Mallorie Sievert
The City-Women
A debut play that tells untold stories of queer women that history could not erase.
Within the cloistered walls of Santa Catalina Monastery in colonial Latin America, four nuns navigate a world of shifting faith and forbidden desire. The City-Women centers on a passionate romance between two young nuns: Ana, a gifted musician raised within the convent, and her cellmate, Teresa. When the counter-reformation forces the new Prioress to enforce stricter rules, the two young women must decide whether to conform to the life that was chosen for them or forge their own path and discover who God truly wants them to be.
Inspired by the playwright's own journey of reconciling her Latina heritage and queerness with her Catholic upbringing, this poignant, deeply funny play subverts traditional religious archetypes in favor of a more expansive view of faith. The City-Women is a powerful exploration of love, spirituality, and sisterhood, redefining what it means to be queer in the eyes of God.
WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL 2025 CMU PRESS NEW PLAY CONTEST
Coming on October 6th. Preorder now.
PRAISE FOR THE CITY-WOMEN
"The City-Women is a woman's story, but it is so much more than that. It's a story of identity, belonging, and faith that has the rare quality of saying something deeply human without telegraphing or being overt. Its universality will appeal to a variety of audiences who are yearning for an utterly human hero who makes the bravest of choices; being true to oneself in the face of adversity. Mallorie Sievert is an exciting new voice, whose prose sings the sound of nature."
-Kim Shively
"The City-Women by Mallorie Sievert deftly dramatizes the challenge of finding your way in a world that offers limited choices for women. Ana and Teresa's questions about faith, class, and gender expectations remain fresh and urgent today. This sweet and funny script offers a poignant meditation on love in its many forms."
-Susanne Shawyer
