Three Queer Plays Adapted from Mark Twain

! World Premier !

Three Queer Stories of Mark Twain
Adapted for the Theatre by Nicoletta Karam
Directed by Laura Eden

Nicoletta Karam has unearthed from the depths of U.C. Berkeley’s Bancroft Library three creative works of Mark Twain, known only to a few scholars. These stories are remarkable not only because they are Mark Twain’s but because they deal with homosexuality! They are gender-bending feminist fictions wherein Mark Twain is not only at his best in terms of entertainment, but in terms of probing the superficial and malleable nature of gender. Nicoletta has deftly adapted them to the stage so that people can know and enjoy them as they were meant to be known and enjoyed!

The first of Mark Twain’s three short stories is "1002d Arabian Night," a satirical sequel, of course, to the famous collection of folk tales, "1001 Arabian Nights." Mark Twain diverted radically from the folk tales in creating his own story, envisioning what happened to Scherezade and King Shahiyar the next day after 1001 Arabian nights. Colorful costumes, Middle Eastern music, and belly dancers bring his fantastical tale to life, exploring what happens when a wicked witch switches the gender of two babies and a boy is raised as a girl and a girl is raised as a boy! Then Scherezade goes on to narrate Mark Twain’s other two short stories, "Wapping Alice," which describes what happens when a transvestite traps a reluctant beau into marriage, and "How Nancy Jackson Married Kate Wilson," which explores what happens after a murderess assumes a male identity and ends up marrying a farmer’s daughter. Both of these last two stories deal with the timely topic of same-sex unions.

! World Premier !

1002d Arabian Night
Wapping Alice
How Nancy Jackson Married Kate Wilson

This fantastic production will be the first-ever performance of these almost unknown literary works, not to be missed! It will be entertaining to audiences of all ages! Bring your family and friends so that all of you may enjoy Mark Twain’s wit and provocative story telling! The plays will be performed by Shoestring-West Theater Productions under the direction of Laura Eden. All proceeds from donations from the three performances will go to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

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