ANN ARBOR – Wild Swan Theater concludes its 37th season of high quality professional theater for Michigan’s families with Marketplace Stories—Folktales from the Arab World. This collection of tales is set in a 19th century village marketplace that seems to spring to life straight out of the folk art paintings of renowned Lebanese American artist Helen Zughaib. Abu Ali, a wandering storyteller, arrives in the marketplace with his special story box, his sanduk, on his back. As the company of performers gather around him and his brightly painted box of stories, the tales seem to spin out of the box, onto the stage and even out into the audience.

Folktales from The Arab World

Marketplace Stories—Folktales from the Arab World will premiere in Ann Arbor at Towsley Auditorium, Washtenaw Community College on May 4, 5, and 6, 2017 and in Dearborn at the Arab American National Museum AANM on May 9, 10, and 13, 2017. All performances will be American Sign Language shadow interpreted for Deaf patrons by Synergy on Stage. After May 2017, the production will be available for touring to schools, museums, libraries, and theaters throughout Michigan and the Midwest.

 “One of our goals in creating this work is to celebrate the Arab American culture in Michigan because it is such a vibrant part of our state’s heritage,” said Hilary Cohen, Co-Artistic Director of Wild Swan Theater.

Wild Swan Theater is dedicated to producing professional theater for family audiences of the highest artistic quality and to making that theater accessible to low income, minority and disabled children through low ticket prices and innovative outreach programs. Backstage touch tours and audio-description are available for blind theater patrons. These services are free but must be reserved by calling (734) 995-0530. For more information about the company, its current season, touring programs and theater camps, visit the Wild Swan website at www.wildswantheater.org.