November, 2009

Created and performed by Masanari Kawahara
Directed by Sandy Spieler
Music by Matt Larson

“When bombs begin to fall on people, you cannot stay in the meditation hall all of the time. Meditation is about the awareness of what is going on-not only in your body and in your feelings, but all around you.” -Thich Nhat Hanh, 2003

This intimate performance explores the life and work of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese monk, poet, and peace activist. In the hands of master visual storyteller Masanari Kawahara, eloquent puppets weave an interpretation of the man and his teachings in this new production. Based on writings by Thich Nhat Hanh, this active meditation juxtaposes the simple joys of life with the horrors of war and violence, and illuminates his influential path through both.

Thich Nhat Hanh, the inspiration for and central character in A Path Home, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1967, after playing a central role in the Vietnamese peace movement. He is a founder of Engaged Buddhism, which centers on love, mindfulness, and courage in action. He has dedicated his life to generating peace and social change through compassion.

The last performance of A Path Home: A Story of Thich Nhat Hanh was on May 6, 2010 at Dreamland Arts, 677 Hamline Ave. St Paul, MN

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.