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* HISTORY *
On the corner of North Salina Street, Ash Street, and Prospect Avenue in Syracuse stands a fanciful red brick building with a big round tower. Built in 1890 by Charles L. Hoffman, President of the National Brewing Company as a home for his family, and used in later years as a V.F.W. post, a Union Hall, and a church, this magical "castle" has finally found its home as a unique cultural resource - Open Hand Theater's International Mask and Puppet Museum. From its castle in the midst of the culturally diverse and exciting NorthSide neighborhood, Open Hand Theater provides a doorway into a whole world of mask, puppetry, music, and dance traditions and the borderless world of the human imagination.
Open Hand Theater was born out of Seedling Theater of Oneonta New York. Open Hand Theater began its journey in 1980. Its first steps were from a small loft studio space in an abandoned warehouse area later to be known as the revitalized Armory Square. The theater moved to Plymouth Congregational Church in 1985 and became the first of a series of collaborations in the Syracuse community and beyond that have helped set it on its current path. From its earliest days, Open Hand Theater has had a strong commitment to community involvement, education and social concerns. |
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Open Hand Theater employs masks and puppets together with live actors and music to produce theatrical pieces for children and adult audiences, including performances in schools, parks, community centers, churches and professional theaters as well as its "Castle" home. The Theater also operates highly successful, innovative arts-in-education programs in schools throughout Central and Western New York.
Hand in Hand Youth Theater, Open Hand's children's theater program, was started in 1989, and provides training for young theater artists. In addition, the Theater conducts annual Summer Circus Camps as well as other vacation camps. Open Hand Theater's commitment to children in upstate New York is extensive. Its collaborations with the Syracuse City School District, and the Onondaga Nation School, for example, have brought a unique opportunity for a broad range of young people. |
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Open Hand Theater also conducts an innovative adult theater series. This series creates a new work each year together with other artists and cultural organizations. Past collaborations have included productions of "Sleeping Beauty" with Upstate New York Ballet, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" with Plymouth Congregational Church, performances with the Society for New Music, local artist Roger Bingham Morris, and unforgettable production of Mozart's The "Magic Flute" with Syracuse Opera.
Open Hand Theater is proud to assume stewardship of its wonderful historic building, and is transforming the castle into a unique cultural resource that will provide enchanting arts programs for many generations. Plans are under way to expand the facility and create a new, more accessible, performance space as Open Hand begins its next twenty-five years of exploring the world of mask and puppetry arts. A century ago, the house on Ash Street was filled with the sounds the young children who lived there and now the old castle is smiling again with the sounds of children's laughter and amazement |
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Open Hand Theater
518 Prospect Avenue,
Syracuse, New York 13208
Tel: 315-476-0466
FAX: 315-472-2578
Email: Info@openhandtheater.org
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