One Thousand Doorways…
One Thousand Doorways is the dramatic tale of Diane’s quest to document the vanishing legends of the Kurds of Turkey. Forbidden by law to speak or write their native language, the Kurd’s rich culture is rapidly disappearing. This moving performance takes us on an exotic journey from Diane’s first humorous meetings with carpet dealers and chain smoking octogenarians to her travels up sheer mountain passes to the remote Kurdish villages usually forbidden to outsiders. An Oracle award winning storyteller, Diane’s captivating one woman performance resonates with the humor and pathos of village life and the colorful people who shared their lives and their stories with her.
Rave Reviews of One Thousand Doorways
“We LOVED!!! Diane’s performance! We are looking forward to working with our faculty and the JWU International Center to being her back again next year.” Patricia Trosclair, International Center, Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island
Diane performs One Thousand Doorways at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee
October 2013
“No one worked more magic than you, Diane. You were one shining light! From the time you stepped onto the Gathering stage, you held the audience spellbound.” ~ Peg O’ Sullivan, Festival Director, Connecticut Storytelling Center, Connecticut College
Below- a full letter review of the performance by Shirley Oskamp- professor at Green Mountain College, NH
Thank you for sharing your “Journey among the Kurds” with the students, faculty and staff of Green Mountain College. People from each of these constituencies have raved about the show. It is rare to find a performance that touches so many people so intensely.
I appreciate the way you were able to weave history and story together with personal experiences (your own and those of others) in order to create a performance that was both incredibly entertaining and also informative. Your amazing pictures helped to make the people and places real for us. We left feeling inspired by the stories of the Kurdish people you encountered, as well as obtaining a glimpse into a culture that has been hidden to us by misunderstanding and even deliberate falsehoods. The Kurds came alive for us through your words.
Several of my students were clearly changed by having heard these stories. They spoke afterward of how important it is to look beyond the surface of a culture and a people in order to find what is truly there. They also encouraged me to invite you back after your next story-gathering trip, so you can share even more stories with us!’
Thank you for the time and energy you gave to us. It was all wonderful!
Diane tells Fatima the Kurdish Cinderella story for 1,000 listeners at the National Storytelling Festival, October 2013
This performance complements libraries who have received the Bridging Cultures: Muslim Journeys grants. Contact us today…
