The theater of birth: Scenes from women's scripts

An analogy between theater and birth is drawn from analyses of women's birt h stories to describe birth from a fresh perspective. Birth and theater are compared using the theatrical production elements: setting, casting, props , set, behind the scenes, script, and roles. Selected examples from women's birth stories highlight each element. Nurses' roles are significant during labor and birth, but nurses' abilities to fulfill these roles are threaten ed. This analogy promotes rethinking of nursing actions in the theater of b irth. Implications for clinical practice are provided, including altering t he birth environment, offering choices, and maintaining the woman's role as star.