Located inside the historic Glen Echo Park, the Puppet Co. is a true blast from the past! This non-profit theatre is dedicated to introducing the art of puppetry to a new generation by bringing a mix of hand puppets, rod puppets, body puppets, marionettes, and shadow puppets to stage both original works and traditional children's stories. If you ever visited the "Land of Make-Believe" with Mister Rogers, you will be very familiar with these vintage style puppets. My four and eight-year old recently enjoyed a weekend original feature which was a mash up several different fairy tales. As an adult, I found it to be a bit corny but the show was perfect for my littles who stayed engaged for nearly the entirety of the one-hour show. Floor seating is available which is perfect for young families with children who cannot stay still. They have a fun house mirror in the lobby and after the show there was a puppet meet and greet. Overall it was good family fun for a hot summer afternoon. It's proximity to the Glen Echo carousel, playground, and aquarium made it feel like a full day affair! read more

My kids absolutely loved their first puppet show. I took my 5 and 10 year old to see the Twisted Tales show and it was laughs for everyone. The staff were friendly, and the actors were engaging. I loved that they provided an interactive experience with pauses throughout the play to ask questions to the audience. I worried that my 5 year old wouldn't be able to sit still, but the open floor space was perfect for him to move around. read more

A delightful family event. I've been wanting to come to a puppet show here and was happy to finally attend with my child. The location is inside Glen Echo Park in a cozy intimate theater. Historical photos and marionettes are on display in the lobby. Bench seating on the perimeter but the main seating is on the floor. They take COVID precautions very seriously in the theater with puppeteers, staff and audience members all wearing masks. Staff are polite, and they take safety very seriously. During the show, they would politely inform audience members to be careful if they got a bit too boisterous on the floor and to ensure the littles didn't attempt to climb the stage or topple in the dark. Audio wasn't great though. At times, the volume was too low and the puppeteers came across as very muffled. Looking forward to coming back to a different show. It was a great change of pace and something different from our usual outings. read more

Excellent for kids, 4-7 ish. Brought my 5 year old cousin for Hansel & Gretel and he loved it. Kind of a one man show, the puppet master gave an overview of his version of the story and some history, and made some jokes that the kids enjoyed. Then he did the show (small stage and he has a microphone so everyone can hear), all himself from above the stage, very skilled. Even interesting to watch for adults, with humor for all ages. When it was over he brought some of the puppets outside so the kids could see them up close. They were almost the size of the little kids! Really unique show, I highly recommend since puppet shows are so rare. The theater is very kid friendly, with the floor up front for kids only, and bench seats around the back for the oldies. No big deal if your baby starts crying. And very affordable, I think around $12 pp. read more

Over the past few years we've seen the "Nutcracker" twice and "Cinderella" once. Many of the fairy tale plays are probably best for children 4 - 8 years old, but they are short enough for younger children and pleasant enough for adults. There are a few moments in the "Nutcracker" that might be scary for children who are easily frightened--at one point a dragon comes on stage and roars at the audience. Our granddaughter, who is not easily frightened, scooted back a few feet when he lunged forward*. But there are shows that are targeted more for younger children and also apparently some for a more mature audience. There is a brief walk from the parking lot to Glen Echo and the theater. If there is handicapped parking closer I'm not aware of it. The waiting area in the theater is fairly small and more like a corridor so it fills up fast, especially with a sold-out performance. The theater itself has bench seating around the perimeter and steps toward the back for additional seating. Children are invited to sit on a rug in front of the stage (*thus the "dragon scooting" incident) with all adults further back as to not block the little ones view. The company uses a number of different style puppets (sock puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, rod puppets, & marionettes) with actors in elaborate costumes playing many of the main characters. After the show the actors all come on stage for some photo-ops and revealing who played who (some surprises!). When we saw "Cinderella" the weather was warm and the carousel was running so we got to ride on that. There is a picnic area and a small carry-out restaurant was open with some surprisingly decent food. And there was a large playground area. The people involved with the Puppet Co. seem very dedicated, the shows are entertaining, the Glen Echo environment is fascinating. read more

For a more complete and thorough Tiny Tots review, please check our Madeline P.'s review below. The short version is that I was not at all impressed by this. The audio was very poor especially if you were sitting in the back. The set looked worn. There was no story line for Old Macdonald and the animals were not truly farm animals - odd (no farmer and no singing the nursery rhyme). If you breathe and you are human, you pay. My 7 week old baby costs $6. It's the principle not the money that I take issue with...Needless to say, I won't be back. read more

WOW. The Puppet Co is totally rejuvenated with a GREAT new show for Halloween. Witch Wartsmith's Spooktacular is a total delight. Kids were enthralled and just enough jokes aimed at adults made it fun for everyone. With fresh paint, gorgeous sets and new material this familiar favorite venue is better than ever. Get there fast to see this creative and clever production. With another new show opening for Hannukah as well as old favorites, Puppet Co gets a huge thumbs up. read more

The performance of the nutcracker over the holiday season was fantastic. Enough sense of humor for the adults and a great introduction to the ballet for children. My 2-year old loved the interaction of the puppets with each other, and the 30-minute performance time was perfect for her attention span. I also brought my infant son, whom I was allowed to bottle feed in the "theater." The theater area is a carpeted area where parents and children can sit on the floor to watch the stage. I recommend sitting on the back step so you don't have to sit criss-cross, and so that your child can sit next to you and actually see. The flat area in front doesn't have enough of an angle to be able to easily see the stage. Staff also frequently encourage children to sit, rather than stand, which makes sense so that all attendees can see. They also encourage children fussing to step outside of the theater so as not to disturb the performance. This is a good curiosity to others, plus I think it does a lot to teach children how a real performance works. A nice touch. For those that do need to step into the hallway (not literally outside), there are televisions that show the live performance. Overall, a really great experience, affordable, and I go back. read more

This is wonderful, old-fashioned (and I mean this in the best sense of the word) entertainment for kids ages 4 to 7. (Slightly older kids may not stay entertained for as long. More on that in a bit...)The hardest part about getting here is taking your child's electronic device away from him or her for 50 minutes. In this day and age, kids do not know what it's like not to be sucked into a television screen or some other screen. They relate to each other by sitting side by side, not talking, and tapping away on something. My little brother's first question when I picked him up was, "Do you have anything else for me beside the puppet show? Games?" Sigh. Though he wasn't too enthralled by the idea of attending a puppet show, I knew I had succeeded halfway through the show, when he proclaimed "cool!!!!!!!!!!" after a dragon appeared on stage. The costumes are fantastic. The acting is superb. Even though I couldn't see the actors/puppeteers' faces, I could tell by how they expressed their emotions (hurt, sadness, joy, etc.) using gestures or by how they maneuvered the puppets. There are nice special effects (snake charmer floating in the sky). The puppeteers and actors show a real dedication to their craft. Besides the sugarplum fairies, my little brother really enjoyed the show and stayed entertained for longer than I expected, though I think kids older than him would bore a little more easily because some of the dances can be exaggerated or repetitive. Overall, the performance we attended was unique and very enjoyable. We saw "The Nutcracker," appropriate around this time of year. I would highly recommend this as a family outing. What to expect: carpeted stadium seating, lots of families, being packed rather tightly, an appeal for donations at the end (understandable since this is a nonprofit-organized performance) read more

This idea and forum is great for kids ages 5 and up in general, informal mostly and set in an interesting location with other attractions to make for a good weekend outing for a family. It is a little pricey for the value though and the show wasn't really all that interactive for young kids. The reviewer who pointed out there was too much dialogue is spot on. This gets one stars because the staff, or at least their representative on 9/17/16 was an insidious individual who should not be allowed to work with children. As the show went on a number of children and small babies were ushered out of the theater for offenses such as walking around (it's an open carpeted play area) making too much noise (show is for 3 and up) and similar behaviors that are at core, those of children in general. My own 1 year old and I were asked to leave. I'd be alright with this, had she actually been making any noise at all. I suspect the woman confused her with another child, but that doesn't excuse her discourtesy. When she approached us she said and I quote, 'you're baby has been really loud for a long time now and you need to take her out.' At the time she was silently laying on the carpet staring at her uncle and has been for a few minutes. It was borderline ludicrous. I pointed this out and she told me I was denying the situation and began to argue with me. Clearly I'm partly in the wrong but reread her first statement. You'd be put off too if this is how you were approached. We left, missing the last ten minutes of the show. I doubt we missed out on much. The real show was the virtual leper's colony of children all the ages of 1-5 who had been banished for their behavior and also put off by how they'd been addressed. I felt bad for the kids and how this must feel for them. Hence I sum up my experience with these words for the company: shame on YOU for your behavior as a program for children! read more

We attended the puppet co's production of baby bear this morning with my two nanny kids. And wow! I was floored with how professional it was, everyone involved! The puppiteer was amazing, what talent he has! The kids loved it and left smiling and talking all about the animals we met at the picnic! Perfect for toddlers and young kiddos at 10 on a Wednesday! Thank you for a wonderful performance. One thing to note, no cell phones. I understand they want to preserve the show for paying guests, but the few workers there chasing moms down that pulled out their phones was a bit much. :) read more

going to see a marionette puppet show at glen echo is like going back in time and it is a special experience in itself. i recently took my 2 year old son to see the tiny tots nutcracker performance with bob brown. it was a full house but it was managed well. a 30 minute show is just the right amount of time for this age group. just an fyi, there is only seating around the perimeter which is reserved for grandparents and expectant mothers (thank goodness i fell under one of those categories). everyone else has to sit on the floor. it is not tiered so it is a little uncomfortable and difficult to see if you are in the back. besides that, you really can't beat $6/pp for this type of entertainment. there is a quick puppet meet and greet at the end that the kids seemed to really enjoy. i wish that were a little longer! overall, a nice family activity :) read more

Did the tiny tots puppet show today with Bob Brown. Perfect 30 min and good time on a weekend for a kid friendly event. Kids under 2 I would think should be free, but I get it they are a kid venue. More times mid week would be great. Hard to see the puppets from sitting on the ground as well. read more

I have been 2x to the 30 minute show for Tiny Tots (I have not seen the longer format story-based shows) and I was not impressed. Full disclosure: I am a theatre practitioner and I have worked in theatre for young audiences, so I have definite opinions about what theatre for children 'should' be. First let's talk about production values--to me, the puppet-theatre backdrop looks pretty worn and amateurish ( coat of paint perhaps? A scenic designer?). The first time I saw the show, Mr. Brown kept slowly fishing the remote out of his pocket to cue the music (!!!) and commenting on the problems he was having with said music. My thought bubble was 'there is no one on staff to run the music'? My big issue though is that the show does not feel like a story the performer wants to share with the audience, but a series of jokes that are strung together, with no beginning middle and end. The first show I took my daughter to see was "Old MacDonald"; which should be a perfect short, familiar story to tell through puppetry to an audience of toddlers. At no point in the show did we hear the song. Some of the puppets that made an appearance were not farm animals (and the pig was dressed in a hula skirt--random). So, that is a bit confusing for the toddler set (and for the parents). One could reasonably assume that a show titled "Old MacDonald" would include the song and the characters would be farm animals. There was also no character puppet of Old MacDonald (head-scratch). To me, this is a type of children's theatre that is a throw-back--and not in a good way (forgive me, I know a number of reviewers have a nostalgia for this type of show). But, I think puppet theatre, which has a long history can be far better and more engaging that what I have seen at the Puppet Co. And, for what it is worth, there were a lot of restless little people in the audience at this last performance I attended. To me, that is the true barometer of it's success--holding the attention of a young audience for 30 minutes. Tickets are only $6, so not a lot to spend, but it would not be that hard to improve the quality of the performance, production and the storytelling. read more

TINY TOTS theater__NOTHING works in this clumsy, misguided attempt to engage young children. Go the the Imagination Stage in Bethesda to get a professional and creative event that will engage not berate your young ones. Then come back to the Puppet Co. later for shows for older children and families. While the puppeteer is skilfull. his ham handed monologue berates the characters for not doing what they are told or doing it will enough. And when "they" do it well there is little praise. What kind of lesson is that for 2-4 year olds. There is almost nothing to keep children engaged and not attempt to do so via the script or story line. In stereotypical fashion the boys in the audience start squirming sooner that the girls. Our grandson is a squirmer so gets berated by the matron of arms who demands quiet and silent obedience to her rules. OUR advice is the avoid this disaster in favor of the unharmful and professional events at the Imagination Stage in Bethesday. We will return to the Puppet Co for the shows for older children and families. read more

Tiny tots shows are great. My daughter LOVES this place. Wish there were more places like this around here.

I absolutely LOVE the Puppet Co. I've been taking my nieces there for the past 6 years and plan on taking them many more times. The Puppet Co. has something in them, whether it's the puppets, the costumes, the music, the sets or even the hallways that are always filled with cool puppets on display that warm my nieces' hearts away. The party room in the corner of the Puppet Co. just makes it extra exciting for the kids who want to throw birthday parties and attend a Puppet show. read more

We went to a tiny tots show earlier this year and were very disappointed. It's probably great for kids with long attention spans, but we have a toddler that needs to move and wiggle. He kept standing up (he was not blocking any other children's view) and was asked to leave. Frankly I wish I'd told off the old busybody of a lady running the place then and there! If it's a tiny tots show you need to know that there are a lot of toddlers (esp boys and those with special needs) who haven't learned how to sit still and behave. They need their own section to stand and wiggle in. This was such a horrible experience for my family. read more

My husband and I took our grandson to see Jellybean Circus at The Puppet Company this morning. It was one of the worst productions of anything that we have ever seen! We honestly have seen elementary school productions that were better than this. The "puppeteer" dropped his marionette strings several times during the show (at one point one of the 3 year olds picked it up for him!), the puppeteer was more concerned with his remote music than the puppets, and he talked extremely impatiently to his puppets ("hurry up; not like that!; come on, come on; etc.). It was a terrible production, very negative, and one that I was very sorry we had exposed our 2 year old to. read more

I've never experienced a person who was more inappropriate or rude than the woman who looks at your wrist bracelets and ushers you into the theatre. You couldn't even believe that someone with that job could do so much to ruin the experience, but she was absolutely vile, to the point that she scared the 3 year old we were with. She heckled us on the stage in front of the crowd, and even had the audacity to tell us to our faces that we were bad parents, all in front of the children. The fact that she works there with children and parents is enough to tell everyone to stay away! The puppet show itself was okay, but who could enjoy it after experiencing this woman. Go to the park and play on the playground, but don't waste your money to be heckled and lectured by this woman at the playhouse. read more

Took my 4 y/o to see sleeping beauty. It was really boring. Not sure why a puppet show for kids would have very little action but it was mostly talking and the language was way too advanced for this age group. Oh, and we really felt ripped off by the $12 person price tag. I'd skip it. read more

Good stuff for 4 - 8 year olds. $10 tickets for a show that's about an hour. Very well done, and the performances stick to the classic storylines. The performers come out and meet the kids at the end of the show too. Nice touch. read more

Inappropriate staff and not many puppets. We just saw the nutcracker, trying to make it our family tradition so we also went last year. We've actually seen four productions at puppet co. First time is ok, second time, third time, etc. shame on us for going back. For starters we walked in today to wait on line with our four year old and babe in stroller and was verbally accosted by an over zealous staff person. She asked us to take our stroller outside. We told her no problem. My husband leaned forward to our son to tell him to wait with me and, ironically, to hand him money to place in the puppet donation bin, and this incredibly rude usher screamed at my husband that she was going to call the fire marshall if he moved another step. I turned around to ask my husband what he wanted and she would not let us talk to each other. She said she wanted the stroller out immediately. Again, we said fine. I barely had time to grab the diaper bag much less our child out of the stroller before she raised her voictravail and raised her hands as if trying to push my husband toward the door. We were not fighting the issue and did not need the stroller but were parents trying to instruct our toddler to hold my hand instead of dad's and to unbuckle the baby. I was shook up by such a hostile attack and was shaking and my toddler was so upset we almost left. What a horrible horrible experience. We found out later that she is the wife of one of the actors. The show itself is only ok. The performers obviously put a lot of effort and creativity into it but it is NOT a puppet show. There are only a few segments that have puppets. Most of the scenes are actors dressed up with big masks on. We are definitely going to try and find something for us to enjoy together as a family. This DEFINITELY is not it. We will not be going back after such a terrible experience. Parents beware! read more

I love the old fashioned feel of these puppet shows. They are just classic puppet shows- i think fabulous family entertainment in the purest sense! However, the staff is so strict and nasty it can certainly take the fun out of it. I was trying to sit down with my 2 toddlers and i and currently 7 months pregnant and i was scolded harshly for sitting the wrong area- i understand it is probably hard to control a room of toddler and young children but they could at least try to be pleasant and reasonable to loyal customers!! read more

I took my kids to see the Nutcracker a couple of days ago and I will likely never go to the Puppet Company again. While in line to get my tickets the usher commented, you all are late we ask that people arrive 15 minutes before the show. I then looked at my cell phone and it was 9:48. That comment didn't give me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Then we stood in line with little ones waiting for them to allow us into the auditorium, which is a challenge with a two year old and an infant. If arriving by 9:45 is so important then allow attendees to go inside and get settled in while you do announcements instead of making us stand in line while the door is open letting frigid air inside. The puppet master is really talented but the show wasn't exactly what I expected. I didn't think he would be standing on stage manipulating the puppets. I had envisioned only seeing the puppets while the puppet master is behind a curtain. Regardless, he was good. Following the show we were quickly ushered out "military style", which was surprising for a show that is tailored for 0-4year olds. I needed to feed my infant but since the staff were so rude I rushed to my car to feed my 7 week old. read more

I attended a show at The Puppet Co. yesterday with my 3 yr old son. He's been there before with his daycare, however, it was my first time going. On the way there, I noticed it'll take me over an hour from my home to arrive to the venue due to 495 traffic, and we were running late for the 10 am show. So, I called the box office and spoke to Ms. Piper who was extremely kind and helpful. She was willing to make an exception to their policy and put me on the exchange list in case I was unable to make to the show on time. Fortunately, I made it but a few minutes late. By the way, pay attention to the parking signs as you get closer to Glen Echo park. My navigation directed me to the park area vs. the parking lot, which is less than a 1/4 mile before the park itself. Anyhow, I guess I looked lost trying to find the exact building within Glen Echo park, however, Ms. Betty (from the box office), was keeping an eye out for me. She met me at the door, gave us our wristbands and escorted us to the theater. Luckily, we only missed the first 10 minutes of the 30 minute show. The show itself was short and sweet. In general the kids were getting antsy 5 minutes before the show ended. Either way, it was Ms. Piper's and Ms. Betty's customer service and kind nature that really stood out to me. Thank you ladies! read more