The Syringa Tree
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Syringa Tree is a solo performance memory play of a childhood under apartheid, written and often performed by Pamela Gien, and directed by Larry Moss.[1][2] It was produced by Matt Salinger, son of writer, J. D. Salinger.[3]
Synopsis
The play is set in apartheid-era South Africa, told through the eyes of a young white girl named Elizabeth Grace. The play, which spans four generations, explores the complex relationships between a white family and their Black nanny, Salamina, and their community, revealing the injustices and humanity of the time through a child's perspective.[4]
Production
The play debuted in Seattle, WA. It later opened at the Playhouse 91 intimate theater in Yorkville, Manhattan in Fall 2000.[3] The Manhattan reception was lukewarm at first, but news of Gien's performance soon garnered attention, drawing the interest of celebrities such as Oprah and Rosie O'Donnell.[3]“The San Francisco Chronicle praised her performance as ‘breathtakingly versatile, superb, graceful, emotionally generous, impressive,’ while The Washington Post noted that ‘every moment with this gifted young actress feels special.’”[5]
It won an Obie Award for Best Play in 2001.[6]
Gien often performs the play herself, portraying over twenty characters, and has also adapted it into a nove Gien has adapted the play into a novel.[3]
Awards and nominations
2000 Off-Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Obie Award | Best Play | Won | [7] | |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Pamela Gien | Won | [8] | |
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Won | [9][10] | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Production of a Play | Nominated | [11] | ||
