@showsiveseen "Sanctuary City" #play at the @seattlerep starring Emilie Maureen Hanson, Junior Nyong’o, & Josh Kenji. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Ends this weekend! #immigration #SanctuaryCity #theatre #showsiveseen #immigrant #undocumented ♬ Fighters – John Doherty
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Sanctuary City play at the Seattle Rep starring Emilie Maureen Hanson, Junior Nyong’o, & Josh Kenji. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Ends this weekend! #immigration #SanctuaryCity #immigrant #undocumented
See it if either 1) you enjoyed Vanessa’s season 1 character in Gossip Girl 2) or you’re okay with minimalist plays.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Winter, 2001, Newark, NJ. Two DREAMers—pre-DACA—meet up on the fire escape, which happens most nights. Both undocumented teens, they grapple with life’s challenges, from family to their futures. When one becomes naturalized, she promises to marry the other so he can receive his papers and truly start his life. As time passes and their relationship shifts, both must confront what they are willing to sacrifice to live freely and belong. This searing and captivating new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning Martyna Majok asks what we’re willing to risk for those we love.
Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 3/6/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for my preview posts on my website and social media if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen. Get your tickets now since it closes this weekend on 3/31/24!
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Static (Stationary) Set? Mostly yes. Two-thirds of the play was in a minimalist set, and the second third was in a true stationary set.
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but it was more dialog than action.
Equity Actors: 1
Total Number of Actors: 3
Perceived Pace of the Show: Slow during the first two-thirds of the play and medium speed during the last third of the play.
Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours
Was there an intermission? No
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
- Stark Energy Shift: The first two-thirds of the play were executed in a minimalist way on an empty set like an undocumented immigrant in limbo. The play became markedly more interesting after they introduced a true full set and a 3rd character. This delayed set and character introduction was way too late for my taste. I hope there was a deliberate symbolic reason for this late introduction … otherwise, I’d consider it bad writing.
- Limbo: It was emotionally frustrating to observe the annoying vacillating between decision and indecision. Talk about whiplash! But I assume this was intentional to convey the limbo that undocumented immigrants feel.
Theatre Company: Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue: Leo K. Theater at Seattle Repertory Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price: Medium to expensive
Tickets: https://www.seattlerep.org/plays/202324-season/sanctuary-city/
Ticket Affordability Options: See the theatre’s official pages about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances
Dates: March 1 to 31, 2024
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also plentiful street parking around Safeway. If there’s an event in Seattle Center or Climate Pledge Arena, street parking is usually limited and much more expensive.
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Pictures: See pictures below by Bronwen Houck.
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