Puppet Place

OUR FOUNDERS:  Kathryn and Ray Hawn

The Puppet Place, was established as a nonprofit organization in 1981. It had its origins in the dreams of a young girl named Kathryn. She loved puppets and at the age of twelve, she began performing with her puppets at small private gatherings. Her hopes of performing to larger audiences would soon be realized when she started performing regularly for local Harrisburg Department stores under the performing name of the Puppet Lady. Years later Kathryn married Ray Hawn and he soon joined his wife as a stage manager. In 1979, Kathryn's aspirations of opening her own public theater were realized and the Puppet Place became a reality. The theater soon expanded and became a theater plus a puppet store. It was also at this time that Ray's role also expanded to become an agent, advisor, and business manager. As members of the Puppeteers of America, the Hawn's traveled extensively throughout America and Europe gaining and sharing experiences with many of the craft's world class performers.  Kathryn Vogel (the daughter of Kathryn and Ray) retailed puppets from 1979 to 2024 and put her experience to work helping her customers with all their puppetry needs.