Kansas-born Pauline Benton (1898-1974) was encouraged by her father to reach for the stars. Instead, she reached for shadows. In 1920s Beijing, she discovered shadow theatre, and that it was declining in China. She believed she could save the tradition by taking it to America. Grant Hayter-Menzies traces Benton&#39;s performance history and her efforts to preserve shadow theatre as a global cultural treasure.