Open Hand Theater
About
Mask and Puppet Theater with Educational Programs
Open Hand Theater is a Syracuse mask and puppet theater plus museum founded in 1980, operating from a historic "Castle" in a multicultural North Salina neighborhood with educational programs for kids in traditional and non-traditional settings.
Educational Puppet and Mask Programming
Workshops and shows draw on global mask and puppet traditions, giving kids exposure to performance art forms beyond mainstream theater. Programs include:
- Mask and puppet performance workshops
- Museum tours and educational exhibits
- School-visit educational programs
- Community performances
- Multicultural mask and puppet exhibits
- Original puppet productions for young audiences
What's Included
- Historic Castle venue with attached museum
- Mask and puppet collection from world traditions
- Educator-led tours for school groups
- Faculty with mask and puppet performance training
Experience
The mask and puppet focus is genuinely rare in American kids' theater - most companies stick to live-actor work. Kids who pass through Open Hand pick up performance fundamentals plus crafts traditions from cultures they may never have encountered through standard theater education. The Castle venue itself is memorable - a literal entry point that doesn't feel like a classroom.