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•STORIES AT THE STATUE OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN For over 50 years, rain or shine, New York children have gathered around Hans Christian Andersen’s Statue in Central Park to listen to his stories. This wonderful New York City tradition continues this summer with a new and exciting storytelling program. In addition to many of Hans Christian Andersen’s classics, master storytellers will be telling some of their favorite stories from such far away places as Haiti, China, India, South Africa, and Ghana. This free, family-friendly series is suitable for people ages five and up, and takes place every Saturday at 11am from now through to September 25th. Check the schedule below and plan to join us for a summer full of story!
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•THE MAGIC ORANGE TREE CD RELEASE PARTY/BENEFIT FOR HAITI Please plan to join Diane, Joy Kelly, Shirley Keller, Haitian drummer and singer Frisner Augustine, and many more on Saturday evening, September 25th, for a special party and benefit at the Meta Center in New York. The “party” is for the release of Diane’s new CD The Magic Orange Tree; the “benefit” part will be in the form of holding various raffles with proceeds going toward the rebuilding of Haiti. There will also be books, CDs, and posters of the Magic Orange Tree painting for sale. Order your tickets now on our special Eventbrite page (credit cards only) and plan to be there for this historic event!
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•DIANE AT THE 2010 NATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Diane will be one of the Featured Tellers this year’s National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. For the occasion, she will bringing stories from Haiti and her own version of Journey to the West. The Festival website has been updated with the full list of featured tellers; if you have made plans to go, be sure to read the online guide to the Festival so you know what to expect when you get there.
“Wolkstein is a translator — not merely someone who brings words from one language into another, but a person who can bridge cultures in such a way as to bring understanding — wit, humor, and moral meaning — along with the words.”
— Barre Toelken, President, American Folklore Society
©2000-2010 Diane Wolkstein / Cloudstone Productions, New York City. All rights are reserved.
Stories at Scandinavia House
American Scandinavian Foundation
Heimbold Family Children's Learning Center
58 Park Avenue at 37th Street, New York City (View Google Map)
(MTA subway: 6 train to 33rd Street or Grand Central Station, 4/5/6/7/S to Grand Central Station;
MTA buses: 1/2/3/4 up Madison Avenue, 1/2/3/5 down 5th Avenue)
Select Saturdays of each month from October to May,
from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Admission: Free
(Suitable for children of ages 5 and up)
Artistic Director: Diane Wolkstein
Contact: 212-879-9779 or hca@amscan.org
Johanna Hongell-Darsee at Scandinavia House
Click on an event within the calendar below for more information.
Diane with Jeff Greene performing Journey to the West at Fo Guang University, Jiaoshi, Taiwan (photo by Wei-Hsin)
Download the schedule (PDF format), print it, and spread the word!
Highlight of the 2009-2010 Season
Johanna Hongell-Darsee, who was born in Finland, regaled an audience of children and their parents with riddles, ballads and a story from the Kalevala. An exquisite performer, she uses voice, song, harp, and Bharatnatyam dance to enhance her varied and beautiful program. We hope she will return soon.
Keep posted for the Fall programs....
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•A SMALL GALA FOR HAITI IN CENTRAL PARK (June 5th, 2010) A beautiful day in Central Park with the fabulous Haitian drummer Oneza LaFontant and myself telling five stories from The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales. The fun increased as Jessica Lee and Phil Robinson joined in with a Haitian song, and the inimitable Joy Kelly played Horse in "Horse and Toad". A special treat was a short presentation by Ninaj, the director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refuges, on their work in Haiti. Thanks to everyone who came out to share this special day with us! - DW
Left to right: Ken Setterington telling “The Snow Queen” and Julie DellaTorre telling “Young Kate” at the Statue, July 31st 2010