Sanctuary Stories: Giving True Experiences a Stage
When was the last time you heard a true story told live and in person, rather than played on a screen or device? A story spoken aloud in a moment where you could feel the emotion vibrate, hear the storyteller’s breath, and feel the weight of their words hanging in the air.
Creator Craig Duff simply wanted to gather people in a room to experience stories in real life.
Enter “Sanctuary Stories," a journalism play. Or perhaps it’s better described as a living documentary.
“Sanctuary Stories” is a powerful production that starts with the true words of people interviewed by Craig’s creative partner, veteran journalist and foreign correspondent Stephen Franklin. Steve reached out to nearly 100 people to collect a range of stories from Dreamers, activists, clergy, politicians and immigrants from around the world.
The stories are read on stage by a cast of talented actors and punctuated by film and live music. Award-winning sound designer Petter Wahlback lent his talents to the production, along with an original song, “I Come From the World” by Flo Estes.
The result is an emotional experience that is nothing short of transformative.
WORLDS COLLIDE, STORIES UNFOLD
To achieve this vision, Craig’s worlds needed to collide, something he’d been contemplating for some time.
If Craig were a cartoon, he would be that guy wearing a stack of hats reaching all the way to the moon. Craig’s accomplishments are numerous. He is a professor at Northwestern University, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, a journalist, a foreign correspondent, a Fulbright Specialist, a theater director and, more recently, an actor, which is what he really wanted to be when he grew up.
All of these roles came together in “Sanctuary Stories.” When asked why he felt the stage was the best place to tell these stories, he said, “It was the best way for me to help tell these stories.” He wasn’t sure how it would all play out until he looked out into the audience during an actual performance and saw the emotion on people’s faces. He knew then that they had created something truly special, something powerful.
The stories shared in this production relay the full tapestry of the plight of immigrants in our welcoming city of Chicago: those targeted, those detained and the activists trying to help. It all continues to be so heartbreakingly relevant.
WHY NOW?
When asked about the motivation for creating “Sanctuary Stories,” Craig recalled a quote from Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, a candidate for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District and a figure featured in the play. Mayor Biss, who was on the frontlines of ICE protests at Broadview, relayed being taken aback by the brutal violence against protesters juxtaposed with the care and solidarity of fellow activists.
He said simply, “It felt like we were presented with a choice about what kind of people we want to be.”
In all its empathy and honesty, “Sanctuary Stories” makes it clear what kind of person Craig Duff wants to be. At the very heart of this production is something as old as humanity—gathering to tell stories. In Craig’s words:
“It’s crucial that we, as human beings, get back to our campfire and tell our tales. Together.”
STAY TUNED FOR MORE
“Sanctuary Stories” was mounted at a sold-out run in January, 2026, at Windy City Playhouse 3014 W. Irving Park Road on the Northwest Side. In April 2026, five of the stories were performed for more than 400 students and faculty at John F. Kennedy High School in Garfield Ridge. Plans are in the works to take “Sanctuary Stories” to venues throughout Chicago and the suburbs and possibly adapt the production for another city.
Follow Sanctuary Stories Chicago on Instagram for real-time updates. https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarystorieschicago/
Learn more at sanctuarystories.org https://sanctuarystories.org
“I Come From the World” video is here:
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