“Bob Baker Marionette Theater:” L.A.’s Iconic Puppet Institution

The exterior of historic old Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The exterior of historic old Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The exterior of the historic “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” in Los Angeles, California.

There is a theater in Los AngelesCalifornia, that is well worth the visit for anyone wanting to be immersed in the magical world of marionette puppetry and make-believe. The “Bob Baker Marionette Theater was founded by Alton Wood and Bob Baker in 1963. The United States’ longest-running puppet theater has now become a cultural institution.

The “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” has performed around the world and currently puts on over 300 performances a year using 3,000 handcrafted puppets. The troupe recently moved to a new location at 4949 York Boulevard in the Highland Park neighborhood of LA.

The interior of the old Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The interior of the old “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Ian Byers-Gamber

Although Bob Baker passed away in 2014, the marionette theater continues his legacy of fostering imagination and creativity. In addition to performances, the institution fulfills its mission of educating, celebrating and rejuvenating puppetry and the allied arts through classes, exhibitions, community outreach and partnerships with the film and music industries.

Kids having fun at Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Claire Vogel

The “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” preview season begins in summer 2019, but there are several occasions to see the puppets in action before then. On the last Sunday of every month, the puppets come out to play at the Miracle Mile Toy Hall. Also, from now until May 2019, the Theater is running an interactive exhibit titled, “Imagination Dwells Here,” at the Southern California Children’s Museum.

A rendering of the renovated building that will host Bob Baker Marionette Theater on York Boulevard in Highland Park.
A rendering of the renovated building that will host “Bob Baker Marionette Theater” on York Boulevard in Highland Park by Carson Brown. Courtesy of Bob Baker Marionette Theater