The Memory Project: Storytelling through visual arts, theater & puppetry

  PUBLIC CELEBRATION of ART & PERFORMANCE  from the students of SELFHELP LATIMER GARDENS OAC & NEWTOWN ITALIAN SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER At FLUSHING TOWN HALL Friday June 9, 2023 Spica, Margaret, and I were excited to see our students all together at Flushing Town Hall eager to perform their shadow puppet stories. Gabrielle M. Hamilton, Director of Education & Public Programs and Joanne Lee, Education & Family Programs Administrator at Flushing Town Hall welcomed us and helped set up the performance space, with assistance from their staff. Thank you very much for making it all seamless!    Esther, Program Assistant at Newtown Italian Senior Citizen Center brought our students via a chartered bus, some of whom had never been to Flushing before. Our students from Selfhelp Latimer Gardens OAC walked over, accompanied by the Director, Helen Yang and Miranda, the Case Worker there. We welcome their support and encouragement. It was also exciting for the partic...

  NEWTOWN ITALIAN SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER SHADOW PUPPET STORYTELLING WORKSHOP Friday June 2, 2023 Today is our final class before the Public Celebration on June 9. It has been a privilege and an honor to be working again with my colleague Spica Wobbe and the amazing students of the Shadow Puppet Storytelling Workshop at Newtown Italian Senior Citizen Center. We want to express our sincerest gratitude to the Director, Maria Cuoco and her assistant, Heidi Schmidt as well as the rest of the staff. They have enthusiastically supported our program and offered us assistance whenever it’s been requested.   Spica met early with Paul and Rita Tang to go over their shadow puppet performance. Once in the classroom, Paul performed his story twice for recording purposes. As Paul cannot attend the Public Celebration next week, we will play a video of this performance. Other students marveled at Paul’s deft manipulation of his puppets as well as his clear storytelling. Paul told the story of h...

  SELFHELP LATIMER GARDENS OLDER ADULT CENTER SHADOW PUPPET STORYTELLING WORKSHOP Friday June 2, 2023 We are so fortunate to have an enthusiastic and dedicated group of students at the Selfhelp Latimer Older Adult Center. They arrive early to rehearse their shadow puppet performance and take every opportunity to develop and hone their skills. I am thrilled to be working with my amazing colleague Spica Wobbe again and honored to have this chance to meet and work with more talented older adults. Both Spica and I want to express our sincerest gratitude to Helen Yang the Director and her staff who have always made us feel so welcome and cheered on the participants so enthusiastically. These students love a challenge and rise to the occasion, experimenting with different forms and creating some incredible special effects.   CK (Chuan Kui) arrived early so she could set up her shadow puppets and make sure everything was in its rightful place. Her shadow puppetry performance document...