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Thirty Saints Productions is so proud to represent "The Secret Wisdom of Trees" by Christine Toy Johnson in our catalog. Hear about this beautiful play in her own words...
I think telling you about the genesis of the play will answer a lot of these questions.
The story in “The Secret Wisdom of Trees” was inspired by events that were happening to a family I had grown up with. Without exception, our close family friends were either Chinese American or Jewish; my mom had met this couple back when they were all undergraduates at NYU and they were always firmly rooted in my life until they passed away in 2020. As they were navigating a legal battle with their late daughter’s ex-husband, the ensuing estrangement from their grandsons (with whom they were extremely close), and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, the real-life story was unfolding in such a dramatic way that I knew I wanted to write a fictional account of it. Then I envisioned the late great Lynn Cohen playing the matriarch of the family, and I approached her with the idea of writing it specifically for her to play someday. She was enthusiastic about the idea of me writing a play that celebrated the love story of an older couple, sharing with me her impatience with people assuming that women (in particular) immediately lost their sensuality past a certain age. 80 years old (at the time), she was as in love with her husband Ron as she ever was. I’ll never forget her telling me: “I don’t want to live a day without him.” Sadly, this came true as she passed away on Valentine’s Day of 2020. Ron Cohen passed away three and a half years later. And my dear family friends who went through the heartbreak I wrote about died within 24 hours of each other during the early days of the pandemic. To me, this play will always be a Valentine to all four of them.
Adding a theatrical backdrop to the characters’ lives was entirely inspired by writing for Lynn and Ron, and though none of the details of the careers that Abby and Danny Green had match those of the Cohens, the essence of their deep love and devotion to each other does. I only recently did a rewrite lowering the ages of the characters to be in their late 60s, inspired by two other actors I love and hope will play the parts someday, and moved by witnessing a neighbor in his late 50s face early-onset Alzheimer’s and how that has affected his wife and children. The metaphor for trying to stay as present as possible in the lives that we have, in the time that we have it, has often been at the center of what I’m compelled to write about, and this has been especially underlined while writing and developing this play.
Honestly, I don’t recall how I came up with the metaphor of trees and Abby’s decision to plant them in the places of her dearest memories. I was on a writing retreat at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center working on another play when I began writing down the first thoughts about this one, in 2015. As I’m often bewitched by the magic of that place; the majesty of the trees providing a canopy of strength almost commanding you (in the most nurturing way possible) to open your heart up to whatever creativity enters it, and the soft voice of inspiration wafting off the breeze of the Long Island Sound. Perhaps it was the confluence of all these elements that helped the creation of those thoughts.
How did your experience as both an actor and playwright influence the way you crafted these multi-generational characters?
I am constantly observing how people interact and intersect with one another, no matter their age or ancestral background, and whether I’m writing them or interpreting them. What a gift to endeavor to be a vessel of empathy for people of generations and circumstances other than our own, to try to get a window into their humanity, their hopes and dreams, wounds and triumphs! It’s really what I love most about being both a generative and interpretive artist.
Memory plays often present unique staging challenges. What theatrical devices did you envision when writing the transitions between present day and Abby's imagination?
I often write with the idea of open spaces, leaving room for the imagination of the designers, director, actors, and audience to fill them in as they envision them. Magical realism can take on so many forms! Sound and lighting design can go miles! In this play, I always imagined that (for example) a soundscape can create the feeling of traffic, one small potted tree can represent Abby’s planting, a bench can represent siting on the traffic island or in the park, a table and chairs can represent Jonathan’s townhouse, lighting can create the passage of time.
Your character Jenny appears as both 21 and 44 to different characters. What led to this specific dramatic choice?
Since she was coming to Abby in her imagination, I wanted Jenny to appear both in the picture of health and at the nexus of her life changing (when she was about to marry Jonathan), and then at the final age that she and everyone else in the play saw her.
How does Abby's journey with Alzheimer's mirror or contrast with the seasonal cycles of trees?
As Abby says in the opening scene, “A tree never forgets. A tree grows new leaves, every season, no matter how hard the winter has been.” This is a metaphor to me for resilience and regeneration, in spite of any challenge. Later she discovers how when trees grow branches, the smaller branches have a precise mathematical relationship to the branch they came from – the physics of which is why they’re able to withstand extreme conditions in nature. To me, this is an expansion of the previous metaphor; one for families withstanding whatever comes their way, together – which is what Abby hopes to be able to do more than anything.
The play runs 80 minutes without intermission. What drove the decision for this particular format?
This is just how the play unfolded. I don’t ever determine the length before I write the piece; the story tells me when it feels as complete as it needs to be, in this form, in order to convey what I hope it will convey.
Could you speak about the significance of setting this story across various New York City parks?
The family who inspired the play are lifelong New Yorkers, I’m a lifelong New Yorker, and Lynn and Ron spent most of their adult lives in New York – and this city to me is full of so much life, so many fascinating stories, and so many contradictions. For example, even though our city has been called a “concrete jungle”, there are many places where one can find greenery and respite, and the parks mentioned in the play are just a few of them. Like two sides of a story, both can be true.
If you could plant a tree to commemorate the writing of this play, what type would you choose and where would you plant it?
I suppose I’d endeavor to plant a mighty oak tree near where my family friends lived for most of their lives, on the east side of Manhattan in the 20s.
Which character's voice came to you first when developing this story?
Abby’s. Quickly followed by Jenny’s and Danny’s.
As someone who has performed extensively, do you hear specific actors' voices when writing dialogue?
Yes. I’m often inspired by certain actors. I was fortunate enough to hear Lynn and Ron Cohen read this play out loud several times, and though I’ve imagined and heard other actors since then playing these parts, Lynn and Ron’s voices and their beautiful spirits will always stay with me. How lucky am I?
What's your favorite scene in the play that still surprises you when you hear it read?
I’m always still so moved by the last scene in the play when Abby reveals that she’s been planting trees so Danny will remember what was important to her when she can’t - and he responds: “as if I could forget one second of this miracle of a life we’ve had together.” This is the kind of love I witnessed in the relationships of the four people who ultimately inspired the creation of this play – and it’s not that it surprises me (I mean, I wrote it down as I heard it in my heart), but I guess it surprises me that it still moves me the way it does.
Do you have a favorite memory that comes to mind from when you first saw the play performed/rehearsed?
When you are fortunate enough to see and hear the actors who inspired you to write a play embody the characters and bring them from page to stage, it can be a little surreal. And the first time Lynn and Ron read the play out loud was absolutely thrilling!
What is your favorite play or playwright from which you take a lot of inspiration?
It might seem odd, but I find that I’ve been most inspired by great librettists and lyricists of great musicals. Maybe it’s because I grew up listening to them (and also write libretti and lyrics for musicals). For starters, John Weidman, Stephen Sondheim, Lynn Ahrens, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lynn Nottage, Gretchen Cryer, James Lapine, Oscar Hammerstein, Terrence McNally, David Henry Hwang, and Sheldon Harnick immediately come to mind.
If this play were a tree, what species would it be and why?
In keeping with the mighty Oak tree metaphor, this comes to mind first. The play has been on a long journey, withstood loss, grief, natural disasters – but still stands, determined to live and love on, telling its stories.
Which character would you most want to have coffee with at that NYC coffee shop from the play?
Abby and Danny; inseparable.
What's your go-to bagel order when writing in New York?
I don’t typically write while eating (and never in as public a space as a restaurant), but I have been known to enjoy a sesame bagel with cream cheese from H and H.
If Abby had a TikTok account, what would she post about?
I don’t think she would have a TikTok account, but if she were on social media at all, I believe she would post about her grandchildren, the plays she and Danny did, and oh, most definitely about their annual pilgrimage to the Trapp Family Lodge.
What excites you most about seeing different theaters interpret this piece across the world?
I would be so happy to spread this universal story of everlasting love and family around the world. We can never have enough love!
How do you envision smaller theaters tackling the multiple locations while maintaining the intimacy of the story?
Sound and light can take us everywhere and anywhere we imagine. In fact, I’d prefer the play not get lost in elaborate renderings of the settings.
What aspect of the play tends to resonate most strongly with audiences during readings?
Love and loss.
The play is described as a "dramedy" - how important is it for productions to find the balance between the humor and heavier moments?
Humor is how we get through the difficult parts of life. It’s human nature. And balance is essential in life, which I’d love to be reflected in the interpretation of this story.
Who should come see this play? Who is it for?
I believe it’s for anyone who has had parents, grandparents, and/or complicated relationships and wants to believe that love can still win.
Thank you so much! I’ve really enjoyed writing about this play in this way!
Christine
