Esther: the Feast of Masks is a unique performance piece of story and music, written and narrated by Ellen Kushner, award-winning novelist and host of Public Radio International's popular program Sound & Spirit. The program brings the Biblical story of Esther to life by juxtaposing it with the stories of four modern characters, all dealing with their own issues of identity, disguise, revelation and personal power. Vashti, the queen of Persia, defies her husband, simply by refusing to come when she is called. Similarly, Rita, a New York wife who left college early to marry, defies her spouse in small ways as she finds her own voice and eventually makes a new life for herself. Esther, the new queen of Persia, struggles with her hidden Jewish identity and what this means for both her and her people. Meanwhile, Ida, a quiet schoolteacher, struggles to come to terms with the space between how she perceives her own racial identity and the assumptions made about her background by those around her. Both women are forced to confront the privileges and burdens borne of their secrecy. As Esther decides whether or not to reveal herself, defy her king and attempt to save her people, Natalie, an American diplomat in Rwanda, witnesses the growing tragedy and is forced to make a difficult choice between personal safety, professional identity and emotional loyalty. And just as Esther uses courage, intelligence and honesty to save her people, Nate, a high school student, finds the strength to confront homophobia, both in himself and in his friends. These eloquent stories of disguise, revelation, truth and courage are skillfully woven together with music from many traditions, all performed live by three talented musicians: Michael McLaughlin (music director, piano, accordion, guitar, vocals), Mary Casey (vocals and guitar) and Joe Kessler (fiddle and vocals). Just as each character in the performance has his or her own distinct voice; each time and place is represented by music equally unique, diverse and powerful. Songs range from African chant and Hebrew folk tunes to '50s pop and blues. While Esther: the Feast of Masks is rooted in a story traditionally enjoyed around the Purim holiday, the program is appropriate for all seasons. Jews and non-Jews alike react intensely to this program (you can see audience comments on our reviews page), as all of us share the experience of using masks throughout our public and private lives. Masks can be a burden, a joy, or a tool, and putting them aside can often be as powerful. Because of the universality of the themes addressed by Esther: the Feast of Masks and its striking combination of both joy and seriousness, lively discussion on the show's issues, either between Ellen and the audience or featuring your own local clergy, scholars and activists, generally follows the program. If you're interested in learning more about Esther: the Feast of Masks you can visit the web pages for Sound & Spirit, where you can listen to the broadcast version of the program. Please note that the live version of Esther: the Feast of Masks is 15 minutes longer than the broadcast version and runs approximately 75 minutes. If you're interested in having Esther: the Feast of Masks performed in your community, please click here. Esther: the Feast of Masks was originally created thanks to funding from the Jewish Connection Partnership, and its managing partner, the Jewish Outreach Institute. The Jewish festival of Purim is often called "the Feast of Masks," and putting on plays that tell the story of the Book of Esther has been a Jewish tradition for centuries. Nowadays it's mostly the kids who put on cute little skits, but in the Old Country such plays were an adult thing, complete with satire and all kinds of transgression. I decided to hook into the old tradition and try to bring the story into our modern day. I've tried to create a show for grownups that takes on some of the deeper issues of the Esther stories, like disguises and revelations. Because there are things you can say from behind a mask that you can't always say as yourself. Not everyone knows the Jewish holiday of Purim, but all of us know what it is to put on a mask. And to take one off.