THE SYRINGA TREE Runs Through 8/30 At The Jungle Theater

Pamela Gien's The Syringa Tree reopened July 31 at the Jungle Theater, back by popular demand for four weeks only. The Syringa Tree, a tale of South Africa, by Pamela Gien runs through August 30, Tuesday through Sunday. Directed and designed by Joel Sass, The Syringa Tree stars Sarah Agnew.

The incomparable Sarah Agnew returns to portray over 20 characters in this virtuoso one-woman show about the abiding love between two families - one black and one white - and the two children that are born into their shared households in 1960s South Africa.

Tickets run from $28 to $36. Rush tickets ($10 off) are available for 30 minutes prior to performances. Call 612-822-7063 or visit www.jungletheater.com. Fringe, MPR, groups, seniors, and student discounts available to the show.

The mission of the Jungle is to produce high quality theater in an intimate setting. The Jungle seeks to maintain a high standard of artistic excellence; to present works that preserve our theatrical heritage as well as contemporary works that build on that heritage; to encourage and support established and emerging artists in all areas of theater production; to broaden access to the theater through education and outreach activities; and to contribute to the vitality of the community, especially to the neighborhood surrounding the theater.

The Jungle Theater was founded in 1991 by Artistic Director Bain Boehlke. His vision statement is that "The Jungle Theater believes that a stage for the performing arts is and should be, first and foremost, a sanctuary of free artistic expression; a stage whose mission is the presentation of works of art which mirror the tragic-comic nature of the human condition, a platform upon which we celebrate the joys, sorrows, hopes and dreams of the human endeavor, seeking only to reveal and acknowledge our common humanity through the various mediums of the performing arts: plays, music, storytelling, film, performance art, and dance."

Founded by Bain Boehlke in 1991 in a storefront space at the corner of Lake Street and Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis, the Jungle Theater quickly established a loyal following and received widespread critical acclaim for its productions. In 1999, the theater moved into its permanent home: an intimate 150-seat space around the corner from its original location. In addition to the Jungle's main stage productions of classic and contemporary plays, the theater also maintains community arts education and outreach programs which serve the Greater Metro area, and reflect the theater's ongoing commitment to neighborhood and community.

Over the past eighteen years, the Jungle Theater has had a substantial impact on the Twin Cities theater scene, having established a reputation for excellence that stems from a commitment to high artistic standards and the contributions of many respected and celebrated local artists. A flagship example of the transformative power of the performing arts, the Jungle plays a continuing and vital role in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood's economic, social, and cultural development.