A beloved Los Angeles arts institution is asking everyday Angelenos to dig into their pocket.
The iconic Bob Baker Marionette Theater has long been a staple of the Los Angeles arts scene, but even with the backing of Hollywood’s heavy hitters, the legendary puppet troupe is finding that “forever” comes with a steep price tag.
The theater announced that it has officially almost reached a $5 million deal to purchase its current rental home in Highland Park — a move intended to protect the institution from the skyrocketing rents that have shuttered so many other businesses.
However, despite securing millions from some of the biggest names in entertainment, the theater is now turning to the public to cross the finish line.
The nonprofit has already raised a massive $4.5 million, thanks in large part to a “who’s who” of elite donors. Supporters include actor Jack Black and his artist wife Tanya Haden, alongside major contributions from the Perenchio, Kohl, and Ahmanson foundations.
Yet, even with that star-studded war chest, the theater says it still needs another $2.5 million from the community to finalize the purchase and fund essential renovations for the aging building.
While the theater reportedly has already secured a $500,000 loan to close on the $5 million deal on the building, they don’t want the debt weighing on them as it transitions from renter to owner.
“We think it’s an achievable gap,” Mary Fagot, Bob Baker’s co-executive director, told the LA Times, pitching it as once in a lifetime opportunity to preserve a cultural treasure.
For those who don’t know, the Bob Baker experience is a time capsule of “Old Hollywood” whimsy. Founded in 1963, the theater houses over 3,000 handcrafted puppets — from skating penguins to operatic cats — that perform amidst sparkling chandeliers and ice cream socials. It’s a formula that has enchanted over a million children and adults alike.
The theater’s history with LA real estate has been rocky. In 2019, the troupe was forced out of its original downtown location — its home for over half a century — to make way for a luxury apartment complex. The move to Highland Park was supposed to be a fresh start, but rising costs in the gentrifying neighborhood quickly put the theater’s future back in jeopardy.
Now, the puppet masters are hoping that everyday Angelenos will join the ranks of their celebrity donors to save the institution. The funds are earmarked not just for the mortgage, but to support the theater’s first new production in over four decades, Choo Choo Revue.
The news was received with overwhelming support online. “This is how legacy businesses in LA stay around,” wrote one redditor in response to the news. “Good for them!”
“Earned, deserved, and so so important for all of us who love this city and all that you do to make it better, happier, and more magical for all, especially our young ones,” another said on Instagram.
The fundraising push comes at a high-profile moment for the troupe. Just last week, the puppets traded their theater for the dusty polo fields of Indio, making their debut at Coachella. Performing on the Gobi Stage, the marionettes shared the lineup with global superstars like Sabrina Carpenter and Justin Bieber.
While the theater has the support of the 1%, its survival now rests on whether the public is willing to help bridge the gap. For a theater that has spent decades entertaining the city’s children, the hope is that the community will see the $2.5 million ask as a necessary investment to keep the strings from being cut for good.
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