SPT's Youth Program Presents Mary Zimmerman's THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, Now thru 7/26

Seattle Public Theater's (SPT) Youth Program presents Mary Zimmerman's modern take on the epic myths of The Arabian Nights directed by Shana Bestock.

SIX [free] performances: Tonight, July 18 @ 7pm, Saturday, July 19 @ 7pm, and Sunday, July 20 @ 2pm, Friday July 25 @ 7pm, Saturday July 26 @ 2pm & 7pm. Admission to all youth performances are free to the community. Donations are encouraged to support SPT's Theater Youth Program and to offer student tuition assistance.

ABOUT THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Experience tales of love, madness, comedy, and dreams in Mary Zimmerman's adaptation of the legendary Scheherazade's storytelling marathon. To prevent her crazed husband, the cruel ruler Shahryar, from murdering her, Scheherazade stretches her tales for 1,001 nights. With singing, dancing, richly drawn characters, poetry and slapstick, this wonderful blend of the lesser-known tales from The Arabian Nights is all about how the magic of storytelling holds the power to change people.

"When have you needed a story?" asks SPT Artistic and Education Director, Shana Besock. ?"When have you had to tell a story as if your life depended on it? What comes to mind when you hear the words 'Arab', 'Baghdad', or 'Mosul'? What tales do these words hold for you? Now, more than ever, it is important to tell these life-affirming stories of the City of Peace and Poets."

"There are so many layers to the story-telling in The Arabian Nights," says Assistant Director and UW MFA directing student, Leah Adcock-Starr. "This layered-ness is one of the great challenges and opportunities offered to the artists who take it on. The stories may be ridiculous, or poetic, or physical. Story can be an agent of change in the world. This play is all stories. The stories literally save Scheherazade's life. I love that story is her weapon to fight injustice."

The Arabian Nights is directed by Shana Bestock, assistant directed by Leah Adcock-Starr, with choreography by Suzanna Davis. The production features the acting talents of Charlie Tadlock, Chloe Swedberg, Coulter Dittman, Elizabeth Berry, Henry Lofstrom, Inga Phlegar, Joe Moore, Karinna Gerhardt, Kayla Brooks, Leela Berman, Leo Campbell-Klein, Nathanial Mascis, Nora Hammen, Olivia Sterne, Rachel Warshaw, Sarah Wood, and Sarah Rowley. The Arabian Nights is stage managed by Gabriel Klein, and assistant stage managed by Finn Johnson. Featuring sound design by Gabe Airth, costume design by Annika Pritchard with Eileen MacDonald and Karina Zikan on run crew.

This ensemble features actors grades 9 to 12.

ABOUT SEATTLE PUBLIC THEATER AT THE BATHHOUSE ON GREEN LAKE-Seattle Public Theater (SPT) at the Bathhouse is the place where performers, teachers, audiences, designers, directors and community members come together to create theater as an integral part of life in Seattle. SPT is a nonprofit professional performing arts organization.

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