presenting
Journey to the West
the epic Journey begins...
Journey to the West is one of the three great Chinese epics. Written by Wu Cheng'En in the sixteenth century and based on the historical Xuanzang, the epic recounts the poignant and humorous adventures of the impetuous, all powerful Monkey King, whose concerns are himself, and the pure-hearted determined Tang Priest, who wants to help others. Together they struggle not only with demons and ogres, but with one another, as they travel from China to India to bring back the Buddhist scriptures.
With unexpected movement and song, Wolkstein breaks open the text, encouraging the audience to question the path of goodness (the Tang Priest) vs. the path of power (Monkey King) and how they might be integrated then -- and now.
Please check our website often for news, photos, performances, and other exciting content, and follow Diane and Monkey King by joining the mailing list, becoming a fan on Facebook, and subscribing to Diane’s YouTube channel. Thank you! (www.dianewolkstein.com)
What People
Are Saying...
... in America:
“One of the most beloved epic novels of Asia, Journey to the West was my favorite book when I was growing up. Diane and Jeff’s multi-sensory storytelling performance captured the excitement, humor and anticipation of adventure that I always felt reading the book. The performance provided a rare moment that generations of families get together and experience ancient wisdom and laughter. Thank you, Diane and Jeff, for the wonderful afternoon."
— Saly Lee, Programming,
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
“Diane Wolkstein does not just tell the story: she channels the main figures, becomes Monkey King and the priest to a startling degree; one could describe them as if one had actually seen them. Drama is blended with comic episodes. The audience is offered the most vivid reality, and time passes with amazing speed. The result is a rich and satisfying evening at the theater.”
— Olivier Bernier, Lecturer, Metropolitan Museum of Art
“Diane’s solo performance of Monkey King is a marvel. She is at the height of her career; every word, gesture and pause is exquisite. She is a consummate artist.”
— Dr. Judith Pasamanick, Professor,
Bank St. College of Education
“Each time I’ve seen Diane Wolkstein perform Monkey King, she opened the doors to the cosmos for her audience, allowing them to experience the healing power of story. I left the theatre more connected to my own compassion!”
— Tracy Cochran, Editor Parabola Magazine
“Diane Wolkstein’s Monkey King takes us on a spectacular journey - funny, human and transcendent - in which we encounter ourselves and all of life’s ultimate questions.”
— Barbra Abrash, Director, Center for Media,
Culture & History, New York University
...in Taiwan:
“You brought my culture back to me in a fuller way. I thought Journey to the West was just a story. Now I can appreciate that it has many profound truths. We take it for granted. Thank you for your movement, your animation, your heart. I loved how you and Jeff were in such harmony.
— Buddhist Nun, Fo Guang University
"The great gift you gave us was to take all of us back to the magical time in our childhood when we sat by our amahs, our grandmothers, and imbibed the wisdom and warmth of their stories. You reminded us of how important and essential stories are to our lives and happiness."
— Professor Peter Y H Chen, Taipei University
...in Australia:
“Watching her is an awe-inspiring gift. Last night I sat spell-bound for two and a half hours as Diane brought forth different characters from Monkey King. In her enactment - it is no mere performance - she is accessing something much more than can be found via discipline and memory. Watching her I felt myself in the presence of something ‘Other': the neglected aspect of our own humanity, a place of reverie that lies within the depths of us all, but which we rarely inhabit. Diane's presentation led us to become ‘Awake to Emptiness.’"
— Jan Campbell Thompson, Perth
“ A great success! Diane’s storytelling is so totally absorbing you forget where you are and totally enter the world she and Jeff create in their performance."
— Edie Young, Public Programs Officer, National Gallery of Australia
A glimpse of the production...
Journey to the West: Live at New York University
at the National Storytelling Festival
in Jonesborough,
with over 15,000 attendees each year.
“Diane's thoughtful, dynamic telling of Monkey King, with Jeff Greene's imaginative accompaniment,
casts a spell on the audience. Children and parents sit mesmerized as this ancient epic unfolds.”
— Rita Auerbach, President of the America Library Association
Visit Diane’s website:
For press and booking inquiries:
Monkey roaming free in Central Park
Live at the Rothko Chapel, Texas
“Diane’s imaginative re-telling of Monkey King takes us deeper and deeper into the realm that Rothko painted, where form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Diane and Jeff perfectly blend story and music, masterly conveying the humor and wisdom of one of the world's great epics. A rare experience of the best of ritual theatre.”
— Emilee Dawn Whitehurst, Executive Director, Rothko Chapel
“The most important insights of Buddha cannot be communicated intellectually, only experientially. Story is one way of taking us there.”
— John Snyder, A Buddhist Review of Journey to the West (click)
Fun at Parabola Live
Upcoming Events:
Diane and Jeff having fun at NYC’s Insight Meditation
“You bring a unique energy and spirit to the stage and we, the audience, are all the better for engaging with you on this journey.”
— David B. Austell, Director, Office for International Students, NYU
Journey to the West at NYU’s Eisner & Lubin Auditorium
Jeff Greene
Journeys East: Research and Adventure
Performance Highlights:
An archive of performance photos, videos and reviews from Taiwan, Australia, Canada, and US performances, including the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, Fullbright Foundation, Taipei University, the Rothko Chapel in Texas, New York University, the American Museum of Natural History, Clearwater Revival Festival, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, and many more.
Tracing the root of Xuanzang
An archive of photos, videos and reviews
Following in Buddha’s footsteps
Studying with the Masters
A short documentary on Diane’s 2008 trip to Taiwan.
Monkey King Goes Public!
PBS recently aired a wonderful program on Journey to the West as part of the television series An Invitation to World Literature.
Hear Diane and many other artists and scholars speak about this great Asian epic. To watch the full episode for free online, visit http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/journey-to-the-west/watch/
Monkey tours Australia!
Diane and Jeff at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra
Diane recently completed a wonderful three-week tour of Australia, including multiple workshops and Monkey King performances at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Victoria’s High Country, Perth, and Sydney. To hear an interview with Diane about Monkey King for ABC’s nation-wide broadcast, visit our blog at Diane on Late Night Live.
Jeff Green and Diane performing at the National Gallery of Victoria
Diane and Jeff in Victoria’s beautiful High Country
Diane performing Monkey King in Perth
National Storytelling Festival
Photos by Andrew Schwartz
Get in touch:
Collaborators:
We’d love to hear from you and stay in touch!
Sep. 1-5 2012 Monkey King: Journey to the West
Singapore Storytelling Festival
For a detailed schedule click here
Sep. 29 2012 Monkey King in Palm Beach, Florida
Norton Museum of Art
7th Annual Chinese Moon Festival
For more details click here
Mailing list:
Provincetown Playhouse, New York
Jeff Greene and Diane performing Monkey King at the Provincetown Playhouse on November 6th, 2011
“I was captivated by Wolkstein’s storytelling. For her to be able to tell an Asian story to Asian people, who grew up hearing the story and knew it well, was very brave.”
“For me Monkey King relates to what is happening in the world today; the greed, the envy and the jealousy.”
“Stories and storytellers have the ability to be at the forefront of shifting paradigms. People who hold power want stories that reflect the old paradigms in order to maintain their power. Therefore people who hold power seek to censor stories and storytellers who stand for and advocate the very changes they fear. Change is inevitable, however gradual, and stories and storytellers are in the position to ignite the fire of change the world. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we can use to change our lives.”
— Thokozani Ndaba
On the Road with Monkey King
Diane talks about the experience of researching Monkey King and grappling with such a big story.
Click to download the full article as it appeared in the September issue of Storytelling Magazine.
Monkey returns to Taiwan!
Fifth Grade at the Kaohsiung American School
Diane is currently in Taiwan on a 6-month government scholarship, where she is researching her upcoming book on Journey to the West, as well as studying Mandarin. Monkey King, in other words, is keeping plenty busy!!
But even on long and challenging journeys, one must always set aside some time for fun! A big thank you to all the wonderful fifth graders at the Kaohsiung American School for welcoming Monkey with wide eyes and open hearts: