Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the real deal — a Los Angeles institution that has been pulling strings since 1963 and has no plans to stop. If you have kids, if you love craft and spectacle, or if you just want to see what happens when a 90-year-old puppeteer’s dream gets a second act, this is the place.
Family Favorite
Historic Landmark
Indie Music Venue
The theater started in a former scenic shop near downtown when Bob Baker and his partner Alton Wood turned it into a home for handmade marionettes. It was named an official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009, and by the time Baker died in 2014 at age 90, the place had served over one million children. But the story doesn’t end there.
What Makes This Puppet Theater Different
Baker grew up in Los Angeles, saw his first puppet show at eight, and by his teens was manufacturing toy marionettes sold across the U.S. and Europe. He apprenticed at George Pal’s Puppetoons, became head animator, and later built custom puppets for films like A Star is Born and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He also made the Pinocchios sold at Disneyland.
The theater itself performed private birthday parties for the children of Jack Benny and Danny Kaye. That same revenue stream continues today — San Vicente Bungalows still brings in the theater for members’ kids.
After Baker’s death, the downtown space decayed. The theater went nonprofit, moved to Highland Park in 2019, nearly closed during COVID-19, and is now in the middle of a serious comeback. The company is trying to purchase its current Highland Park stage and mount its first original show in more than four decades.
45,000 people visited the venue last year, many of them schoolchildren.
— Sophie’s Family
What to Expect at a Show
Regular performances welcome about 120 guests. The repertoire has been retooled for modern audiences — some retired puppets, others recast, old stereotypes cleared away. The current production Choo Choo Revue runs through August 30 and features more than 100 new puppets, including dancing luggage and a cicada jug band. It runs about an hour.
The theater’s leadership puts real emphasis on adults-only performances too. Co-executive director Mary Fagot put it plainly: “You don’t need to kidnap a four year old to come see Bob Baker.” Partnerships with Sid the Cat, an Eastside indie music promotion group, have brought in a younger crowd.
Concerts and Late-Night Puppetry
The theater hosted 13 concerts in 2026. The lineup ranged from Iron & Wine and IAN SWEET to Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Big Black Delta, and Dark Tea. The top genres were indie, indie rock, and indie pop — 34, 28, and 25 performances respectively across the venue’s history.
The puppeteers also performed at Coachella in spring 2026, and the theater’s merch appeared on Rachel Sennott’s character in HBO’s I Love L.A.
Bob Baker Day — The Big Free Festival
Every September, the theater takes over Los Angeles State Historic Park for a free all-day festival. The 12th annual Bob Baker Day was held September 20, 2026. It drew about 30,000 people across three stages, with puppet performances every 30 minutes, live music, crafting booths, food trucks, and a kids talent show.
The festival started 12 years ago as a small birthday party of about 50 people. After Baker died, he wanted no funeral or memorial, so the theater threw a birthday party with puppets instead. It has grown into a community arts festival that ends with clowns, children, and roughly 400 mini pies in an all-out pie fight.
Admission is free with required advance registration and a suggested $25 donation. The location sits beside the Metro A Line Chinatown station, which keeps it accessible.
Who This Works For
Families with young kids are the core audience. Digital-native children find handcrafted puppetry even more enchanting than you’d expect — kids scream and holler with joy when puppets sit in their laps. Field trip reactions show escalating volume of joy.
Adults without kids have plenty of reasons to go too. The cabaret-style shows draw from vaudeville and carnival midway aesthetics. Concerts after dark turn the theater into an indie music venue. The company’s board chair calls it “a rare heart-warming story and glimmer of hope.”
Anyone who cares about LA cultural history will find the backstory compelling. The theater is attempting to purchase its Highland Park stage with a $5 million fundraising campaign for the property plus $2 million for renovations. So far $4.7 million has been raised, with major donations from the foundations of Jerry Perenchio, Wallis Annenberg, and Jarl Mohn. Jack Black and his wife Tanya Haden contributed, and Brie Larson also gave, calling the theater a place that brings the community together.
Practical Details for Your Visit
The theater operates out of Highland Park in a building it took over in 2019. Regular shows typically host about 120 people, so booking ahead is smart. Schedules and ticket prices vary, so check the theater’s own site for current showtimes and availability.
If you’re planning a broader Los Angeles trip, the theater fits naturally into a day of exploring the city’s creative side. The neighborhood pairs well with other offbeat stops. The theater has deep ties to the cultural fabric of Los Angeles — it’s the kind of place where the city feels most itself.
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If you’re bringing kids, the kid-friendly Los Angeles tours can help fill out your itinerary. If you lean toward the arts, art and culture tours in LA offer more hands-on options.
Sources
Our History. Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater is a Hollywood Zeitgeist Story. The Hollywood Reporter, 2026.
Bob Baker Day Pulls Los Angeles Into a Puppet-Powered Daydream. USC Annenberg Media, 2026.
Family Weekend Workshops with Bob Baker Marionette Theater. The Broad, 2026.
48Hr Halloween Puppet Film Project. Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 2026.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater Concert Schedule 2026. Concert Archives.
