Sanctuary City
Awards and Recognition
- WINNER Hull-Warriner Award
- WINNER Edgerton Foundation New Play Award
- WINNER Obie Award for Playwriting
- NOMINATED Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Play
Reviewer Quotes
“ A superb production, raw, compassionate and expertly performed. ”
Fanboy Nation
“ A rigorously observed production that grips in silence ”
Stage & Cinema
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Season Producer
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Associate Season Producer
The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
Executive Producer
Linda & Tod White
Associate Producers
Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield
Laurie Smits Staude
Supporting Producer
Diane Silber
EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND AGAIN THRU JUNE 7!
On the Fyda-Mar Stage…
In the aftermath of 9/11, two teenagers in Newark, New Jersey, navigate the precarious terrain of adolescence while grappling with the looming threat of deportation. When G becomes naturalized, they devise a plan to help B stay in the country. However, as time progresses, their bond is tested by the complexities of love, identity, and the harsh realities of their circumstances.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok crafts a poignant narrative that delves into the lives of undocumented youth, exploring themes of belonging, sacrifice, and the pursuit of a future in a society that marginalizes them. Through sharp dialogue and compelling characters, Sanctuary City offers an intimate portrayal of resilience and the human spirit’s capacity to endure.
Content Advisory: This production contains complex themes. For a detailed content advisory, including potential spoilers, and for resources for support around these topics, click here.
“I have rarely seen a play that so effectively embodies the way external forces distort the inner lives of actual humans.”The New York Times
“The most beautiful sound an audience can make in a theater isn’t applause or even laughter. It’s the audible hush of rapt attention. No one who cares about contemporary American drama should miss this play.”The Los Angeles Times
“A compelling contemporary drama that has enigmatic characters, rising intensity, vigorous argumentation, timely themes, and an underlying sense of humor and compassion.”am New York
Community Partners
Interested in becoming a Community Partner? Find out more HERE!
Show artwork designed by KC Wilkerson, kcwdigital.com.
Special Events:
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Community Spotlight
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Pride Night
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Wine Night
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Join us before and after the performance for a happy hour and get to know our community partners. Schedule is subject to change. Saturday, May 16, 2026 starting at 2:00PM.- 2:00 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks. Be sure to meet our Community Partners!
- 3:00 PM - The show begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
- 5:30 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and our Community Partner.
- 5:45 PM - The event comes to an end.
PRIDE NIGHT
Join us for our Pride Night, where theater lovers who share an identity can connect over refreshments and conversation before enjoying a performance. Schedule is subject to change. Saturday, May 16, 2026 starting at 7:00 PM.- 7:00 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks.
- 8:00 PM - The show begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
- 10:30 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and each other.
- 10:45 PM - The event comes to an end.
WINE NIGHT
Back by popular demand, Wine Night features a free wine tasting of 4 signature wines, curated by the themes of the show, for the first 50 patrons in the door. Members and their guests receive priority access. Schedule is subject to change. Friday, May 15, 2026 starting at 7:00PM.- 6:45 PM - Check-In Starts
- 7:00 PM - Wine Night starts. Enjoy free exclusive wines!
- 7:45 PM - Wine Night ends. Get prepared for the show!
- 8:00 PM - Show starts, feel free to bring in your cup!
Are you part of a Community Organization? Contact us at [email protected] for information on special discounts and fundraising opportunities.
IN PERFORMANCE
IN REHEARSAL
Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center
- Full-Service Bar
- Free Parking
- Conveniently Located
At a Glance
- Upcoming Performances
- Approximate Running Time:
- 1 hour, 45 minutes with no intermissions
- Special Notes:
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- Post-show discussion after each performance.
- Join us for Opening Night as a Platinum Member.
- Babes in arms and children under 4 are not permitted.
- 30% off for groups of 10 or more.
- Pay-What-You-Can Preview Performances
- Free, Convenient Parking
Sanctuary City was a modern day s. tory of the plight of young immigrants. Current events. Adds personal faces on the issue. Oh and I so appreciated the young woman’s strength of her role. The small setting made it more personal. I appreciated all the acting. I also enjoyed the MC preparing us for the play. Everything about it was top notch.
The essence of great, intimate, powerful and spare theater. Writing, direction, acting and design. Mere “entertainment” fails to cover my experience. Bravo. It was a transcendent experience. It is why I go to the theater.
Thought the acting was excellent and liked the show very much . Very interesting !
Brilliantly staged, directed, and performed! This play was entertaining, moving, and very thought-provoking. Talking with the cast afterwards added even more depth to the experience.
This show was very well performed, and it is very timely, but it is also very depressing. It highlights multiple ways our current society is broken, but I see that every day in the news, and I don’t need to go to the theater to get an extra dose. I also found the ending to be heartbreaking. So maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for more reality, but I found it to be depressing.
The acting was amazing. I was totally engrossed the whole time. The female lead was particularly effective in her role. I felt I knew her. In a venue that small, the cast is very close to the audience in the front row. I appreciated how comfortable they were with being so intimate but also not making eye contact. That must be hard.
Chance presents some very controversial topics via very well produced, performed, & executed. Powerful!
The play shows the consequences of not solving the DACA issue for so many kids brought to the US as children. They continue to be caught in a hellish prison of uncertainty through no fault of their own. So well dramatized!
I was deeply moved with the poignancy and performance. I am coming back to share with friends, have tix for 5/22. I will welcome seeing it again! I found the whole process smooth, welcoming, engaging. The Q&A deepened my appreciation. That’s very gracious to offer that after each performance.
Its an important show, beautifully staged and performed. It sensitively addresses so many issues important in the world today
Oh My Gosh, what a great play! Staging was innovative, story was so relevant, actors were excellent. Powerful show
Content and performances I think these subjects need a good play, and I feel the juxtaposition of the migrant experience along with the gay experience along with the just shy of adulthood experience etc! worked to expose the need and raw desperation of these characters’ lives. Great commitment on the part of the actors. Obvious preview tempo lags, and a bit too complex for one act. I thought the play could easily be split into two acts.
Amazing performances! Having this show is the small theatre made you feel like a guest sitting on the couch watching your friends lives play out. Heart wrenching story brilliant acted out.
Thank you for producing thought provoking content