Chinese Theatre Works

06/01/2026

Natalie and Zhongkuai facing stiff winds on Vernon Blvd for LIC Springs. Hao Bangha!!

05/02/2026

Almost done with the the move of CTW's office at SMP building in Queens, from room 105 (left) to room 109 (right). The new space has almost twice the space, so it will give us a an open workspace that's much larger than our former space.

While it's only 2 doors down the hallway, the move has still been an awful lot of shlepping. Our maser packer, Charlie Santos will oversee the de-clutterization of the new space.

04/21/2026

Hao Bang-ah Puppet Showplace!

04/14/2026

Chinese Theatre Works is thrilled to return to the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival this spring to teach another series of online classes!

Shadow Puppetry I (Level 1) is a 5-session beginner-friendly course in which students will learn about world shadow puppetry traditions, light sources, and puppet fabrication using simple, recycled materials.

We’ll also guide you in creating your own desktop shadow theater performance – complete with basic figures, environments, storyboards and music!

Join us from anywhere in the world and register now at the link below for 10 hours of shadow puppetry instruction and FUN! See you in class, puppeteers!

📅 5 live ONLINE sessions: Wednesday, April 29 / Monday, May 4 / Wednesday, May 6 / Monday, May 11 / Wednesday, May 13
⏰ 7:00-9:00 PM CT
💰 $250 registration fee
🎟️ Register at https://chicagopuppetfest.org/event/shadow-puppetry-1-level-1-with-chinese-theatre-works/

04/10/2026

Chinese Theatre Works is coming to the Boston area next week for 4 shows of Hao Bang Ah! Horse at the phenomenal Puppet Showplace Theater on Saturday, April 18 (10:30am/1pm) and Sunday, April 19 (10:30am/1pm)! This budaixi hand puppet performance has been specially crafted for the Year of the Horse; come join us for skits, dances, songs and fun for the whole family!

🎟 $18 general admission tickets now on sale at https://purchase.puppetshowplace.org/EventAvailability?EventId=15001
📍 Puppet Showplace Theater, 32 Station St, Brookline MA 02445
⏰ Saturday, 4/18 at 10:30am/1:00pm and Sunday, 4/19 at 10:30am/1:00pm

03/16/2026

Yesterday, puppet history was made when Kharagoz and the Monkey King shared the shadow screen. Thanks to Cemal and the good folks at the Turkish House for inviting us help serve some Turkish/Chinese Delight.

03/03/2026

Next week! On Tuesday, March 10 at 3pm, Chinese Theatre Works will be at the Queens Public Library at Bay Terrace. The event is completely FREE; please join us!

Let’s celebrate the end of Lunar New Year season together with our family-friendly original works “Zodiac Parade” and “The Fox Borrows the Tiger’s Shadow”. Stick around after the show for some hands-on shadow puppet fun!!

🎟 Free community event! Details at link: https://www.queenslibrary.org/calendar/shadow-puppet-show-with-chinese-theater-works/006769-1025
📍 Queens Public Library at Bay Terrace, 18-36 Bell Blvd
⏰ Tuesday, 3/10 from 3:00-4:00pm

03/01/2026

Bravo BIMP!

It was so great to have Chinese Theatre Works perform "Tiger Tales" today at the BIMP theater! Plus, Eric Bass and Ines Zeller Bass visited to donate some classic Sandglass Theater puppets to the Ballard Institute's collection, which will be part of our upcoming "Becoming Modern: U.S. Puppetry in the 20th Century" exhibition opening March 26...
Left to Right: Stephen Kaplin, Kuangyu Fong, Ines Zeller Bass, Eric Bass, Harrison Greene, Harrison's parents, Allison Free, and John Bell...

02/25/2026

Triple show day! We are elated to announce our upcoming performances of Tiger Tales co-sponsored by the UConn Asian American Cultural Center at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry on Saturday, February 28!

Three linked tales, using images based on antique Chinese leather shadow figures, trace Tiger’s sudden rise and disastrous fall and impart humorous lessons on survival for the small and powerless in today’s modern jungle.

🎟 Tickets for our 11:00am or 2:00pm show at https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/bimp-0/tiger-tales or call (860) 486-8580
📍 Ballard Institute, 1 Royce Cir , Storrs, CT 06268
⏰ Saturday, 2/28 at 11:00am and 2:00pm

02/24/2026

This Saturday, February 28 at 2pm, join us at the Queens Public Library at Elmhurst to enjoy our new Hao Bang Ah! Horse original production for FREE! Featuring all twelve animals of Chinese Zodiac, Hao Bang Ah! Horse is a budaixi traditional Chinese puppet show perfect for audiences of all ages.

🎟 Free community event
📍 Queens Public Library at Elmhurst, 86-07 Broadway
⏰ Saturday, 2/28 from 2:00-3:00pm

Hope to see you there! 🐴