Lola Tung and Daniel Bravo Hernández Headline Sanctuary City Benefit Reading
Lola Tung and Daniel Bravo Hernández will star in an Oct. 9 benefit reading of 'Sanctuary City' at New York Theatre Workshop. The event, produced by Level Forward and Colt Coeur, will raise funds for RAICES, an organization supporting immigrant and refugee justice. The play follows two immigrant teenagers in post-9/11 Newark who become each other's sanctuary.
The benefit reading pairs two rising stage and screen performers: Tung, known for her breakout television role and Broadway work in "Hadestown," and Hernández, who recently appeared in a Broadway revival of "Romeo + Juliet." The event brings together Level Forward, a production company focused on social-impact storytelling, and Colt Coeur, a downtown theater collective known for championing new voices.
"Sanctuary City" examines the precarious lives of undocumented youth in the years following the September 11 attacks, a period marked by heightened immigration enforcement. By staging the play as a fundraiser for RAICES, the production connects theatrical storytelling directly to ongoing legal and advocacy work for asylum seekers, underscoring how arts organizations increasingly serve as platforms for civic engagement.
This benefit reading may resonate beyond its immediate audience by linking popular young actors with immigration advocacy, potentially drawing younger theatergoers into conversations about asylum policy. The play's post-9/11 setting could prompt reflection on how national security measures have shaped immigrant experiences over two decades. For arts institutions, the event may model how productions can generate tangible support for social causes, though its direct impact on policy remains limited to raising awareness and funds.