Bob Baker Marionette Theater
/I wrote this post last year, before COVID and before the Bob Baker Marionette Theater was on the brink of permanent closure. It didn’t feel appropriate to share our fantastic adventures at the theater at a time when we were not able to enjoy live art in person. However, we are now on a new mission to make sure the BBMT is saved!
In today’s technology-focused world, our lives are run by screen time. Computer, tablets, TVs, and phones are constantly on and connected. It is truly a treat to take some time away from the glowing blue light and enjoy “real life” fun in a place filled with so much history. We attended our first puppet show at Bob Baker Marionette Theater two years ago. The show was called “Something to Crow About” and it really WAS something to talk about.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles is the perfect way to spend an afternoon laughing and enjoying the simple joys of life. The Lay Family attended our first show in March 2018 with our friend Wilmarose and her family. She introduced us to this magical place and we are so thankful to have experienced it together; the arts are always more fun with friends!
Bob Baker Marionette Theater has entertained over one million children since its opening in 1963 (the original building closed at the end of 2018 and they recently reopened in a new location). The theater takes families on a storytelling journey though music, scenery, and puppets. They have over 3,000 puppets that have performed the classics like Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker as well as an original shows like one that documents the history of Los Angeles. New puppets and new shows are continually being added. After our first show, we were hooked! The boys even came home with their own horse puppets to practice their puppeteering skills. They loved their first show so much that they wanted to return immediately, but then we heard news that the original theater was closing it doors. In November 2018, our family returned to the original theater for the farewell show called “The Future is Sweet!”
These photos are from their farewell show in November 2018. The cast and crew were hopeful that they would get funding and re-open at a new location. We were hopeful for them too! This theater, a place that fosters imagination, would be always be valued in our hearts.
One year later (2019), I received an invitation to the soft re-opening of Bob Baker Marionette Theater at their new location in Highland Park. We took our rascals to this new theater for some classic fun.
We now have been to a total of three shows and hope to attend more! Ticket prices range depending on the specific show, but are usually free for the under 2 crowd and up to $20 for the “big kids” in your life. Each show ends with an ice cream treat, which always leaves our rascals raising their hands for more!
We had to share about our time at BBMT, because we believe together we can #KeepImaginationAlive with all of the joy, love, and creativity that Bob Baker Marionette Theater provides to children of all ages, every day.
Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 5 and 7. Visit when they were 3 and 5.
