Esther: The Feast of Masks

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.