"Room! Make room, brave gallants all! Give us room to rise and fall." With those ancient words, many a Mummers' Play has begun.

The Mummers' Play is an ancient and traditional dramatic form, performed in vilages of England and Ireland for centuries and passed orally from generation to generation. The plays came to the United States with the early settlers and found a home in the Appalachian mountains as well.  Humorous, even slapstick at times, these plays point
to deeply-rooted themes of death and resurrection. They are often connected with Christmastime and with the winter solstice.

This volume contains three original Mummers' Plays, ready to be staged and performed.

• The Brasstown Mummer's Play, first produced at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, is a straight-forward Mummer's Play including parts for five rapper sword dancers.
• The Serenity Mummer's Play is more theatrical, containing highly symbolic elements from the Christian tradition.  In lieu of dancers, it provides several musical suggestions based on music from the 13th and 14th centuries.
• The Busker's Mummer's Play plenty of innuendo and sly humor for those looking to produce a play that will appeal to certain audiences.  It was first produced at Christmas Country Dance School in Berea, Kentucky.

The author has provided notes for the would-be director, based on his own experiences of producing Mummers' Plays through the years. Straightforward, unvarnished notes on staging, costuming and lighting are included, as are some ideas for musical accompaniments.  Four songs, based on traditional folk music, are included.

The book also contains an essay on the history of the Mummers' Play, considering their role in the folk tradition.  Reflections on common themes and character archetypes help bring illumination to this mysterious and ancient tradition.