I get an email from my agent for the show called Come From Away.

It's about 911.

And I was like, I don't know if I want to do a musical about that.

That sounds odd to me.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the middle of who knows whee My name is Q Smith, and I play Hannah and others.

Something We rarely, as artists, get to tell stories about things that are happening today, it's always, you know, hundreds of years ago, but to actually play a role about someone who's living and breathing, just telling their stories and sharing their stories.

I had never heard of Gander I didn't even know where Newfoundland was until this show.

Now there's a solemn, old tradition For admission - or audition - to transition from a Come from Away To be a Newfoundlander During the pandemic I tried desperately not to forget the, the roaring applause of the audience.

That sound is like nothing you've ever experienced before.

And the moments where I would get sad or depressed I would try to remember that sound.

Because I am so grateful for that sound.

I was like, I will never, never complain about doing eight shows a week.

I promise I won't complain.

The first day of rehearsal was just very emotional, very emotional, just talking about it makes me just seeing everyone again and knowing that everyone had been through something.

Pretty ladies waving from the dock We're bringing all of our experiences and all of our sadness and all of our joy back into this show.

I feel like the show was richer because of it.

I feel like our performances are more honest and more real because of it.

I feel more transparent as an artist because of what we went through during the pandemic.

And I'm grateful for that.

I am grateful for that.

You are here at the start of a moment, Knowing that we were about to walk onto the stage with this audience who had also been through a trying year, a trying couple of years.

I mean, my heart was palpitating But we walked out there And we couldn't even hear our cues, right?

Every time someone walked out, people were screaming.

And that's what this show was about, sharing love, sharing our experiences with one another.

And although we may not look alike, sound alike, we're all the same at the core.

We really are.

We are Broadway.

Welcome to the, welcome to the Welcome to the rock