"Mary Zimmerman's adaptation weaves ancient tales of wonder into a poetic testament to the transformational power of storytelling. King Shahryar marries, loves, then kills a young woman each night - until he encounters Scheherezade. For one thousand and one nights, he delays her murder as he eagerly awaits her next tale of love, lust, hilarity, or sorrow. The final scene brings the audience back to modern-day Baghdad, and distant air-raid sirens warn of the danger threatening the land that produced the encyclopedia of human experience, imagination, and poetry that is The Arabian Nights. Notes on casting and staging, a transcript of a sample improvised scene, and production photographs are included in the volume."--BOOK JACKET.

"Based on Powys Mathers's translation, The book of the thousand nights and one night, published by Routledge and Kegan Paul in 1986"--Title page verso.