Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Joyous Nutcracker at Sierra Madre Playhouse

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker, Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s spellbinding 1969 marionette adaptation of the timeless ballet classic, returns to Sierra Madre Playhouse, bringing joy, wonder and merriment to the holidays with 52 performances from Saturday, November 28, 2026, through Sunday, January 3, 2027. Tickets are just $25.

“There’s something special about seeing Bob Baker’s Nutcracker in a 99-seat room,” says Sierra Madre Playhouse Artistic and Executive Director Matt Cook. “The puppets are only a few feet away, kids can see every detail, and adults get to rediscover a holiday tradition through children’s eyes. Bob Baker has been part of Southern California’s holidays for generations, and we love giving families the chance to experience that magic up close in Sierra Madre.”

The enchanting production features more than 100 handcrafted puppets, including beloved characters from the ballet, such as Clara, the Nutcracker, the Rat King, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, along with many of Baker’s own whimsical creations. With its large-scale marionettes and intricate sets, this dreamscape adaptation has become one of the Southland’s most celebrated holiday traditions. Carefully preserved and adapted over the years by the talented team at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, this one-hour production is a magical experience.

Critics call Bob Baker’s Nutcracker “Christmas magic” (Broadway World) and “a congregation of imagination” (LA Dance Chronicle). LA Theatrix proclaims, "The cutely intimate Sierra Madre Playhouse, with its throwback red velvet seats and curtain, seems ideally suited for this vintage feeling show.”

Sierra Madre Playhouse – with convenient free parking, its central location in the heart of Sierra Madre’s quaint shopping and restaurant district, and affordable tickets – is the perfect place to celebrate the holidays with family and friends.

Other holiday programs featured at Sierra Madre Playhouse in December include a hilarious musical parody of Die Hard, presented with tongue-in-cheek charm by the acclaimed comedy troupe 30MM (30 Minute Musicals), December 4, 5, and 6, 8:00 PM. A lively interactive family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol, adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella and designed specifically for children in grades K–12 by Will & Company, is featured December 12, 11:00 AM. Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Gregg Karukas brings Holiday Jazz to Sierra Madre Playhouse, delivering sophisticated jazz harmonies, lyrical piano lines, and infectious rhythms, Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 PM. Matt Johnson and the New Jet Set swing by with “A Jet Set Christmas!”, a festive musical celebration brimming with holiday classics, Christmas carols, and audience singalongs drenched in tinsel, jazz, and joy, December 20 and 21, at 8:00 PM.

For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.