Musical «Esther» In the summer of 2004 our youth camp produced a musical created on the basis of the Book of Esther. The first performance took place at a children's summer camp near the town of Dzerzhinsk.

Synopsis These events took place at the time when 127 regions from India to Ethiopia belonged to King Xerxes. During the 3rd year of his reign Xerxes gave a banquet for his princes, military leaders and officials, displaying the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. On the seventh day King Xerxes commanded his servants to bring before him his Queen, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles. But when the attendants delivered the king's command, the Queen refused to come. Then the king became furious with anger and confusion. He spoke with the wise men who were closest to the king and took the advice of Memucan who suggested that the Queen must be punished and stripped of her royal title as she had shown a really bad example to all the women of the kingdom, having disobeyed her husband. Soon the decree was taken to all the lands and regions of the kingdom, and then, some time later, people heard that King Xerxes had decided to choose a new queen and had therefore commanded all the young and beautiful girls to be brought to his palace. It so happened that Mordecai and his foster-daughter Esther (who were both of Jewish origin) were at the market place when the decree was read aloud and Esther was noticed by the guard and taken to the palace. Mordecai entreated Esther to keep silent about her Jewish descent and encouraged her to place her trust in God. However shortly before that Mordecai overheard two palace officials plotting against King Xerxes, and informed the palace guard about the intended murder. Esther was brought to the royal palace and placed under the power of the chief king's eunuch Hegai, who was responsible for preparing royal bride candidates for their meeting with the king. During the time of preparation Esther found favor in Hegai's eyes and later King Xerxes chose her from among all the maidens as his new Queen. Esther unexpectedly found herself in love with the king and was happy to become his wife. Some time passed and the king honored Haman, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. He talked King Xerxes into allowing him to wipe the Jewish people from the face of the Earth and received the necessary authority to carry out his plans. When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city to talk to Esther and ask her to beg the king for mercy. She agreed to do so and asked him and other Jews to pray for her because it would be against the law to appear before the king without being summoned, and Esther knew that by doing so she was risking her life. After three days of fasting and prayer Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand thus granting her his favor and sparing her life. Esther invited king Xerxes and Haman for a banquet that she had prepared for them, and the king gladly consented to come. In the meantime Haman rejoiced in the success of his plans and in the favor of the king and his queen and commanded to build a gallows in his backyard for the execution of the hated Mordecai However that same night the Lord took away all sleep from the king, and Xerxes ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed two palace officials who had plotted to take the king's life. Wanting to honor Mordecai, the king asked Haman what kind of reward should be given to the man the king delighted to honor. Haman, thinking that the king meant none but Haman himself, advised him to put royal robes and a royal crown on the man and take him around the city loudly proclaiming before him, `This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!' King Xerxes happily took the advice and commanded Haman to do all this for Mordecai. At the banquet in Queen Esther's quarters the king was so delighted and happy that he asked Esther what her petition was and promised to give her anything that she wanted. Without a moment's hesitation she told the king about the cruel death awaiting her people and pleaded with him for mercy. King Xerxes was enraged hearing of his favorite noble deceitfully plotting this massacre and immediately ordered to have Haman executed. The royal signet ring was taken away from Haman and handed over to Mordecai. Since Esther was asking the king to spare all her people, Xerxes called his scribes and told them to write down and proclaim the new law which saved the Jews from death.