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# Discover the Origins of LA’s Oldest Children’s Theater Company
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/bobs-petite-theatre-oxy-arts-on-york/
- Published: 2019-05-22T17:08:31.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:44:08.000Z
- Description: From May 28 to August 3, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be in residence at Oxy Arts on York, a brand-new community-based arts space established by Occidental College.
- Author: Matt Stromberg
- Tags: Art, Bob Baker Marionette Theater, California, Events, Los Angeles, Oxy Arts, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 07:34 (2019, 2020, part 1)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2019/05/bobs-petit-theater-1.jpg)

Bob Baker’s childhood drawing of Bob’s Petite Theatre (courtesy Bob Baker Marionette Theater)

Since [shuttering its longtime Echo Park location](https://hyperallergic.com/467505/hallows-eve-artists-maze-bob-baker-marionette-theater/) last fall, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been nomadic, staging performances at venues around Los Angeles until it found a new home. Earlier this year, the theater announced that it would be settling into a new spot in Highland Park this summer, and on Tuesday, it will begin its last off-site project before the official grand opening.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2019/05/petite-theater.jpg)

Bob Baker’s workshop in his backyard (courtesy Bob Baker Marionette Theater)

From May 28 to August 3, Bob Baker will be in residence at [Oxy Arts on York](https://www.oxy.edu/oxy-arts?ref=hyperallergic.com), a brand-new community-based arts space established by Occidental College. Titled [*Bob’s Petite Theatre,*](http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/petite-theater?ref=hyperallergic.com) the residency will look at the puppet theater’s origins, going back over five decades to Baker’s first theater, which he set up in his backyard workshop on New Hampshire Avenue. In the wide-eyed spirit of Baker’s experiments with performance and fabrication, there will be free puppet shows and workshops every Tuesday during the residency, as well as special events focusing on 2D shadow puppets (on June 20), foley sound effects (on July 18), lullabies (on July 25), a collaboration with [dublab](https://www.dublab.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com), and more. The fun begins on Tuesday, May 28 with a [free show](http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/new-events/2019/5/28/free-show?ref=hyperallergic.com) at 10am, [workshop for five- to 10-year-old kids](http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/new-events/2019/5/28/kids-workshop?ref=hyperallergic.com) at 11am ([registration required](https://red.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=57ded897c5b705d5c833df2107108c30&t=tix&ref=hyperallergic.com)), and an [opening reception](http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/new-events/2019/5/28/opening-reception?ref=hyperallergic.com) from 5 to 7pm.

When: Opens Tuesday, May 28  
Where: Oxy Arts on York (4757 York Blvd., Highland Park, Los Angeles)

*More info at* [*Bob Baker Marionette Theater*](http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/petite-theater?ref=hyperallergic.com)*.*