A crowd of political heavyweights was in the audience to take in the Canadian 9/11-inspired musical Come From Away Wednesday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the audience before the performance at the midtown Manhattan theatre.
“There is no relationship quite like the friendship between Canada and the United States,” Trudeau told the crowd. “The deep ties of economics, of business, of friends, of culture, of people travelling back and forth of families, of all these connections and this story, this amazing show is very much about that.”
WATCH: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, meet with the cast and crew of “Come from Away”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka was in the same motorcade as Trudeau although they were not in the same car.
Ivanka Trump took in the play with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
Trudeau’s speech was preceded by the man who was actually prime minister on the day of those attacks.
Jean Chretien arrived moments before the current prime minister and shared some memories about the tragic events that inspired the story being told on stage.
Chretien says he and the minister of transportation were made aware of residents of Gander, N.L. taking in thousands of passengers when U.S. air space was closed following the tragedy.
He also recalled speaking with then-president George W. Bush about Canada’s role in assisting its crisis-stricken neighbour.
Created by husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, “Come From Away” is set in the remote East Coast town in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
READ MORE: Canadian play ‘Come From Away’ earning rave reviews south of the border
The town saw its population double in size after local residents sheltered 6,579 passengers and crew from 38 planes diverted when U.S. air space was closed following the tragedy.
WATCH: Trudeau tells Tom Brokaw that Canada agrees to disagree with US on immigration policy
Come From Away had its official Broadway opening on Sunday, which was followed by widespread critical raves from publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.
WATCH: Jean Chretien shares memories of 9/11 at musical ‘Come From Away’
Prior to its arrival on the Great White Way, the homegrown production had earned strong reviews as it criss-crossed the continent with shows in La Jolla, Calif., Washington, D.C., Seattle and Toronto.
READ MORE: Trudeau handshakes, meeting with Trump send Twitter into overdrive
Trudeau previously announced on Twitter that he planned to attend the show with his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and that he was “looking forward to showing New Yorkers Canada at its best.”
With files from Canadian Press
WATCH: Kindness of strangers after 9/11 becomes Broadway musical ‘Come From Away’
Comments