Around the World in Seven Acts

The seven plays in this collection, dealing with various subjects and issues, are arranged in chronological order - from Sidewalk Gurus, set in India in the late 12th century to The Storytellers, set in Iran in the early 20th century. These Plays, although different in settings, subject matters, characters and religious beliefs, present indigenous dramatic elements which have played an important part in the cultural life of the non-Western countries.In writing these plays, which are set in different historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds, I tried to show how topical and relevant the subjects and themes - arranged marriages, woman's rights, tribal wars, the caste system, family relationships, and western impacts - are to the contemporary society.Some of the subjects in this anthology are drawn from popular, literary, religious and historical sources. The Golden Canary was inspired by Japanese Kyogen (comic interlude), Return of the Shadows by Turkish Karagöz (shadow-puppet theater), The Storytellers by Persian Naqqali (storytelling), and Three Wishes by The Arabian Nights (or A Thousand and One Nights). Sidewalk Gurus focuses on the Indian caste system; Lost in the Bush is based on slavery and tribal wars; and The Way of Yu Pay-foo depicts family relationships and Western influence.The traditional non-Western theater forms have declined since the 19th century in favor of Western-style Theater. Rituals, festivals and masquerades are still performed in some parts of Africa in honor of local gods and spirits despite western influence. In Asia, the traditional theaters and folk tales are studied and performed along with modern drama. Passion plays, puppet theater, and storytelling are being revived and appreciated in the Middle Eastern countries. The richness and popularity of the earlier traditional theaters have continued to influence and inspire modern drama.In addition, this unique anthology of non-Western plays provides excellent materials for family entert