“Saiyna asked me once why people say ‘American as apple pie?’ I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with the first Thanksgiving, or George Washington. But Washington was cherries, right?”
Miss American Pie
Cast: 1W
It’s election night, November 2016 and the news just keeps getting worse. Amidst the exit polls and red and blue maps on TV, Maggie gets an urgent phone call from her friend and coworker Saiyna. A Muslim woman originally from Pakistan, she is photographer for the local newspaper. But tonight, in a sea of emboldened white men in MAGA hats, she is also an easy target. Rattled by the panic in Saiyna’s message and unable to shield her from xenophobic attacks of Trump supporters, Maggie begins a conversation with the audience about the hatred of immigrants that is baked into our country’s history.
And then she does what she always does, when she doesn’t know how to fix things. She makes pie. But even apple pie turns out to have a complicated evolution as the symbol of America.
If you are interested in hosting a performance of "Miss American Pie" in your home or other space, please contact me at gwendolynarice@gmail.com. Performances can be arranged on a mutually agreeable evening for a minimum of ten audience members at a cost of $20 per person.
Production History
2022. Winding Road Theater Ensemble (Tucson, AZ)
2019. Jillene Ringle Solo Performance Program, developmental workshop and residency, 1812 Productions (Philadelphia, PA)
2019. Workshop performances, Third Ridge Theatre (Madison, WI)
Photo by Chris Bacarella
Photo by Chris Bacarella
Photo by Chris Bacarella
“The very notion of ‘home sweet home’ is called into question, as we sit in relative comfort in a friendly kitchen, thinking about what it means to be an American.”
Press
“Pie and patriotism” Catharine Capellaro, Isthmus. December 12, 2019
“The Corner Table Podcast: A play about patriotism and pie” Lindsay Christians, The Capital Times. November 13, 2019