Community's Generosity of Spirit

Nita Katherine “Kathy” Babcock was active a health care professional for many years, performing duties as anesthesiologist in clinics across the Midwest. Now retired, Nita Katherine Babcock has an interest is theater and particularly enjoys taking in Broadway productions.

One current Broadway hit that was also produced for the small screen on Apple TV+ is the Canadian musical “Come From Away.” The play is about 7,000 airline passengers stranded by the events of September 11, 2001, who land in remote eastern Newfoundland. The stranded passengers are from a number of different countries, with many not speaking English, yet they are all thrown together into a community that instantly doubles in population.

As recounted in a comedic and often touching performance that features interconnected vignettes, the new inhabitants, fearful and tired at first, benefit from the generosity of the townspeople, which leaves an indelible impression on them. As reviewed in the New York Times, one of the highlights of the production is the use of traditional Irish music, reflecting the Celtic roots of the isolated region. Among the songs that resonate most deeply are the ballad “Me and the Sky” and the rousing sendoff “Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere.”