The lights dimmed; the curtains parted. Sitting in the darkened auditorium, the audience was transported to a land of genies, flying carpets, powerful sultans, magic lanterns, and crafty thieves.

In an unprecedented collaboration, Colorado College joined with the Pikes Peak Library District and Theatreworks, the student theater group at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, in an October theatrical production of “The Arabian Nights.” Actors for the play included students from CC and UCCS; they were directed by Clinton Turner Davis, adjunct associate professor of drama at CC.

The play was one part of the library’s community-wide reading initiative, All Pikes Peak Reads (APPR). Each year, the library selects a book and encourages the entire community to read the book and participate in activities that illuminate themes and issues in the story.

Among the educational components of the APPR were two CC-hosted lectures. Gypsy Ames, adjunct associate professor and costume designer, spoke on the production’s look and costumes, and Donna Mejia, a member of the drama technique faculty, presented a program on dance for “The Arabian Nights” and its cultural roots.

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