Such a Beautiful Voice is Sayeda's and Karima's City - Acting Edition

THE STORIES: In its first few pages SUCH A BEAUTIFUL VOICE IS SAYEDA'S transports you to another world. Here, Islam hangs in the very air you breathe; spirits, or Jinns, may lurk near; flattering dresses and lipstick are evidence of infidelity; and a woman singing can bring dishonor and ruin to herself and her family. Lyrical and delicate, and suffused with moments of haunting theatricality, this exploration of the oppression of the human spirit is a perfect jewel of the one-act art. (3 men, 6 women, doubling possible.) KARIMA'S CITY. Karima's beloved city is changing around her. The seeds-and-nuts vendor, the fruit seller and the butcher who used to greet her each morning no longer do. Everywhere concrete monstrosities are rising, and the trees are vanishing. These changes are making Karima physically ill, and she can no longer keep silent. But whenever she speaks her mind, all manner of suffering befalls her. In a society that judges iconoclasts shameful, dangerous and a menace, it slowly becomes apparent that Karima's devastating fate has already been written. Touching on issues of enormous significance in the Islamic world, this finely wrought play bubbles with unexpected charm and humor as it leads to its inexorable conclusion. (6 to 7 actors can play the 25 roles.)