On the night of September 11, 2001, there was a candlelight vigil on Maha Syed's street. She turned to her mother. "Mom, we have to do this," she said. "We are the only Muslim family on this street. We have to show our loyalty."

She was 15 years old.

Syed is one of the five performers in the new documentary theater production "Beyond Sacred."

The show, created by Ping Chong + Company, weaves together the stories of five young Muslim New Yorkers. They talk about their personal histories, their families and their interactions with non-Muslims.

WNYC interviewed the cast and the creative team during a recent tech rehearsal. The production runs through May 9 at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center.

Tiffany Abdelghani and Maha Syed during a rehearsal. "If she doesn’t wear a hijab, that doesn’t mean she’s less religious, and I’m not more religious because I wear a hijab. Only God can judge," Abdelghani said.

(Adam Nadel)

Artistic director Ping Chong (foreground). He wrote the script with Sara Zatz and Ryan Conarro.  "What’s unique about this is that it’s a documentary theater form that does not involve actors. These are real people telling their own stories about being 'other' in New York City and America,." Chong said.

(Adam Nadel)

Conarro, Zatz and Chong. "I think one of the things we really wanted to express in the script is that this idea that these individuals are not Muslim in a vacuum," Zatz said. "They’re all Americans dealing with the everyday issues that people in New York City deal with." 

(Adam Nadel)

Abdelghani, Amir Khafagy and Kadin Herring. "After 9/11, it was socially acceptable to demonize us. We have to reclaim our identity and change the conversation," Khafagy said.

(Adam Nadel)

The cast performing "Beyond Sacred." This is just one of over 40 theater documentaries Ping Chong + Company has produced around the world.

(Adam Nadel)