What to Know
- Bob Baker Marionette Theater (select dates through Nov. 6)
- The "boo-sical revue" hails from the sweeter side of the Halloween season
- $20; children "ages 2 and under who will be sitting on a lap are FREE!"
Finding the Halloween spirit with a few strings attached?
True story: It isn't all that uncommon to find various stringy things adding atmosphere to the autumn holiday.
Think of the holiday's popular caramel candies, the kind of gooey confections that produce a few sticky strings when you bite down and pull the candy away.
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Seeing strings on porches and patios? You might, if the home has been decorated with the sorts of paper monsters that flutter in the wind, their unseen strings keeping them attached to the eaves or rafters of a house.
And on York Boulevard, in a character-filled venue that's seen plenty of fantastical entertainment over the decades? Strings are at the celebratory center of the sweet and unscary fun, thanks to the troupe of marionettes ready to make merry.
We're talking about the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, of course, that decades-old delight that generations of Angelenos have come to adore. And each October, and often late September, too, the ultra-cute company celebrates the most spirited time of year with a revue that full of pep, puppetry, and plenty of fall-fun chills 'n thrills.
Of course, the "Hallowe'en Spooktacular" isn't too chilling; this is, after all, a show that very young children can enjoy, as they sit "crisscross apple sauce" on the theater floor.
But it does have some of the fun and frightful figures associated with the spooky season, including Frankenstein's monster, witches, and the occasional glow-in-the-dark skeleton, too.
A ticket for the show, which is now open and running on select dates through Nov. 6, 2022?
It's $20, and children ages 2 and under are admitted free (if they'll be lap-sitting throughout the performance, do note).
The upbeat vignettes are full of vivacity and cheer, and the puppets will be plentiful: There are over 100 in all to admire (and, as is tradition at this nostalgic theater, the marionettes do dance right over to some of the children sitting nearest the performance area, another hallmark of this happy place).
Masks are required — you'll want to read up on requirements before purchasing your ticket — and there are afternoon and evening shows available.
