Fifty-five years of puppet mastery can be enjoyed on Wilshire Boulevard through a partnership between the Miracle Mile Toy Hall and the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

On Nov. 1, Miracle Mile Toys and Games relocated in a new space at 5464 Wilshire Blvd. that previously housed Whimsic Alley. The 8,000-square-foot space allowed business partners Christine Johnson and Carrie Burkle-Harr to expand the toy store while also offering special programs in an expansive event space. Burkle-Harr, who is a board member for the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, helped arrange the partnership to hold puppet shows at the toy hall. The first show – a Christmas-themed presentation – was held last Saturday, and it was a big success, Johnson said.

Alex Evans, executive director of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, introduced one of the puppets that will be featured in shows at owner Christine Johnson’s new Miracle Mile Toy Hall. (photo by Edwin Folven)

“People loved it,” she added. “There were some old fans [of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater], and some people who had a new experience. What I loved was there were older kids enjoying it and a baby who was so into it. It really appeals to every age.”

Alex Evans, executive director and head puppeteer for the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, said the collaboration provides new opportunities for the theater to branch out in new directions. The goal is to bring the late Baker’s puppetry into new venues, and the Miracle Mile Toy Hall is a perfect fit, he said. The next puppet show is on Dec. 16, and Evans plans to pull some strings and expand programming in the coming months.

“There is so much potential here to do birthday parties and puppetry workshops,” Evans said. “We would love to have as many shows as possible. The sky is the limit.”

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is a Los Angeles institution that is designated as a historic cultural monument. Baker, who loved puppets since he was a child and began manufacturing marionettes while attending Hollywood High School, opened the theater at 1345 W. First St. in 1963.

Since then, generations of children and families have enjoyed the shows. Baker created more than 2,000 handcrafted puppets and the theater hosts 200 shows a year.

After Baker died three years ago, a dedicated group of puppeteers and supporters including Evans and Burkle-Harr have been carrying on his legacy. The theater is raising funds for an upcoming renovation at its “In L.A. to Stay” gala on Saturday, Dec. 2 beginning at 6 p.m. The “Holiday on Strings” and “Nutcracker” shows are also currently playing at the theater.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theatre is currently in a transitional phase. Plans call for it to be incorporated into a mixed-use project at the site. The renovation will likely begin at the end of 2017, with a target completion date of the end of next year or the beginning of 2019.

While the project is underway, people can enjoy Baker’s puppets in shows at places like the Miracle Mile Toy Hall, which Evans described as a “good fit.”

“This is an exciting partnership,” Evans added. “It’s the experience. You can transport people with puppets and a musical experience no matter where you are. All it takes is an imagination.”

Johnson said she has been a longtime fan of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and is excited about the possibilities at the toy store’s new location. After operating at 5363 Wilshire Blvd. for four and a half years, Johnson said she immediately began working to move into the new space after learning earlier this year that Whimsic Alley was going out of business.

“It was a long meandering path to securing the space,” Johnson said. “I was negotiating the lease with the landlord, and at the same time, talking to Alex. It came together over the summer.”

Johnson also envisions the Miracle Mile Toy Hall as a community space, and other uses include mommy and me classes to be held by Mindful Mommy LA. Parents can learn about the new program at a Transition to Parenthood session on Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Miracle Mile Toy Hall. The new programs exemplify a longtime goal for Johnson, who said she always wanted the store to be a gathering place.

“The goal is to have people come in and enjoy themselves, relax and have an experience they couldn’t have sitting at a computer,” Johnson said. “We want to make it more of a personal experience.”