On Saturday, March 16, Cardboard Explosion! will return to Flushing Town Hall’s stage with a one-of-a-kind puppetry experience using nothing but cardboard and the power of imagination.
With help from the audience, master puppeteer Brad Shur will transform simple cardboard shapes into elaborate puppet characters and bring them to life right before the audience’s eyes. In this highly interactive, family-friendly show, everyone can choose their own adventure, build their own heroes, and outsmart dragons. Because of this improvisatory element, no performance is ever the same!
Preceding the 50-minute performance, Flushing Town Hall will host an optional workshop where families can create their own moving-mouth puppet. After learning to cut and fold a single sheet of paper into a working puppet form, participants will add features to make each puppet their own.
“We are thrilled to bring Cardboard Explosion! back to Queens,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director, Ellen Kodadek. “Brad Shur has such great energy on stage, and families are guaranteed to have a blast taking part in his creative process!”
“Cardboard Explosion! is a wonderfully immersive arts education experience that teaches children about reusing materials—everything in the show is made from repurposed cardboard,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Director of Education & Public Programs, Gabrielle M. Hamilton. “We love to inspire children to create their own puppets at home using what they learned through the show and workshop, and hope you will join us!“
Take a sneak peek at the awe-inspiring Cardboard Explosion!
Puppeteer, puppet builder, and arts educator Brad Shur began performing as a student at Rhode Island School of Design. In 2009, he became the Resident Artist at Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline, MA, where he was the lead teaching artist and touring puppeteer for eight years. During that time, Shur developed six original shows and revived several classic shows created by Paul Vincent Davis.
In 2017, Shur founded Paper Heart Puppets, an organization dedicated to sharing and expanding the art of puppetry. Headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York, the company offers touring shows, workshops, and custom puppet building. Shur has participated in many festivals, including The Puppeteers of America National Festival, The International Puppet Fringe NYC, and the International Theatre Festival for Young Audiences in Iasi, Romania.
Tickets to the 1:00 PM workshop are $5 for all (recommended for ages 8 and up). Tickets to the 2:15 PM family show are $15 for adults, $12 for members, seniors, and students with ID, and $8 for children (recommended for ages 5 and up.)
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.flushingtownhall.org/cardboard-explosion or by calling the box office at 718 463-7700 x 222.
The performance of Cardboard Explosion! is supported in part by a grant from the Jim Henson Foundation.
NEW EVENT STREAMING PLATFORM
For those unable to attend events in person, Flushing Town Hall has launched Culture Stream. Subscriptions start at $5 per month. CultureStream.tv (powered by Flushing Town Hall) is a virtual gateway to the captivating world of global cultural performances at Flushing Town Hall, in the heart of Queens, NY. Culture Stream Subscribers are immersed in an array of diverse artistic expressions from around the city and across the globe, from the comfort of their homes. With over 30 live events per year, our platform brings the stage to screens everywhere, fostering a deep appreciation for cultural heritage and artistic excellence.
COVID Policy:
Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety
Support Global Arts with a Gift Today!
All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits, including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends
Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support in 2024 from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Jessica Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.
To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings
About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.
Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.
Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.
For more information:
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354
