Theatre at The Ridge presents The Arabian Nights written by Lowell Swartzell during two performances (6:30 pm and 8:00 pm) on November 19th. The Arabian Nights is an epic collection of Arabic folk tales written hundreds of years ago and has been retold throughout the world and throughout time. Scorned by an unfaithful wife, The Royal Sultan who rules over great empire, is brokenhearted and vengeful. To seek revenge he has chosen to marry a new woman every day only to kill her the next morning. More and more innocent women die until one day Scheherazade, the daughter of the king’s top advisor, offers to marry the king. The king and advisor both protest, but Scheherazade insists, while knowing that the night could be her last. That night, she requests the presence of her sister and tells a story that manages to be the beginning of dozens of stories meant to keep her alive. In our production we see Scherazade tell interconnected stories over the course of three nights of speaking birds, cursed rocks, singing trees and heroic siblings. By telling a story each night, Scheherazade not only saves her own life but also transforms the cruel Sultan into a compassionate and understanding human being. It’s a tribute to the power of storytelling and the strength of one woman to change her circumstances.
For a limited time – check out a performance online!