A darkened room slowly lit up, as graceful figures draped in ethereal gauze danced among draped scarves and strewn cushions. Actors in harem pants and veils twirled around the glittering, fabric-covered set. Middle Eastern music filtered through the air as a petite dancer began the story of Shahrazad and the 1,001 nights. So began Homeschool Teens and Theatre's production of Dominic Cooke's Arabian Nights on Saturday.

The story of Shahrazad and her 1,001 stories is the backbone of this adaptation for the theater. Shahrazad is a princess married to a cruel king. She must tell him a new story every night to avoid being executed in the morning. As the story of Shahrazad unfolds, so do the folk tales that she tells. Each story is the premise for a vignette performed by the actors, as Shahrazad tries to stay alive.

The production was anchored by the many accurate, detailed costumes. The actors all handled their multiple costume changes with grace and speed. Brynn Deakins, as Shahrazad, stood out with her exceptional poise, grace, commitment and acting. She stayed in character throughout the 2 1/2 -hour show, in addition to her dancing and adept storytelling. Meridian Ganz-Ratzat as Dinarzad, Shahrazad's younger sister, also had exceptional poise and carriage, and she and Deakins had an ongoing sisterly dynamic that buoyed the show.

The supporting ensemble had a few prominent players, most notably Elizabeth Angel in multiple featured and cameo roles. Her sunny demeanor powered a show that lacked energy at times. While some characters had definitive, funny personalities, others were difficult to distinguish. Having the cast double as stage crew proved an effective, efficient technique for speedy set changes and prop handling. The costumes were numerous and lovely, and makeup was well-intentioned, especially the heavy eyeliner, but it looked somewhat garish on the youngest cast members.

The commendable elements of the production included the costumes, scene changes and lead actresses. Though at times Arabian Nights seemed to live up to one of the scene titles -- The Story Without an Ending -- it was ultimately a wholehearted effort.