Meet Alex Evans of Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Evans.

Alex, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
12 years ago, I saw what was my first puppet show at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and had been captivated ever since! I was looking for an internship in special effects and stop motion and googled “Los Angeles Puppets,” and Bob Baker Marionette Theater popped up. I’ve grown to love the art of puppetry, but the place (in the physical, emotional, and communal sense of the word) truly changed my life.

I started working in the library digitizing music with Bob and slowly moved to doing the shows, to doing posters, to helping in the office, to building out puppets and shows, to stage managing, to now being executive director and head puppeteer. Every day, just like my very first experience, I am still finding new things that captivate me in ways I never expected.

From the experience of seeing the first show to today, my experience with the theater has and continues to be an enchanting journey of exploring history, connecting with amazing people, and being part of something that feels important.

Has it been a smooth road?
There have been so many challenges along the way. From mastering puppets, figuring out who the company was once Bob passed away, becoming a non-profit, financial woes, new locations, city mitigation with historical landmarks. I hesitate to call any of the struggles because I think I was too naive to know the scope of any of them at the time – the wonderful community here just believed in the cause so much that we just kept moving forward.

The blessing of Bob Baker Marionette Theater is that it is filled with so many joys and so many different things to do (good and bad) that rarely are we getting bogged down in one challenge – the future and prospects are so bright, as long as we kept sight of opportunity and potential ahead and all around we seemed to do just fine. When the big picture was dire, we focused on the smaller elements of joy, when the small elements weren’t feeling right, the grand vision of the future got us by.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater sees the world as a Birthday cake! Baked with care; decorated with imagination and intent; served across generations as a sanctuary of sweet, Sprinkled with stardust, whipped cream over delight!!

We do puppet shows, we continue not only a 4000-year-old art form but a very specific vision of innocence and imagination. It is a Los Angeles treasure. Founded by Bob Baker as a 6-year-old child, now nearly 90 years later, it is our mission to continue that legacy but share it and expand upon it.

We have 2000+ puppets, dozens of different shows – all musical variety marionette spectaculars! We do educational programs, just straight up fun shows, we build things, we offer communities the opportunity to engage with one another!

Everything we do both sets us apart of others but also everything we do links to others.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Los Angeles is an incredible place for a business like ours! We are a cultural landmark! We have grandparents who cares as kids, brought their kids, now their grandkids – that is the definition of culture and tradition! In a town known to entertainment – we are entertainment in it’s most whimsical fun and innocent form!

110% I would recommend someone starting more business like ours here! We are a diverse community and truly the avenues to engage people are endless!

Pricing:

• $10 group rates
• $15 regular season shows
• $350-$1000 touring bookings

Contact Info:

• Address: 4949 York Blvd Highland Park, CA 90042
• Website: www.BobBakerMarionetteTheater.com
• Phone: 213 250 9995
• Email: bobbakermarionettes@gmail.com
• Instagram: @bobbakermarionettes
• Facebook: facebook.com/bobbakermarionettetheater

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.