Ayhan Hulagu

Traditional Turkish Shadow theatre-Karagöz art form

Ayhan Hulagu is a New York-based actor who has taken part in international theatre and film projects. He is one of only a handful of living artists in the world trained in traditional Turkish theatre.

He has performed at international festivals across the U.S., Asia, Africa, and Europe, and has been a guest artist at leading institutions including Cornell, UC Berkeley, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.

A hands-on workshop exploring Karagöz, the traditional Turkish shadow theatre recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Led by Ayhan Hulagu, founder of the US Karagöz Theatre Company, America’s first traditional Turkish theatre company, participants step behind the screen to discover the techniques, philosophy, and storytelling traditions of this 700-year-old art form using handcrafted camel or cattle hide puppets.

Through practical exercises, participants will learn the fundamentals of puppet manipulation and performance while experiencing the magic of traditional shadow theatre from the performer’s perspective. They will also have the unique opportunity to practice with Hulagu, who brought this centuries-old tradition to Broadway for the first time, creating a memorable and immersive cultural experience.

Crown Your Smile

During the Crown Your Smile workshop, with the guidance of a professional facilitator, children will create unique royal crowns for princes and princesses, as well as imaginative wreaths for fairies.

Through the symbolic act of creating crowns, we convey the message that children’s smiles are the most precious adornment of our city.

Dream, Draw and Smile to Create a Mask

At this creative workshop, children will have the opportunity to design and make their own masks for masquerades and carnivals.

From discussing the characters, animals, or fantastical creatures they wish to portray, through shaping the masks to fit their faces and decorating them with paints, glitter, feathers, fabrics, and other eye-catching materials, to presenting their finished creations and having their photographs taken.