Flushing Town Hall Presents "Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch"

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Flushing Town Hall will host the award-winning Axis Theatre for a heartwarming performance of Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch on Saturday, February 17. Children and families are invited to sign up for a hands-on shadow puppetry workshop prior to the performance.

Based on the popular children’s book by Eileen Spinelli, the British Columbian Axis Theatre from Vancouver presents the story of Mr. Hatch, who lives a colorless and ordered life. He goes to work at the shoelace factory, eats his lunch alone, reads the paper, and then goes to bed… early. Until one Valentine’s Day, he receives the biggest surprise of his life: a candy-filled heart with a note that whispers, “Somebody loves you.” Mr. Hatch’s world is turned upside down, and he begins to make friends and enjoy all the fun parts of life he once ignored. Audiences of all ages are invited to join Mr. Hatch as he searches for his secret admirer and enjoys the biggest surprise of his life as this touching puppet play examines the effect that kindness can have on a dreary existence.

“We are so excited to finally bring the talented team of Axis Theatre to Queens after their originally-scheduled performance of Mr. Hatch was canceled due to the pandemic shutdown of 2020. The wait is finally over,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “The message of this absolutely lovely and adorable play is still as current as it was when the book was written more than 30 years ago, and we are thrilled to share the spirit of kindness with our family audiences.”

Prior to the 2:15 PM performance, cast members of Axis Theatre will host an introductory workshop into the world of shadow puppetry at 1 PM. Participants will learn how to design and build their very own shadow puppets and how to physically play with them on stage or on a shadow screen. This workshop is designed for young people who want to play, have fun, and learn new creative skills in a supportive environment.

Tickets for the 1:00 PM workshop are $5 for all (please note that space is limited). Tickets for the 2:15 PM family show are $15 for adults and $8 for children. This show is recommended for ages 3 & up.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/somebody-loves-you-mr-hatch

For the venue’s full schedule of 2024 Winter events, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents.

About Axis Theatre

In 1973-74, Lin Bennett, Wendy Gorling, Elizabeth Murray-Byers, and Wayne Specht, who became the founding Artistic Director, came together as a group. Each trained at either Étienne Decroux or L’École Lecoq and was eager to promote their chosen art form. In May 1975, the Axis Mime Theatre Society was incorporated as the next step to access financial support to create the structure needed to administer their activities on a consistent, professional level.

For more than 45 years, Axis Theatre (which later dropped the word “mime” from their original name) has been creating original physical theatre productions for the young and young-at-heart, exploring aspects of clown, commedia dell'arte, music, movement, and puppetry to produce original plays.

In the age of “looking down” at tablets, smartphones, and computers, Axis Theatre draws young eyes up to engage them in interactive experiences that educate, inspire, and transform. By telling stories in unique ways, Axis Theatre productions are guided by these words: inventive, youthful, kinetic, multicultural, smart, and engaging.

Axis’ productions are performed in theaters and schools, enriching the curriculum, drawing children into stories, and giving them access to ideas in new ways. Their 59 original works have earned 24 Jessie Richardson Awards, a Betty Mitchell Award, a Drama Desk Nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience, and in 2017 Axis Theatre was named Artistic Company of the Year by the BC Touring Council.