at the table; they built the table,” Maria concluded.
Come from away runs in An Grianán Theatre from Tuesday March 10 to Saturday March 14 and some tickets are still available from the An Grianán website.
