Bob Baker's Puppet Show Brings Joy and Tunes to LA County Fair

Updated: 09 Mei, 2025 • 0 • min read

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At the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, a movable stage stands facing the Millard Sheets Art Museum and the Clock Tower. On each side of the small flatbed truck, hidden behind curtains, two puppeteers stretch as they prepare their marionettes for performance.

Twelve of us come together on this cold Sunday, uncertain about what we will experience at an open-air puppet performance. Soon after, a cheerful pre-recorded voice announces: "Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls!"

And with that, it’s time for the Bob Baker Marionettes to take center stage.

Puppeteers Caden Healander and Samantha Lake present a collection of string-operated animal puppets for their barnyard-inspired performance titled "Something to Crow About."

Mommy and Daddy Goat oversee the farm. They encounter various animals: pigs, a crow, a dodo bird, a frog, a yellow cat, a hen who believes she’s an opera star, along with three bunnies known as the Foot-Foot Bunnies.

They frolic and perform songs, featuring classic hits from the 1930s such as "It’s De-Lovely" and "Shine On Harvest Moon." Everything is prerecorded, predating recent times. This gives off an endearing feel, reminiscent of childhood records you barely recall.

Wearing identical red outfits, Healander and Lake both peer down at their puppets, drawing our attention to them as well, remaining silent. Occasionally, one of them moves out onto the pavement to bring a puppet nearer to us.

Puppeteers Caden Healander and Samantha Lake showcase crow and dodo bird puppets featuring strings for maneuvering their limbs, shoulders, heads, and additional parts. Their performance with the Bob Baker Marionette Theater occurs every Sunday until May 25 as part of the Los Angeles County Fair. (Photograph by David Allen, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Samantha Lake and Caden Healander control puppet versions of three daisies and Mama Goat in the Bob Baker Marionette Theater performance at the Los Angeles County Fair on May 4. This outdoor event, presented by the renowned L.A.-based children’s theater, occurs every Sunday until May 25. (Image courtesy of David Allen, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

During the Bob Baker Marionette show at the Los Angeles County Fair on May 4, following an evening of rainfall that created some puddles, a cheerful yellow cat performs to the delight of the gathered crowd. This outdoor performance occurs every Sunday until May 25 as part of the renowned L.A.-based children’s theater event. (Photograph by David Allen, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Puppeteers Caden Healander and Samantha Lake showcase crow and dodo bird puppets equipped with strings for maneuvering the limbs, shoulders, head, and various parts. Their performance as part of the Bob Baker Marionette show occurs every Sunday until May 25 at the Los Angeles County Fair. (Photograph courtesy of David Allen, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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In one scene, a bumblebee suffering from allergies repeatedly flies towards a daisy but, after experiencing a sneeze, has to pull back. Lake then steps forward, waving the bee through the air, before going back to the stage where Healander manipulates the daisy.

As the crowd continues to expand, bystanders stop to observe. By halfway through the performance, spectators begin clapping after every song concludes. Some individuals settle down and sit on the paved surface. What began with just twelve attendees swells to ninety participants.

Once the performance concludes, around 20 minutes later, everybody leaves with smiles on their faces.

I go up to the truck to speak with Healander and Lake. They also smile at me.

Once I learned that the puppet show would be featured at the fair, it became the number one thing I wanted to cover. The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, established in 1963, holds a special place as a cherished local treasure.

For the children’s theater group, which happens to be the oldest in Los Angeles, "Something to Crow About" was an obvious pick for the county fair due to its farming theme.

“Healander informs me that this show started in 1958," he says. "This was Bob Baker's inaugural touring show. The puppets all come from the initial production."

A mother interjects to declare to Healander, "You all are incredible!"

On May 4th, Caden Healander presents Clarissa Chicken to a wider audience at the Los Angeles County Fair following an unexpected downpour which created several puddles. Clarissa entertains with her handheld fan and operatic singing performances. (Image courtesy of David Allen, Inland Valley DailyBulletin/SCNG)

Born in Los Angeles in 1924, Baker's journey began at the young age of six after witnessing his inaugural puppet performance, as stated on the theatre's official site. He constructed his very own outdoor puppet stage, received guidance from seasoned puppeteers, worked under director George Pal, and eventually took charge as the lead animator for Puppetoons—a studio renowned for producing stop-motion puppet movies.

In 1963, Baker helped establish the theater in downtown Los Angeles, where he performed either onsite or on tour up until his passing in 2014 at the age of 90. Following his death, the theater moved to Highland Park.

The children's entertainment at this venue harkens back to an era long past: puppet shows with stringed figures, classic tunes, and cheesy humor. This has turned the theater into a living museum of a bygone age, much beloved by aficionados of pop culture.

This year’s theme, "Art Unleashed," prompted the fair to invite several prominent art institutions across Los Angeles County to participate. Among those included were LACMA, the Getty Center, Center Theatre Group, LA Opera, LA Plaza de Cultural y Artes—and Bob Baker Marionettes.

"Our marketing manager adores them. She even got one of their marionettes inked on her calf," revealed Renee Hernandez, the fair’s spokesperson.

Healander and Lake play at schools and various events. During Christmastime, they put on a performance in an LAX terminal to cheer up weary travelers.

Currently, they're at the county fair, open exclusively on Sundays until May 25, with shows starting at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. Admission to these events is included with your fair entry fee. The only exceptions are for the puppeteers' strings.

The puppets wait for their signals before performing in the Bob Baker Marionette show during the Los Angeles County Fair. (Photo by David Allen, Inland Valley DailyBulletin/SCNG)

Despite seldom looking up during their performance, Healander and Lake maintain an awareness of the audience.

"If I look downward, it assists me when I hear laughter," explains Healander, who is 22 years old.

Unlike the theater experience, where attendees purchase tickets and settle into their seats, "out here, it’s all about those who happen to walk by," explains Lake, aged 30. "People stop to look, they laugh. As an entertainer, seeing the audience expand is so rewarding... Being at these spots really gives you a boost of energy."

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The rain continued through the night and into the following morning. On this initial day, the sky remains overcast with temperatures in the 50s. Water collects in hollows of the pavement, creating a barrier like a moat that separates the spectators from the artists and hampers engagement.

However, the feedback encourages the performers. "A lot of kids gathered in that small area," Healander states. "This is why we're doing this. Our purpose is to inspire both children and adults."

“Wherever you are, you're spreading happiness to others,” Lake comments about the locations. “It never loses its charm.”

Despite the rain, clouds, and cool weather, a Bob Baker puppet show brings a ray of sunlight.

brIEfly

At the Los Angeles County Fair, my go-to meal has always been a chili dog from Pink’s. On Sunday, I grabbed one of those. "Your order name is Katy Perry," said the staff member as they handed over the ticket. While waiting, finished orders were announced with names like "Denzel Washington!" and "Jack Nicholson!" Being named instead of just another number definitely adds something special.

David "Katy Perry" Allen pens works on Fridays, Sundays, and Wednesdays. Email dallen@scng.com , call 909-483-9339, and like DavidAllenColumnist on Facebook, @DavidAllen909 on X, or @DavidAllen909.bsky.social on Bluesky.

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