April 1, 2008

Actress Gin Hammond to Depict Apartheid in “The Syringa Tree” April 15 at Whitworth

Actress Gin Hammond will perform "The Syringa Tree" on Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium at Whitworth University. "The Syringa Tree" is a one-woman play based on the autobiographical novel by Pamela Gien, who was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. Gien's acclaimed Broadway play won the 2001 Obie Award. In Hammond's version of the play, she portrays apartheid in South Africa through 24 different characters. Hammond won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Play, for her performance in "The Syringa Tree." Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4263.

Gin Hammond received her MFA from the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University/Moscow Art Theatre School. A native of San Diego, she has worked steadily across the country at theatres such as The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The Longwharf Theatre, ACT, The Pasadena Playhouse, ART, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Studio Theatre. She has also performed internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre and the Roadside Theatre in Heidelberg, Germany. Hammond is a grant recipient of the Ford Mellon Foundation for her work on a multicultural anthology of plays, under the auspices of Ms. Ruby Dee.

Hammond's other stage performances include Leafy Lee in "Polk County," voted one of the top 10 plays of 2002 by The New York Times and the character of Wendy/Zena in "NoonDay Sun," one of several plays in which Hammond has portrayed the compelling dynamics of racial ambiguity.

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The university, which has an enrollment of 2,600 students, offers 53 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts:

Julie Shanholtzer, program assistant, Speakers & Artists Series and psychology department, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4263 or jshanholtzer@whitworth.edu.

Julie Riddle, public information officer, Whitworth University, (509) 777-3729 or jriddle@whitworth.edu.