hole in the wall puppet theatre

This theatre is a legend for me. Not just a Lancaster legend. Pure legend. I'm a convert and a believer. In addition to the shows, characters, songs, and costumes, the puppeteer has also created the marionettes: sculpted works of folk art that I'm envisioning will be on exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum by about 2075, where museumgoers will say (if we are still taking the time to speak and go places by then), "I wish I'd been alive to see those shows when they were being performed." Even though we live two hours away, I'm determined that we'll make it to every children's show this summer with our five year old. Enchanting, eccentric, funny--a show at this hole in the wall is a must-see, whether you have kids or are just a kid at heart.

What a fun time we had visiting the Hole in the Wall Puppet Theatre, exploring their puppet museum, taking a short backstage tour, and enjoying the musical "Here Comes Peter Cottontail." Robert Brock is the artist who brings all of this to life with his handmade marionettes, variety of voices, and entertaining music and lyrics! He and his agreeable assistant made us feel quite welcome from start to finish, and the small, intimate theater provides a very cozy venue. The first two rows are small chairs for children who can sit up front if they choose, or they can sit in the comfortable theater seats with their grown-ups. Our 4-year-old grandson had visited the theater previously with his father and they both enjoyed it so much they wanted us to experience it this time. There's just the right amount of glitz and glitter to dazzle little people and the show was short and sweet so there was no time for restlessness. It's a great introduction to theater for preschoolers and certainly an enjoyable outing for parents and grandparents like us.

This past weekend, we took a Transplant Field Trip to venture into the unknown…The Hole In The Wall Puppet Theatre. This is a place I have heard about, passed on foot and by car numerous times and just plain wondered what went on behind closed doors. The theatre is a place that time forgot, laced with gold and layered with detail. A victorian-style room with 50 seats, perhaps the smallest theater on earth or so I imagined. Rows of red, velvet seats looked upon a stage framed with whimsically painted castles.I moved towards the ticket window after placing my coat down in my seat. While checking in, a charming couple smiled as one of them crossed my name off the list. He explained to me as he did so that they were both Transplants of 20 plus years. He then directed me to where the backstage tour was about to begin.We all gathered around Robert Brock as he told the about John Durang, the first American-born professional actor, dancer and puppeteer, and the namesake for the puppet museum we currently occupied. The walls were adorned with puppets of all sorts, including some recognizable faces and characters: Liza Minnelli gaped at me, jaw open and mocking, the Cowardly Lion hung quietly alongside his friends and Bert and Ernie looked at us from behind glass.Brock’s workbench was tucked into a corner. Carefully sculpted heads and arms and bits of puppets were laying in wait upon his bench. I was taken by the care in which he took to create these characters, each one taking almost 50 to 60 hours to complete. Some he said, had forms that could be used from one puppet to the next, but others had to be built one by one. As he took us backstage, I found myself surrounded with puppets, poised and ready to come alive. Peter Pan, Aladdin, pirates, camels and a genie. So many hours spent in a lifetime creating these little characters, these little lives.After the tour we took our seats. I was excited to watch the tale of Sleeping Beauty performed by Brock and his cheeky marionettes. The story I knew by heart, mostly from the Disney movie of the same name. The performance lasted 35 minutes on the nose. It was like the best child’s movie I had ever seen, laced with adult humor, fantastic song and expertly choreographed movements. I completely forgot about the man behind the curtain and instead watched the glitter come down, the lights go on and the puppets move this way and that.At the end of the show, I wished I had a bouquet of roses to throw upon the stage. I felt inspired, I felt excited about this little “hole in the wall,” this eccentric little place with an eccentric puppeteer. There were sparkles and fairies, there was song and dance. I left wanting to the sing the praises of this little-known artform, of “Lancaster’s Best Kept Secret.” I left wanting to attend an adult show, wanting Brock to reveal his persona even more, to fill the stage with what no doubt would be characters larger than life.http://lancastertransplant.com/2015/02/11/field-trip-hole-in-the-wall-puppet-theatre/

Robert Brock has such a talent for entertaining young and old alike. My daughter-in-law and I took my 4 year old grand-daughter to see Sleeping Beauty and couldn't have been more impressed with the caliber of his puppet production! Entertainment value coupled with the family friendly environment and focus on introducing children to a "theater" experience all rate a "Must See"! Loved it!!

I took my granddaughter here for her birthday - I've been wanting to see a show for a while, and this was the perfect excuse. All the puppets are hand made, the shows are clever and entertaining and the venue is a perfect little theater experience for small ones. Get there early for a behind-the-scenes tour. The show was sold out, so make a reservation and enjoy!

We took our 7-year old to see the Cinderella Christmas show. It was definitely entertaining, and the man that runs it is passionate about what he does. He wrote the show and lyrics...and it was a cute story with humorous elements to it. The stage was nicely decorated and the puppets were all hand-made, which was pretty awesome. He took us all back stage to see all his puppets before the show, which we enjoyed. I'm not sure what I was expecting...it all seemed a little surreal to me. Overall, I'm glad we went. It was one of the most interesting things we did while we were in Lancaster.

Visited this great site with my granddaughter. Not sure who enjoyed it more. Great entertainment in a wonderful old charming building. The site and actors are truly artistic. Don't miss it. I would go for any show , child or adults.

Highly enjoyed the one (wo)man show with tributes to Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Sophie Tucker and others....pretty much Pg-13 fair here. Very different and memorable! A few puppets added as a bonus.

I took my 3 year old son here on a visit to Lancaster and boy was I happily surprised! We saw Peter Pan and it was remarkable! The puppeteer Robert is both wonderful and gifted. Before our visit he spoke with me on the phone and offered great advice and tips for our visit and was more than happy to have us along. The show was superb, great theatrics!

This place is surprisingly adorable. I took my little brothers to see Peter Pan here a few years ago and went again recently with a friend. Both times we were very impressed with the production. The staff here goes out of their way to make you feel welcome and they make it very apparent they do this because they love it. I highly recommend this place as a fun outing with the kids.

Decided to take my 4 yr old son to a show. It was great, something totally new. We got a 20 minute detailed behind the scenes tour of how all the marionettes are hand-made, the show was about 40 minutes, perfect length for kids. Great little historic theater.

I recently took my grandchildren, ages 2 1/2 and 5, to see Peter Pan. The show - 35 min long - is just right for kids. Rob is a very, very talented artist and everyone will enjoy the performance. Nanny Lou does a great job instructing the children in theater etiquette. Be sure to visit the museum, take the brief tour backstage for a firsthand look at the art of marionettes, and enjoy the beauty of this historic house. I look forward to a return visit.

Today was the first time my husband and I went to see the puppet presentation of "The Wizard of OZ". Rob Brock was masterful in his working of the marionettes. the length of the show was just right, 30 minutes. WE loved the Backstage tour and was fun browsing through the Puppet Museum. The children there were well behaved and quiet...meaning they loved it as well. I believe this should be included in some of Lancaster tour books. Will be back for other shows. Also the website provides a good glimpse of what this theater is all about.

We've been to two shows at Hole in the Wall and loved both of them. It's great for kids of all ages - even my 18 month old sat still on my lap for the whole show. It's just the right amount of time - not too short, not too long and the jokes even made the adults laugh.

I have know Rob, the owner and performer since we were kids and he's a funny talented guy. Gotta love it!