East meets west, figuratively and literally, in "Journey From The East," a free outdoor performance presented by Touchstone Theatre, 3 p.m. April 18, 19, 25 and 26, Chinese Harmony Pavilion, 200 block (between Taylor and Webster streets), South Bethlehem Greenway, Bethlehem.

The production is billed as "eastern pilgrimage meets western showdown." The performance has a twist for the audience, which won't be revealed here.

"The idea is that people are coming to the Bethlehem Greenway because the president of the United States will be there to sign a treaty with a Chinese diplomat. And this treaty will be signed at the Bethlehem-China Harmony Pavilion," says Jp Jordan, Touchstone Artistic Director who's directing "Journey," a two-part project which began with "Dream Of The Red Pavilion," presented last April at Touchstone.

The cast includes Deng Dafei (Pigsy), Bill George (Old Timer), Mary Wright (Maggie), Josh Neth (Roy Madsen), Anna Russell (Musician), Remy Kayal (Dragon God), Emma Chong (Horsey) and He Hai (Mr. Tang).

Deng Dafei and He Hai are the Chinese-based Utopia Group, with whom Touchstone has worked with on "Journey," produced in collaboration with the Moravian College Theater Company.

Utopia has an exhibition at Touchstone and April 18 unveils a mural on the building's north wall facing the Greenway.

Jordan compares "Journey" to a "Homeric myth, but for the Chinese, about a monk sent by the Buddah to India to retrieve scriptures." That aspect of the storyline was inspired by "Journey To The West" (1592), published during the Ming dynasty and regarded as a classic novel of Chinese literature.

Of "Journey," Jordan continues, "At some point, there's a switch in the play and they are forced to understand their counterparts."

Deng Dafei and He Hai were in residence at Touchstone in April 2014 when they saw "Dream Of The Red Pavilion," written by Mary Wright.

''During that time period, we came up with ideas we wanted to explore," says Jordan.

"This is where we started to figure out ways we could use the 'Journey To The West' story to use our situation in Bethlehem, and not only our situation in Bethlehem."

"Journey" is written by Touchstone co-founder Bill George and Touchstone Associate-Moravian College Director of Theatre Christopher Shorr.

The two-act, approximately 1 1/2-hour show includes a 16-foot dragon, monkey and bandit puppets created by Doug Roysdon of Mock Turtle Marionette Theatre.

Dr. Paula Ring Zerkle, an associate music professor and Director of Choral Music at Moravian College, wrote the music in collaboration with Michael McAndrew, Moravian College, Class of 2014, and conducts the musicians.

Says Jordan, "We always knew we were going to do two pieces, and one would be more directly about Bethlehem and the other would be a further abstraction."

"Journey' events

Exhibit by Deng Dafei and He Hai of the Utopia Group of China, Touchstone Gallery, Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem: Paintings created as promotional pieces for "Journey From The East," mash-up imagery and art created by Utopia Group with community members during Lehigh Valley workshops. Open during performance weekends April 18, 19, 25 and 26 and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Guest Lecture, 6 p.m. April 18, Touchstone Theatre: "Bridging Epic Traditions: The Cross-Cultural Significance Of The Chinese 'Journey To The West,'" Victor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature, University of Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Lehigh University Religion Studies Department.

Panel Discussion, 6 p.m. April 25, Touchstone Theatre: Panelists Bob Kilker, Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Kutztown University, and Christopher Shorr, Touchstone Associate-Moravian College Director of Theatre, discuss the American Western as cultural mythology. Moderated by Bill Bly, dramaturge, "Journey From The East." Free. Donations welcomed.

A Chinese-style "Spring Festival" and a pyrotechnic display by Celebration Fireworks follows the final "Journey From The East" performance April 26.

"Journey From The East" is supported in part by the Henry Luce Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts' Art Works, Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission, Keystone Savings Foundation, and Lehigh University Department of Community and Regional Affairs.