Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre

San Diego, United States

3.8

20 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 619-544-9203
Address:
2130 Pan American Plz, San Diego, CA, 92101
at Presidents Way
Balboa Park
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.9 miCity College
0.9 mi5th Avenue
1 miCivic Center
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Today –
Local time (San Diego) 18:51 Thursday, 28 November 2024

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Tuesday –
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Thursday –
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Saturday –
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Description

Specialties

We present puppet shows for children. Shows are generally ½ hour and each week is a new show with different types of puppets and a different puppeteer. Check our schedule for shows that are specfically for preschool.

History

Established in 1947.

Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater History

The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, long a mecca for children, is located in the Palisades area on the of Balboa Park. The Puppet Theater was originally part of a single, large unit erected for the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935 – 36 and called the Palisades Building. The Exposition was organized to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. The Palisades building became the Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame when the motion picture industry made it their exposition headquarters. It was one of the most popular attractions at the exposition. Later, during the exposition, groups such as the Pacific Arts Association exhibited there. After the exposition closed in 1936, the buildings did not stand empty for long. The W.P.A opened offices for music projects there, where they remained until the United States entered World War II. At that time, the Palisades Building, along with other park facilities, was converted into Nav

Meet the Business Owner

Marie H.

Business Owner

Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater History

The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, long a mecca for children, is located in the Palisades area on the of Balboa Park. The Puppet Theater was originally part of a single, large unit erected for the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935 – 36 and called the Palisades Building. The Exposition was organized to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. The Palisades building became the Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame when the motion picture industry made it their exposition headquarters. It was one of the most popular attractions at the exposition. Later, during the exposition, groups such as the Pacific Arts Association exhibited there. After the exposition closed in 1936, the buildings did not stand empty for long. The W.P.A opened offices for music projects there, where they remained until the United States entered World War II. At that time, the Palisades Building, along with other park facilities, was converted into Nav

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20 reviews of Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Columbus, OH
A good interactive puppet show in one of the oldest puppet show theatre. although the duration was short, the play was enjoyable .my kid had a ball of a time. well spent money:)
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
I can’t believe this place only has 28 reviews? It was a Saturday and our family of four was looking for something to do on a budget .I told my husband let’s go to the puppet show. For $ 15.00 we all got in the door. We really enjoyed the experience my six year old loved the show she been twice before on class field trips but it was myself, my husband and my nineteen months first time. Even my nineteen month old laugh during the show. We will definitely be back. All I can say is what a special experience for all of us.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
In a nutshell, it wasn’t what I expected. I took a couple toddlers right under the age of 2. One was really scared because it was dark. I am not sure if every show is dark but from the way the puppeteers hid themselves in black I am guessing this might be the case. I had imagined the puppeteers hidden under a stage and the puppets prancing around on sticks above. (If that makes sense). It reminded me more of a play on stage with puppets. The story line was fine for kids but I was hoping it could entertain adults too. It did not. The people were very nice. The puppets were great. I would recommend it for kids slightly older than the two I brought.
Place rating: 4
Baldwin Park, CA
Some of these parents with bad reviews are hilarious, yes you will hear some kids crying and being loud, they are kids! ! No it doesn’t snell, and if they are talking about the old style theatre seating, it’s really nothing. It’s a good ol ’ fashion puppet show. For those parents who expected more, there’s disneyland for $ 100 per person. Sheesh people. Then someone complained about the puppets saying beautiful over and over, really!?? I think to cone here you have to have an open mind to being simple minded and just focus on the children being happy, my son didn’t complain about the performance, the cheesy costumes, or the dialogue, so I was very happy. At least they didn’t use profanity. It’s a real neat little theatre, no popcorn or drinks, the shows aren’t 2 hours long if you are expecting long shows, they are specifically for the child’s attention span. So parents stop thinking about yourselves this is a puppet show for children. With my high energy son, I was amazed to have him sit still and actually be entertained by the show. We saw the monsters under the bed, and he loved it. Will come back.
Place rating: 4
Carlsbad, CA
I visited the Puppet Theatre with my kids and we had a great time!
When you arrive, you go to the box office to get your ticket and then can either wait there under the shade while kids color on the large butcher paper they have out, or roam around the park for a bit.
The doors open at the posted time of the show and then the show actually starts about 5 – 10 minutes after.
There are plenty of seats and they are comfortable, too.
The oldest puppet theatre in the country! I love the historical tidbits they shared with us. The puppeteer working the day we visited seemed to really love his job and was so enthusiastic and passionate, which makes the experience more fun.
The show we saw was funny and cute and my boys were laughing. It really held their attention. I love bringing my kids to things like this, where they don’t need electronics or flashing lights to pay attention!
Only hang up is that after the show, they put out all of the retail merchandise, and of course my kids wanted to touch and for me to buy every.single.thing. I know the staff knows what they are doing and expects this, and wants you to make an impulse purchase, but it never works on me and 9⁄10 makes me annoyed that I have to say no to my kids after such a fun outing!
Place rating: 3
La Jolla, CA
A nod to a bygone era of simple times.
PROS
–really held the toddler’s attention
–there is an introduction by the main pupateer, the show itself and then a «dance party» afterwards
–the staff really cares and tries SO hard
–the birthday kid gets center attention (although, she seemed a little old and was there by herself, so she might have been planted there to draw attention and encourage you to bring your kid to have a birthday party there)
–free return ticket if you leave their pamphlets at a community location (ie. library)
–booster seats, restrooms, a small puppet shop
–a couple inflatable toys, whiteboard and markers outside to keep kids busy while they wait
–the shows turn over quickly… there seems to be a new one every couple of weeks and they are seasonally appropriate with a good message and/​or lesson
CONS
–while the toddlers seem to like it, it was a horrible show; there were only two or three huge puppets, the music was totally random and didn’t fit the show and there were super long-​drawn out talking sections that, again, at times did not make sense… its like they either threw it together in a couple of minutes or were actually making it up as they went along. they did stick to the overall theme, kind of, but there were a lot of parts that made no sense. Maybe other shows are different, but I think if my child was over the age of 5, he or she would totally roll their eyes and figure out that the show was, um, strange.
–I would pay $ 5 for my child, but honestly, based on this one show it seemed like to much to pay for both adults to go to
OVERALL, I give them kudos for trying to keep this type of entertainment alive. The staff is so nice and clearly this is a labour of love for them, but (based on this one show) I think they definitely need to step up the actual performances a bit; more puppets, more music or motion rather than standing around conversing most of the show. Unless the show is a fairytale or story that they did not write themselves, I’m not sure I’d go back.
Place rating: 4
Fishers, IN
A relic of the past. 4 stars simply because the staff cares too much to give it 3. Take your kids, but don’t expect to get much out of it yourself other than watching your kids enjoy it! :) Nice place to rest your feet and escape the heat for a bit as well.
Place rating: 3
Winnemucca, NV
This was ok. A couple of cute plays — the tortoise and the hare– the sun and wind. We loved the voices of the puppeteer and his up beat attitude but the guy needed an assistant. It cost $ 5/​per child or adult. The kids enjoyed it and that’s all that matters but it was a bit basic.
Place rating: 3
La Mesa, CA
Fun activity for the kids. Not state of the art, but a good experience. Beware though if you are concerned about what your kids see and hear. They do lots of fairytales.
I saw the showing of the Princess and the Pea with my 2 young boys.. I was shocked at how many times Princess Haiku (Sp?) was referred to as beautiful. It was the only adjective I heard used to describe her and the word beautiful was used many, many times! In this sex, physical appearance filled world, I would hope this theater would consider using terms such as smart, funny, kind or any other positive self-​esteem building term. Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but it’s a theater full of kids for cryin out loud
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
We took our 4 year old grandsons to see The Magic Well. They enjoyed it so much, and the staff was all so friendly. After the show, the presenter brought down a marionette for the children to see, touch, and take pictures with. We will definitely go again.
The sound system seemed good to me, and I did not notice an «old» smell about the theater.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I am a native San Diegan I have been coming here since I was a child and now I enjoy watching the shows with my own 4 children. The building is very old and somewhat ran down, but there is a lot of history here, check out the website and read up on it, it is pretty cool and an important part of San Diego’s history. This place does a lot of good and the puppeteers are very dedicated and love what they Do and so do the kids :-) I think the shows are great and they give a good message and my children were captivated the entire time, would recommend to all.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I’ve gone a few times to see puppet shows by the talented Max Daily, and it’s a wonderful theater with great sound and super cute vintage seating. It has charm and a classic simple elegance to it. If I was a kid I would remember coming to this place because it’s so unique and has so much character. I can’t speak for other puppet shows but the venue & Max’s shows have always impressed.
Place rating: 1
San Diego, CA
Ok, so we decided to“treat“the kids here. The story line was incredibly boring, the pupeteering was horrible, the sound was barely audible and scratchy when you could hear it. The lighting was way too dark and the place smelled pretty bad. My 3 year old lost interest after about 5 minutes and my 4 year old was right behind him. Maybe it was the particular show, but I was shocked to see the other high reviews. I wouldn’t have complained at all had it been free. Oh well.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
My kids have been here a few times over the years. Each time they fall in love with puppeteering. Um, puppeting, Er, puppetry? Well, anyway, right after the show they want to play puppets in the small gift shop. And then they go home and it’s all about making their stuffed animals speak and play out their dreams. Pretty awesome.
The shows are short — which is good given the short attention span of your average crumbsnatcher — and crisp. And it even gave my wife 30 minutes of a well deserved nap!
My only criticism is that the volume is occasssionaly too low. They have these portable speakers connected to wireless mics that just don’t seem to reach the necesssary decibel level. But either way, the kids have a blast. PS — try to get in the first two rows.
Place rating: 5
Falls Church, VA
I had a feeling some people wouldn’t «get» this place, so I want to help round out their overall star ratings. I come from the days of Mr Rogers and Captain Kangaroo, so I can totally appreciate the simpler side of entertainment (it encourages children to use their imaginations!) and that’s what you get here, for just a few bucks.
My daughter is still pretty young… not even considered pre-​school age at 18 months old… But I saw that this puppet theatre had an animal-​based show that «all age groups» could enjoy. She’s excited about animals these days, and her favorite song hands-​down is Old MacDonald, so I knew we had to be there.
Parking was a BREEZE, as it’s in the less crowded part of Balboa park, near the auto museum.
What I liked most about this place IS that is it’s a casual environment. It’s an older theater with auditorium seating. There are no assigned seats, so you can choose the seat that gives your child the best experience.
The show itself was almost completely interactive with the kids in the audience. The man who performed the entire show (yes, it was a one-​man show… but it’s super cheap and for kids… c’mon) specifically took note that my daughter was excited about the topic that day. Being that she’s very young, I like that the theater was relaxed so her random clapping and animal noises were not only welcomed but acknowledged on the stage. When she let out a big «MOOO!» far after the mention of a cow, he enthusiastically threw a «That’s right, MOO!» right back at her. A bit later when it came time to throw puppets out to the audience, guess who got the cow?! My little girl! I thought that personal attention was awesome, and so did my daughter. Even better, one of the featured songs was Old MacDonald!
My friend did comment that she would have liked more «surround sound», and I thought they could have done a bit more with the set, but I don’t feel that it took away from the show from a child’s perspective at all. I realize this is an older theater, and I don’t expect them to re-​wire the sound system or bring in a stage artist and continue charging such a reasonable rate.
I’m just thankful that they’re hanging in there… there was something special about this place. We will definitely be back.
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
We have been to Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre a dozen times and my four year old son absolutely loves it! They have some amazing performers and productions at this cute little theater in Balboa Park. Some shows are definitely better than others but it’s incredibly inexpensive, you really can’t complain. It’s a very simple and modest theater but I think all toddlers and young kids will enjoy the shows. Most recently, we attended a show as part of a field trip for my son’s school and afterward they had a puppet making workshop. Cute puppets and very easy to make! Parking is easy and typically always available.
Place rating: 4
East Bay
A very sweet venue and show. We attended a show recently to see
«Rabbit in the Moon,» an Aztec tale.
The theater is large for a puppet show. It is auditorium-​ish with seating for at least 100 (?)
This show featured hand puppets with cute and simple scenery.
I loved that it was low tech and hokey. The down-​to-​earth ambiance was endearing and heartfelt. It reminded me of the puppet shows they have at Fairyland in Oakland.
There is a small gift shop that sells finger puppets, small and large hand puppets, as well as marionettes.
Wonderful for kids and big kids like me whose heart is still filled with awe.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
It is a fairly spartan theater, although the seats are comfortable enough and the sightlines are very good. But the comfort of the theater is not why you came.
If the name of the place didn’t already clue you in, they show puppet shows here. For kids. Sometimes for kids as young as 3. And yet, I see that some adults think that the shows are kind of boring and juvenile. So, let’s try this again: They show puppet shows here for little kids. And the little kids love every second of the shows. So, if a parent can’t have an incredible time simply watching their kid exhibit sheer joy for an hour, well, I just don’t know what to say. And if you are an adult who came to the theater without a kid, please sit far away from my group.
This is a real throwback. Places like this – which show puppet shows for toddlers and youngsters — just don’t exist anymore, nowhere, nohow. It’s the video age, as we all know, and even little kids know how to use cell phones and play video games. That’s ok, but there’s still something to be said for life apart from technology.
So, as long as places like this are still around, I, for one, will treasure them.
Place rating: 2
San Diego, CA
A for effort, but this show really blows. And not in a good way, mind you. The puppet show is quite amateurish considering this has been going on for quite some time. Granted the primary audience is not that discerning, and it is only $ 3 per child, but still … have pity on the poor parents that bring their kids!
The show we saw involved two puppets talking about colors (one star), then a shadow show about whales (minus one star), and the last one was about The Hungry Caterpillar. Ok, it’s a one man show so he gets one star for that at least.
And since I think all kids should at least see on puppet show in their lives, I’m giving another star for the wonderful folks who try to keep this going … and going … and going …
Place rating: 3
Honolulu, HI
It was a sweltering summer day in San Diego, so my brother decided to take his kids here to escape the midday heat. A friendly lady with a funny hand puppet takes tickets at the front door. My 3 year old nephew immediately freaked out and and refused to give up his ticket, then started crying because he was afraid of the dark theatre. Wow. Out of all the kids there, my nephew had to be the fraidy-​cat. So my five year old niece and I ditched him and immediately headed for the front row. My poor sister-​in-​law had to sit with him in the lobby because he wouldn’t go in.
The puppet show that day was supposed to be about pirates, but instead, they did a series of short, unrelated skits. One was cute, but the rest were so boring. One in particular was unimaginative, long, and pointless and I felt sorry for the children because even I could not pay attention and I am someone who sits through hours of conference calls on a regular basis. I wished they had stuck to a fairy tale or something that children could relate to. Also, the auditorium was too big for a puppet show. I think children need to be closer in proximity to a puppet show so they can see and hear the puppets better. It’s not a symphony.
If you go, check out the schedule and make sure your child will enjoy the show that day. We could have just hit it on a bad day. The others shows listed were common stories like The Princess and the Pea, King Midas, Rumplestiltskin, etc, that I think we would have enjoyed more. Great concept, not-​so-​great execution.