The Syringa Tree

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The Syringa Tree is a one-woman memory play about growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. It was written and often performed by Pamela Gien and directed by Larry Moss, with Matt Salinger producing. The story follows Elizabeth Grace, a white girl, and spans four generations as it shows the complicated relationship between the white family and their Black nanny, Salamina, revealing both injustice and humanity through a child’s perspective.

The play premiered in Seattle and later opened at Playhouse 91 in Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood in fall 2000. At first the New York reception was modest, but word of Gien’s performance spread and attracted attention from celebrities like Oprah and Rosie O’Donnell. Reviews praised her skill and presence, calling the performance remarkable. The Syringa Tree won the Obie Award for Best Play in 2001. Gien often performs all the roles herself, portraying more than twenty characters, and she has adapted the play into a novel.