Step onto Pell Street for a lively afternoon of puppetry and play!
Enjoy the artistry of Chinese Theatre Works (CTW), in their latest original production, "Hao Bang Ah! Snake!" CTW is an award-winning New York-based company dedicated to preserving and reimagining Chinese performing arts for contemporary audiences. Known for their exquisite hand puppetry, shadow theater, and bilingual productions, CTW has performed across the U.S. and internationally, introducing audiences of all ages to the beauty and humor of traditional Chinese puppetry.
Adding to the fun, puppeteers Spica Wobbe and John Wobbe will make guest appearances as the beloved characters Uncle John and Goo Goo.
Performances take place outdoors on the steps of the historic First Chinese Baptist Church at 21 Pell Street. The ~30min performance will be repeated three times at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
Bring family and friends, and enjoy a joyful celebration of puppetry, history, and community—free and open to all!
Chinese Theatre Works was created in 2001 out of the merger of two non-profit institutions with long histories of bringing traditional and innovative, contemporary Chinese performing arts to local New York City, national and international audiences
Uncle John was born in Chinatown when his foam was first purchased on Canal Street. As the star of “Uncle John's Story Time” he has successfully launched his career and seeks a wider audience for his stand up comedy with “Uncle John's Joke Time”. He feels his life and career has taken an exciting turn for the better since the addition of his lovely and talented wife GooGoo to his projects.
GooGoo means "Auntie" in Mandarin. Her roots can be traced back to the fabric markets of Taipei, Taiwan. Born with an adventurous heart and the spirit of a puppeteer, she traveled around the world before finally finding her true love in New York City, where she now lives and
works with Uncle John. She frequently guest-stars on other Uncle John productions.
Spica Wobbe ( 鄭淑芸 Shu-yun Cheng), co-founder of Double Image Theater Lab, is a puppetry artist originally from Taiwan. Now based in NYC, she performs and teaches internationally and holds M.A. in Educational Theater from New York University.
Think!Chinatown is a place-based intergenerational non-profit in Manhattan’s Chinatown, working at the intersection of storytelling, arts, and neighborhood engagement. T!C is the team behind neighborhood cultural programs like Chinatown Arts Festival, Chinatown Night Market, Chinatown Block Parties, Chinatown Storytelling Festival, and more. Find more at www.thinkchinatown.org