True Crime Readers

This month, we are researching one of the crimes of the century: 9-11, the first massive coordinated direct attack on our country since Pearl Harbor. What do we really know about the disaster and how did it shape our collective national conscience and culture? Who suffered and who sought to benefit? What heroes emerged and how many died?

There are numerous podcasts and streaming video (The Day the World Stood Still, WTC 9-11-01 Day of Disaster). I recommend reading any or all of these titles: The 9-11 Commission Report, 102 Minutes , the fight to survive the Twin Towers, and The Only Plane in the Sky, an oral history of 9-11.
There is an related event at Orlando Shakes :
Come From Away
August 26 - September 27

🌎 The Story You Didn’t Know You Needed ✈️

In the days following September 11, 2001, the United States closed its airspace for the first time in history.

Nearly 7,000 airline passengers from all over the world suddenly found themselves stranded in the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland—a place most had never even heard of.

Imagine getting off a plane expecting to be home... only to find yourself stuck hundreds of miles away with no idea when you'll leave. No familiar faces. No answers. Just uncertainty.

Then something extraordinary happened.

The people of Gander—whose town had fewer than 10,000 residents—opened their homes, schools, churches, and hearts to complete strangers. They cooked meals, found places for people to sleep, donated clothing, comforted frightened travelers, and turned one of history's darkest moments into an unforgettable story of kindness, generosity, and human connection.

That's the heart of Come From Away.

This Tony Award-winning Broadway musical tells the true stories of the passengers and the Newfoundlanders who welcomed them. Through an uplifting Celtic-inspired score, heartfelt humor, and unforgettable characters, the show reminds us that even in moments of fear, people are capable of incredible compassion.

You don't need to know anything about the events of 9/11 to appreciate this story. It's not a history lesson—it's a celebration of humanity. It's about ordinary people doing extraordinary things for one another, and the lasting friendships that grew out of an unexpected week that changed thousands of lives forever.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. And you'll leave the theater reminded that kindness can change everything.

Come experience the musical audiences around the world have fallen in love with. We can't wait to welcome you.

This production is supported by:

Frank Santos & Corbett Compel
With additional support by:
Rita Lowndes, Rick Schell & Scott Joseph, Jim & Valeria Shapiro

Runtime: 90-minutes, performed without an intermission