Justin Trudeau, Ivanka Trump, and UN Officials Attend Broadway's 'Come From Away'
One of Broadway's newest musicals just received a positive reception of international caliber.
On Wednesday, March 15, Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, and his wife accompanied First Daughter Ivanka Trump, who serves as an unofficial advisor to her U.S. President father, and Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to Broadway's Come From Away at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater. The audience at the performance also included other United Nations ambassadors and Canadian politicians. The musical follows Trudeau and Ivanka Trump's first White House meeting in February in which the pair established an international business organization, the United States Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Business Leaders-Female Entrepreneur, to promote female-led business across the U.S.-Canadian border.
In many ways, Come From Away is the perfect musical for diplomatic officials and government representatives from both Canadian and American to see together. Canadian husband and wife Irene Sankoff and David Hein, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics of Come From Away, based the musical on one of those most fascinating real-life moments in U.S. and Canadian relations. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, American airspace was closed and thirty-eight planes were required to land at Gander International Airport in Gander, Newfoundland -- a small town which then had a population of less than 10,000 residents. The residents of Gander largely embraced the thousands of stranded travelers, most of whom were Americans. The musical celebrates the international friendship and camaraderie that was born on one of the darkest days in American history. Prior to its Broadway debut, Come From Away had extremely successful runs at the La Jolla Playhouse, the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Ford's Theatre in Washington DC, and the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Ontario. It began previews on Broadway on February 18 and opened on March 12.
Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the crowd prior to curtain to promote the musical's message of international friendship. After the performance, he called Come From Away a "wonderful, moving show" that "celebrated the people of Gander" on Twitter.
Trump and Trudeau's Broadway theatergoing comes during a period when political figures have made headlines attending Broadway performances - from Vice President Mike Pence's headline-making attendance of Hamilton last November to former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton being spotted at several shows over the past several months, including the final performance of The Color Purple in January.
On top of that, Come From Away has received near-universal praise from critics and it has emerged as a dark horse candidate to rival favorite Dear Evan Hansen in awards consideration and voting. There is no doubt that this event has boosted the Canadian musical's profile among ticket buyers. Come From Away tickets can be purchased right through the box office where prices start at just $47.
(Video Courtesy of YouTube)
