A Thousand Doorways follows author and storyteller Diane Edgecomb’s perilous quest to gather the folktales of the last Kurdish storytellers in Turkey. Aided by her Kurdish allies who bring humor and heart to every danger, this moving story humanizes the difficult politics of the Middle East revealing how real friendships can evolve between people of very different backgrounds. Diane vividly brings to life the events and people she encountered: her intrepid and entrepreneurial mountain guide, the refugee boy who lost his front teeth due to torture, the feisty grandmother who spins magical ancient tales and then invites her to “skypee,” each of the sixteen characters she plays is unforgettable. The performance reveals the transformative power of the ancient art of storytelling and shows its deep relevance to our lives today.
“We would like to thank you so much for taking our stories and sharing them with the world. You did a brilliant job of showing the different aspects of our culture, our humor, our music… you interpreted it and represented us so well. It was the perfect combination of the pain and suffering but the resilience. Your show was amazing, a roller coaster of emotions. Thank you so much for capturing it so well.”
-Shilan Keskin, Kurdish audience member.
A Thousand Doorways is a solo performance in one act with a running time of one hour and twenty minutes. Based entirely on true events, A Thousand Doorways tells of the author’s journey to gather the folktales of the last Kurdish storytellers. A storyteller herself, the narrator is swept into a world of oppression and silenced voices where even the simplest cultural expression is forbidden. The resilience of the Kurds, their humor and heart in the face of every challenge, is revealed as the narrator finds her search has become a deep quest for a touchstone for her own work and an even deeper search for redemption. The piece is woven through with the magical Kurdish fairy tale “The Eggs of the Ancient Tree.” mirroring and challenging the author’s own journey.
“Diane Edgecomb’s performance of A Thousand Doorways is a tour de force in every way. The story of her adventures in the Kurdish region of Turkey is courageous and deeply evocative, by turns terrifying, hilarious, enchanting and poignant. Her delivery of this incredible story is impeccable, bringing to life every character she meets with vivid style. From her intrepid and entrepreneurial mountain guide, to the refugee boy who has lost his front teeth due to torture, to the feisty grandmother who spins magical ancient tales and then invites her to “skypee,” every person is unforgettable. A Thousand Doorways will leave you irrevocably and powerfully changed.” —Genevieve Aichele, Artistic Director, New Hampshire Theatre Project
“A storyteller in the grand tradition, Edgecomb is a virtuoso of the spoken word, an entire cast rolled into one.” —Publisher’s Weekly
The book smelled of mimeograph and smoke. It looked like it had been made by hand in a very small place.
Author of A Fire in My Heart, the first collection of Kurdish folktales to be published in English, Diane Edgecomb is also one of America’s leading storytellers, winner of the only ORACLE award for Storytelling Excellence in the Northeast the National Circle of Excellence award and five Storytelling World awards. A transformational teller with a rich background in the theatre arts, Diane’s dynamic storytelling embraces elements of theatre, movement and song bringing each piece vividly to life. A featured teller on NPR and winner of a Year’s Best Performance award for her theater work in Boston, Diane’s storytelling has been seen at prestigious venues throughout the country and internationally for over twenty-five years including the National Storytelling Festival, the International Storytelling Center, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and the Kurdish Heritage Library and Museum. Passionate about the power of story and what it can do for our world, Diane’s keynotes and workshops often accompany her performances inspiring a renewed vision for our world as well as encouraging each person’s expressive and narrative abilities.
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