Full of mischief, valor, ribaldry, and romance, Arabian Nights has enthralled readers for centuries. These are the tales that saved the life of Shahrazad, whose husband, the king, executed each of his wives after a single night of marriage. Beginning an enchanting story each evening, Shahrazad always withheld the ending: A thousand and one nights later, her life was spared forever.
This is a classic children’s play that Homestead has taken on and made their own. Setting a frame story around the old Persian story, the tale starts in the 1950’s on a playground taken over by the neighborhood kids. Everyone is playing with their friends except one girl. She is enthralled in a book… Alf Layla wa-Layla, or the Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, her laughter and wonder intrigues the others and soon everyone is gathered around her as she begins her tale.
Before our eyes, the stories of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, The Story of the Little Beggar, How Abu Hassan Broke Wind and The Story of the Envious Sisters take flight on swings and swirls of fabric. This adaptation offers a wonderful blend of the lesser-known tales from Arabian Nights with the recurring theme of how the magic of storytelling holds the power to change people. By the end of the play we are fully emerged in the beautiful fabric, clothing and traditions from ancient Persia.
Join us for our magical journey in this short children’s play May 1-3 in the James Barr Auditorium
Adults $8
Students $7
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