Welcome to Our Hen House, a very special episode.

My name is Jasmine Singer, and I'm so happy that you're joining us today for Sanctuary,

a radio play recorded live in New York City.

When the playwright John Yunker originally approached us about his play sanctuary, I basically plaited. I fell in love with it immediately

and partly because there was a part in it that I felt was one I wanted to get my hands on,

and also because it talked about veganism in a creative and unique way.

At our henhouse, we partly started our henhouse almost 11 years ago

because of the fact that we are so passionate about the power and the

possibilities that come when we combine the arts with animal advocacy and almost nobody does

that better than John Yunker. His play sanctuary is very special and it was very special that we were able to perform it

live at Symphony Space in New York City in 2017 during the Compassion Arts and Culture and Animals

Festival. Sanctuary tells the story of Richard and Lisa, a happily married couple whose blissful

retirement to a small town is upended when Lisa not only suddenly decides to go vegan, but

offers their guest studio to her new animal activist friend Meg and decides to celebrate

Thanksgiving without the turkey. A totally blind-sided Richard invites his unsuspecting pal Charlie

in the hopes of forcing Lisa to stick with the quote-unquote traditional meal.

And the resulting tensions soon push relationships over the edge.

This is equal parts poignant and humorous, and the

piece provides moments of genuine identification for anyone who has experienced the struggles and

joys of navigating their vegan ethics around loved ones who might not quite understand.

Sanctuary was written by playwright John Yonker, and this production was directed by

John Fershante.

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