Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma is bringing the Tony Award-winning musical Come From Away to its Plaza Theatre stage starting Sept. 16, running through Oct. 4. The show tells the true story of Gander, Newfoundland, where residents welcomed roughly 7,000 stranded airline passengers diverted from the United States in the days following the September 11 attacks.
According to a report from KOKH, tickets are available through Lyric Theatre, and the box office can be reached at 405-524-9312. The 100-minute production, staged without intermission, will unfold in Lyric's intimate Plaza Theatre on NW 16th Street, a historic 1930s-era building the company renovated in 2007 to serve as its year-round intimate stage, according to Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma.
That smaller venue is a notable contrast to the Civic Center Music Hall, where Lyric mounted its larger summer productions this year, including July's staging of Sweeney Todd. Placing Come From Away in the closer, more immersive Plaza Theatre suits the show's ensemble-driven format, which relies on a small cast portraying dozens of characters across Gander and the diverted flights.
Local Leads Bring Broadway Pedigree Home
Leading the cast is Lindsie VanWinkle-Guthrie, who plays Beverley and Annette. VanWinkle-Guthrie appeared on the show to discuss Come From Away, per the same KOKH report, and she previously starred as Mrs. Lovett in Lyric's July 2026 run of Sweeney Todd and as Jenna in the company's 2025 production of Waitress. The Oklahoma native has off-Broadway experience, according to the Oklahoma Gazette.
Cast member Cory King, who portrays Beulah and other ensemble roles, also appeared on the show to discuss the production. King holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and recently performed in Lyric's July 2026 production of Sister Act, according to Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, which highlights his blend of legal credentials and regional stage credits.
A Story Rooted in Gander's Response
Come From Away is based on a true story set in Gander, Newfoundland, where the town's population of roughly 10,000 nearly doubled overnight as residents provided food, clothing and shelter to stranded air travelers, according to Money.ca. The emergency response was part of Canada's Operation Yellow Ribbon. The operation followed the closure of U.S. airspace on September 11, 2001, according to Wikipedia. The operation was Canada's response to the disruption.
Written by Canadian husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away opened on Broadway in March 2017 and ran for 1,669 regular performances at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre before closing in October 2022, finishing as the 49th longest-running show in Broadway history, per Broadway World. The original production earned seven Tony Award nominations at the 71st Tony Awards in 2017, winning Best Direction of a Musical for Christopher Ashley, and later took home four Laurence Olivier Awards in 2019, including Best New Musical, according to the Tony Awards.
Accessibility and the Show's Place in a National Moment
Lyric has designated an American Sign Language interpreted performance for Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at the Plaza Theatre, continuing the company's practice of building ASL performances into its mainstage schedule.
The Oklahoma City run lands squarely within the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, during which 38 international commercial flights carrying 6,122 passengers and 473 crew were grounded in Gander under Operation Yellow Ribbon. The musical is also being staged by Vista's Moonlight Amphitheatre, which has a September 11, 2026, tribute performance, and by Orlando Shakes.
Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma was designated the Official State Theatre of Oklahoma in 2022. The company offers arts education programs, according to the Oklahoma Senate.
