Mom-Owned in Brooklyn spotlights businesses owned by amazing local mamas. We are thrilled to interview Brooklynite and mom of two Elisa Pupko who founded Brooklyn-kid favorite Treasure Trunk Theatre, a theatrical arts program for children which explores drama through imagination and the magic of storytelling.
Elisa, tell us about yourself and Treasure Trunk Theatre.
I’m a mom to a 5 year old and 10 month old, a Brooklyn resident, and the founder of Treasure Trunk Theatre. My background is in acting and early childhood education, so Treasure Trunk is a perfect pairing of my passions. Our programming at Treasure Trunk includes classes, camps, and parties. Everything we do is rooted in imaginative play. The program is designed to engage kiddos ages 0-8 years old, with a deep focus on finding the joy in creation and expression without the pressure of a big production.
Beyond a pairing of your two passions, what was the inspiration for Treasure Trunk?
I was a working actor running from audition to audition, and my love for kiddos led me to babysitting as my survival job. One day, I found myself playing with a dress-up trunk with one of the families that I cared for, and noticed how joyful it felt to be out of the audition grind, constantly chasing the next gig, and just purely playing and imagining.
After some research, I realized that there wasn’t much theatrical programming for younger children around ages 3-6… which is the prime imagination time! So, I rented a yoga studio, bedazzled a plastic treasure trunk, and invited the kids I was babysitting for at the time to come to a class. The families loved it, kept asking for more and more, and the business began growing into what we are today.
I am so proud to say that in the past ten years since the first class, we have expanded to a team of 60+ talented teaching artists and have half a dozen dedicated individuals running our administrative team behind the scenes. We have a gorgeous flagship studio on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights, and have expanded all across Brooklyn and Manhattan in satellite venues and outdoor locations, and we have served thousands of children.
What is a Treasure Trunk Class like?
Stepping into a class or camp at Treasure Trunk is like embarking on a journey straight into your imagination! We love creating an environment where kids can really be themselves, and they are celebrated for exactly who they are.
Our experienced and engaging teaching artists will welcome each child and guide the group in games and activities to get everyone comfortable and excited. Then, we open the treasure trunk! The star of every class and camp is always our magical treasure trunk - a bedazzled, whimsical trunk full of mysteries and surprises. The kiddos will always open the trunk and inside will be anything from props and costumes, to a craft project, a script, or a storybook - it all depends on the class!
After we open the trunk, we dive into our main activities for the day! We encourage kiddos to try new things (for instance, acting out their favorite character from a beloved story book), work together (perhaps collaboratively writing their own play as a group), and have a blast (bubble dance parties are a must!).
You also offer birthday parties, right?
Yes, we do! We know birthdays are essentially what every kiddo looks forward to all year long. So, it is our goal to be sure we can truly bring the wild, creative, and wonderful ideas in your kiddo’s imagination to life for their special day.
Just like in our camps and classes, we bring our magical treasure trunk to every celebration. For birthdays we work with the host parent to tailor the entire experience to anything and everything the child is most interested in. We have done themes from Frozen, to Encanto, to Dino-Monster Trunk, Superhero Mermaids, Harry Potter, and beyond!
Inside the trunk are prop and costume items tailored to your theme, which are passed out to everyone before our teachers make the shocking discovery that something has gone missing from our trunk! It could be a special star, a vial of fairy dust, or maybe a secret seashell with powers! Our teachers will then ask the kiddos where they think this item is, who might have swiped it from our trunk, and where we need to go to find it! Then, the group will embark on an improvised adventure to far-off lands, moving around your party space to fly through the sky, dive under the sea, or whatever other creative obstacles your kiddos come up with. The activity culminates with the finding of your special item, which the guest of honor gets to keep as a token from their special day. We can bring this exciting activity to any offsite space (homes, playgrounds, parks, and community spaces), and we also have special packages available at our flagship studio on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, if you prefer a more full-service party.
What do your kids think of Treasure Trunk? Are they involved in any behind-the-scenes work?
My 5-year-old daughter is a true Treasure Trunk fan! She not only attends almost every week of summer camp, has a weekly class, and requests Treasure Trunk birthday parties each year, but she asks to come to work with me when I have to work weekend events. It's honestly the best compliment! I started Treasure Trunk before she was born, so she has grown-up with it as a major part of her daily life, but the fact that she still loves everything about it makes my heart swell. She's now at the age where she's also super helpful behind-the-scenes. She loves counting out craft supplies, or setting up for events at our studio. My son loves the Sing-Along Adventure Classes so far, and time will tell if he will be as obsessed with Treasure Trunk as his sister, I hope so!
What makes your programming different from others?
Treasure Trunk is not just for the aspiring mini actors out there! Some of our favorite stories are of kiddos who come to us with a lot of hesitation about being “on stage” and by the end of our classes they are jumping at the chance to collaborate with their fellow classmates, and express themselves fully through the creative arts.
We design every program with the inclusion of visual art, imaginative play, movement & dance, and more… we find that each unique personality can be nurtured within our curriculums. Often, theatre programming for young ages consists of rigorous rehearsal processes and repetition of choreography or music. We find that it squashes the bright spark of joy that is so rich in this age group. Without the pressure of a perfect, polished kick-line, there is so much beautiful exploration and fun to be had!
Where can we sign up?!
All of our programming and information can be found right on our website: treasuretrunktheatre.com. We also offer private pod classes, if you don’t see the perfect class option. We can come to your home or community space, or have your private group come to us at our studio at the time that is most convenient for you. We also partner with schools to bring Treasure Trunk straight into the classroom, so if your child’s school would like a visit from the trunk, please let us know!
What is next for you and Treasure Trunk?
My family has expanded, and I am loving diving back into the baby-phase again as I watch my son discover and imagine for the first time. My daughter started kindergarten this fall, so there are firsts across the board.
Treasure Trunk continues to expand as well - we are rounding the corner to our 10th anniversary in January and we can’t wait to celebrate that milestone. We are already working on our expansive summer camp offerings for the year to come, and we have recently launched brand new studio birthday packages that include everything you need to show up at our studio on your kiddo’s special day and just enjoy the party.
And the most exciting news of all is that we are in the process of finding our second Treasure Trunk Studio. We are currently looking at spaces in the Park Slope and Gowanus area and hope to be open at the new location by summer 2023!
 Image Credits: Ana Gambuto / Michelle Rose Photography |
To stay tuned on all things Treasure Trunk, follow them on social media @treasuretrunktheatre and join their mailing list here.
Some Treasure Trunk Theatre testimonials:
"I’m such a fan of the treasure trunk approach. The teachers are warm and nurturing and handle every situation with kindness and care. I’m extremely picky when it comes to childcare and my child is very sensitive. But we both love the treasure trunk theatre camps and their twos/threes program and we are so grateful to have found them <3" –Kim, mom to Y (age 3)
"My son loves the camps here. He loves dancing, finding the treasure, the art projects, and the teachers. We are so happy at Treasure Trunk. Lovely place for kids. He will talk about it for days after. We also attend a weekly class at our school as part of aftercare and he is so very happy." –Corissa, Mom to L (age 5)
“I want to thank you and your team for a FANTASTIC birthday adventure. It was absolutely magical for the kids – and for all of the adults on the sidelines, too! We loved every minute of it. My younger daughter is very shy and doesn’t always get into group activities… by the end she was running around with the pack, clutching her wand. She told me afterwards that she loved the 'magic teachers.' It brought tears to my eyes! We will definitely be looking out for opportunities to do classes and camp.” –Lyndsey, Mom to N (age 5) and T (age 3)
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