In the Wings

By Katie Craddock; Courtesy of Berkeley Repertory Theatre

The events of Sanctuary City take place in and around Newark, New Jersey between 2001 and 2006. While that is the not-so-distant past, it’s a time distinct from our present moment in ways that are germane to the story, from the sociopolitical to the cultural. We compiled this list of select goings-on in that period to jog your memory (or, for our Gen Z friends, to illuminate a period when you were too little to pay attention to such things!)

POLITICS

– George W. Bush is sworn in as the 43rd President, and Dick Cheney as the Vice President. – U.S. Senators Durbin and Hatch propose the first Development,

Relief and Education of Alien

Minors (DREAM) Act, which would provide a pathway to legal status for Dreamers, undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents as children. The bill doesn’t pass.

MAJOR EVENTS

– Almost 3,000 people are killed in four suicide attacks at the World

Trade Center in New York City; the

Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; and in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania, launching the global War on

Terrorism. – A series of anthrax attacks commence as letters are mailed from Princeton, New Jersey to major news sources, including ABC and the New York Post. – The United States invades

Afghanistan, accompanied by other nations, in Operation Enduring

Freedom.

POLITICS

–Congress authorizes the Iraq War

Resolution. – President Bush signs the No Child

Left Behind act into law. – Queen Elizabeth II gives Rudy Giuliani an honorary knighthood.

MAJOR EVENTS

– President Bush signs the Homeland

Security Act into law, establishing the Department of Homeland

Security, marking the largest

American government reorganization since 1947. – The first detainees arrive at

Guantanamo.

POLITICS

– The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial

Court rules anti-gay laws against same-sex marriage unconstitutional in Massachusetts. – The Supreme Court declares sodomy laws unconstitutional. – The U.S. Census Bureau announces that with 37 million, Hispanics constitute the largest minority (compared with 36 million African

Americans). – President Bush concedes there is no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks. He requests $87 billion from Congress for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

MAJOR EVENTS

– The new Department of Homeland

Security begins operations, absorbing the Federal Law Enforcement Training

Center, the Customs Service, and the

Secret Service. – The U.S.-led Iraq War begins. About $1 billion is taken from Iraq’s Central

Bank by Saddam Hussein and his family, just hours before the U.S. begins bombing Baghdad. – In Newark, Sakia Gunn, a 15-yearold Black lesbian, is murdered while waiting for the bus downtown; her murder is deemed a hate crime and sparks protests and demands for

Mayor Sharpe James’ office to do more to protect queer youths.

2001

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– Apple releases the first iPod. – Shrek, Monsters, Inc., Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, and The Lord of

The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring premiere. – Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse,

Fallin by Alicia Keys, and All for You by Janet Jackson are the year’s top singles.

2002

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– Halle Berry is the first Black actress to win the Best Actress Academy

Award. – Lilo & Stitch, Star Wars: Episode II –

Attack of the Clones, Ice Age, City of

God, and Gangs of New York premiere. – How You Remind Me by Nickelback,

Foolish by Ashanti, and Hot in Herre by Nelly top the charts.

2003

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– In da Club by 50 Cent, Ignition by R.

Kelly, and Get Busy by Sean Paul top the charts. – Finding Nemo, Pirates of the

Caribbean: The Curse of the Black

Pearl, and The Matrix Reloaded are released. – Myspace launches.

TIMELINE

POLITICS

– President Bush is elected for a second term, defeating John Kerry. – 11 American states ban gay marriage. – The City and County of San Francisco begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as an act of civil disobedience. – Massachusetts legalizes same-sex marriage. – New Jersey governor James

McGreevey announces he is “a gay

American” and resigns.

MAJOR EVENTS

– Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse is revealed on 60 Minutes. – Hurricanes Ivan, Jeanne, and

Frances cause deaths, injuries, and widespread damage. – The U.S.-led coalition occupying Iraq transfers sovereignty to an interim

Iraqi government.

POLITICS

– The 11th Circuit of Appeals refuses to stop the euthanasia of Terri Schiavo. – John Roberts is confirmed to the

Supreme Court, replaces William

Rehnquist after his death. – Ten years after reaching the million mark, the U.S. prison population reaches 2.5 million.

MAJOR EVENTS

– Ten people are killed in the Red Lake shootings, the worst school shooting since Columbine. – Hurricane Katrina devastates the U.S.

Gulf Coast, becoming the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. – The U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 2,000. People worldwide protest the

Iraq War. – Wholesale inflation increased by the highest amount since 1990.

POLITICS

– Cory Booker becomes mayor of

Newark. – A Maryland judge strikes down a state law banning same-sex marriage. – Midterm elections result in

Democrats gaining control of both houses of Congress.

MAJOR EVENTS

– Saddam Hussein is executed. – The housing bubble bursts, starting a chain of events that eventually develop into a full-blown market meltdown. – The Great American Boycott takes place as millions of people protest a proposed change to immigration policy, which would raise penalties for illegal immigration and classify undocumented people and anyone who helped them enter or remain in the U.S. as felons. Protestors call for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

2004

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– Facebook launches. – Google becomes a publicly traded company. – Yeah! by Usher featuring Lil Jon &

Ludacris, Burn by Usher, and If I Ain’t

Got You by Alicia Keys top the charts. – Shrek 2, Spider-Man 2, The Passion of the Christ, and The Incredibles are the top-grossing movies. – The final episodes of Friends air.

2005

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– YouTube goes online. – Reddit launches. – Top-grossing movies include Wedding

Crashers, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, War of the Worlds, and Mr. &

Mrs. Smith; The Office debuts on NBC. – We Belong Together by Mariah Carey,

Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani, Let

ME Love You by Mario, and Since U

Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson top the charts.

2006

POP CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

– Bad Day by Daniel Powter,

Temperature by Sean Paul,

Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland, and You’re

Beautiful by James Blunt top the charts. – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s

Chest, The Da Vinci Code, Ice Age: The

Meltdown, and Casino Royale are the highest-grossing films. – Google buys YouTube for $1.65 billion.

WHO’S WHO

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

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Pasadena Playhouse is a place where people have gathered for over 100 years to experience bold and important theater. As the State Theater of California, our mission is to enrich people’s lives through theater, community programs, and learning.

ANA NICOLLE CHAVEZ

G

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Ana Nicolle Chavez, an actress born and raised in Arizona, is over the moon to be joining this production of Sanctuary City. She's a graduate of the State University of New York, Purchase College Acting Conservatory (BFA 2021). Television credits: Season 3 character arc on Truth Be Told on Apple TV+. Film work: Forgotten Lovers. A huge thank you to my mother, my dad, my brother, and my closest friends for their endless support along the way.

MILES FOWLER

B

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Miles Fowler can next be seen in MGM's Orion Picture's feature film Bottoms directed by Emma Seligman. His past credits include HBO's Winning Time, FOX's The Resident, and the ABC Limited Series Women of the Movement. Miles studied at USC, where he received a BA in the Dramatic Arts. Miles Fowler is represented by Authentic Talent and Literary Management.

KANOA GOO

Henry

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Kanoa Goo is an actor who recently starred in the film I Was A Simple Man, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival and is now streaming exclusively on Criterion. He can currently be seen in a major recurring arc as Chris Sanford on ABC's The Rookie. Other films include Other People opposite Jesse Plemons, Velvet Buzzsaw, Endings, Beginnings, and I Am Michael. Past television includes the NBC pilot Someone Out There, City On A Hill (Showtime), NCIS: Hawai'i (CBS), The Fairly OddParents (Paramount+), Hawai'i Five-0 (CBS), and Dwight In Shining Armor (Paramount Worldwide/BYUtv). Kanoa was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He would like to thank Zi, and Pasadena Playhouse for this incredible opportunity.

ZI ALIKHAN

Director

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Zi Alikhan is a queer, first-generation South Asian-American, culturally Muslim theater director. Directing: On That Day in Amsterdam (Primary Stages), Snow in Midsummer (Classic Stage Company), The Great Leap (Portland Center Stage), Manik Choksi’s The Ramayan (currently in development at Ars Nova), Ragtime (Playmakers Repertory Company). Upcoming: Somewhere at Geva Theatre, A Nice Indian Boy at Olney Theatre Center, and Rent at Paper Mill Playhouse. Zi was named one of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color in 2021, and is thrilled to return to Pasadena Playhouse, where he was an SDC Observer in 2012.

CHIKA SHIMIZU

Scenic Designer

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Chika Shimizu is a New York based scenic and projection designer. Theatre: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, The Irish Repertory Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre (CT Critics Circle Award Nomination), TheatreSquared, The Barrow Group, The Pond Theatre Company, Yangtze Repertory Theatre, Epic Theatre Ensemble, Artists at Play. Installation: Another Dream, Un(re)solved (Ado Ato pictures, 2022 SXSW Innovation Award). MFA in Design from YSD. She is a faculty member of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. chikashimizu.com

WHO'S WHO

JOJO SIU

Costume Designer

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Jojo Siu’s work has been featured both nationally and internationally at Pasadena Playhouse, Deaf West Theatre, The Chance Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, Sierra Madre Playhouse, Santa Fe Opera, Perseverance Theater, and Singapore Repertory among others. Her work has been recognized by Stage Scene LA, and the OC Theatre Guild. She is an advocate for Asian diversity and representation in her work. New Works: North, The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, The Madres. Other projects: Oedipus, Midsummer Night’s Dream, King of the Yees, Joy Luck Club, Eurydice, Head Over Heels, Spring Awakening, Bright Star, Into the Woods, and Fun Home, Kim’s Convenience, Our Town.

SOLOMON WEISBARD

Lighting Designer

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Solomon has created original works in drama, opera, dance, installation, and music across the U.S., Canada, Dominican Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, and Slovenia. Highlights include Otello (Festspielhaus Baden Baden, Germany); Il Trovatore (Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Teatro Regio di Parma, Italy); Oedipus (Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Greece; Ancient Theatre of Pompeii, Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza, and Teatro Mercadante di Napoli, Italy) all with Robert Wilson; Macbeth (directed by John Doyle at Classic Stage Company, NYC); The Shape of Things (created by Carrie Mae Weems at the Park Avenue Armory, NYC); Duat (Soho Rep, NYC); and Men on Boats (World Premiere: Playwrights Horizons/Clubbed Thumb, NYC). Solomon earned his MFA from the Yale School of Drama and is on the faculty at Portland State University.

JOHN NOBORI

Sound Designer

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John Nobori is a California-based sound designer, composer, and ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater Company. His work has been heard in plays produced by such organizations as The Getty Villa and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Other recent credits include Center Theatre Group’s production of Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue and South Coast Repertory’s production of Our Town. He has been nominated for several awards for excellence in sound design and is the recipient of an Ovation Award for his work on The Golden Dragon at Boston Court Pasadena. BA University of California, Irvine.

AMANDA ROSE VILLARREAL

Intimacy Coordinator

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Amanda Rose Villarreal is an intimacy choreographer and immersive artist. They are an associate faculty with Theatrical Intimacy Education and both founder and managing editor of the Journal of Consent-Based Performance. Amanda Rose earned their MA in Theatre Production with an emphasis in Directing from Central Washington University and their PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. They recently choreographed intimacy for Pasadena Playhouse’s Uncle Vanya and Geffen Playhouse’s The Inheritance Part 1 and Part 2, and led consent-based trainings for faculty at the Lee Strasberg Institute and the Groundlings Theatre & School. Other recent intimacy choreography credits include work with The Catamounts and Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, as well as creating consent mechanics for, and performing in, playable performances at Sinking Ship Creations in NYC and Moonrise Larp in Chicago.

BRANDON HONG CHENG

Stage Manager

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Brandon is excited to help bring Sanctuary City to Pasadena Playhouse. He is a San Francisco native and a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, with a B.A. in Technical Theatre. Premiere credits include The Great Leap-Pasadena Playhouse/East West Players, The Chinese Lady-Artists at Play, and Interstate & Man of God-East West Players. Selected credits include GreaseMusical Theatre West, Assassins and Mamma Mia!-East West Players, The Root Beer Bandits-Garry Marshall Theatre, AllegianceJapanese American Cultural & Community Center/East West Players, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom-Door Ajar Theatre, 2012-The MusicalSan Francisco Mime Troupe, and Conf(USED)Youth for Asian Theater. He always wants to thank his family and friends for all their love and support. Enjoy the show!

LYDIA RUNGE

Assistant Stage Manager

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Lydia Runge is returning to Pasadena Playhouse after previously working on Head Over Heels and The Great Leap. Select credits include: Grease and Ragtime (Musical Theatre West); Our Town (South Coast Repertory); Assassins, Mamma Mia, Man of God, As We Babble On, Allegiance: LA Premiere (East West Players); Two Mile Hollow (Artists at Play). She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a B.S. in Stage Management. Member of Actors’ Equity Association.

THE TELSEY OFFICE

Casting

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With offices in both New York and Los Angeles, The Telsey Office casts for theater, film, television, and commercials. The Telsey Office is dedicated to creating safe, equitable, and anti-racist spaces through collaboration, artistry, heart, accountability, and advocacy.

WHO’S WHO

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chairs

Dennis Cornell Erin Baker

Treasurer

Ken McCormick

Secretary Sheri Ball

CHAIR EMERITI

David M. Davis David DiCristofaro Michele Dedeaux Engemann Kerry McCluggage

BOARD MEMBERS EMERITI

Valerie Amidon Carol Burnett Linda Griffey Ralph Hirschmann Frank Kleemann Dennis Lowe Tad Lowrey Rao Makineni Abel Ramirez Kathy Arntzen Roat Anne Rothenberg Lyn Spector Elliot Stahler Corky Hale Stoller Mike Stoller Greg Stone Leslie Tolan Martha Williamson

TRUSTEES

Erin Baker Sheri Ball MaryLou Boone Dennis Cornell Brandon Dickerson Peggy Ebright Danny Feldman Beth Fernandez Sheila Grether-Marion Julie A. Gutierrez Cristina Hernandez Melanie Holden Jane Kaczmarek Brad King Harmon Kong Jim McCarthy Ken McCormick Leigh T. Olivar Bingo Roncelli Jeff Smith Lilah Stangeland Ann Sunshine Patricia Barajas Tavera

IN MEMORIAM

David Angell Theodore Fitch Behr Betty Ann Koen Brooks Albert Lowe Margaret Sedenquist Roger Stangeland James Watterson

Special thanks to Corky Hale Stoller and Mike Stoller for their extraordinary support.