LA Children's Theater Guide

Who says LA isn't a theater town? Prevent that stereotype from entering your child's head by visiting one of the best spots for children's theater in LA, here in this handy list.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater

1345 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, California 90026
(213) 250-9995
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In 2010, the nation's longest running puppet theater received the distinction of being named Best Children's Live Theater by LA Parent. Mr. Baker, who learned the art of puppetry at the early age of eight, has performed for children and adults all over the world. Magic Strings, which is currently running, features over 100 of Mr. Baker's marionettes. The hour-long show is performed "in-the-round" and features a cabaret style of entertainment where audiences are invited to be part of the show.

Storybook Theatre

Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd W
Los Angeles, CA 90068
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Storybook Theatre has been entertaining children ages 3-9 for over 25 years. Operated under one of the oldest running theatre companies in Los Angeles, Storybook Theatre's interactive performances offer children an opportunity for exposure to the arts. Previous musicals have included Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Little Red Riding Hood. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs opens on October 1st with children's tickets available for just $10.

Santa Monica Group Theatre

1211 4th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 394-9779
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The Santa Monica Playhouse, which operates as a not-for-profit organization, offers weekend Family Theatre musicals for children and adults 2 and up. All Join In, which runs through October 16th, takes families on an interactive journey through songs and scenes from the classics. Audiences can sing along with their favorite characters as they enjoy the music and stories from tales such as Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, Dorothy's Adventures in Oz, and more. The Playhouse also offers educational programming for children, create-a-play classes, Mommy and Me events and more.

A Faery Hunt

Locations in Brentwood, Granada Hills, Tarzana, Los Angeles, and Simi Valley
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The interactive show, which won the Nickelodeon Parents' Picks Award for Best LA Children's Theater, travels throughout the Southland entertaining and inspiring families with its positive life messages. Themes include kindness, respect, ecological responsibility, and tolerance. Children are encouraged to dress up and parents should note that some walking and standing is involved. A video preview is available on the site. There are a limited number of free performances so be certain to check the website for those dates and locations.

Joy Theatre

5233 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 505-9355
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The valley-based children's theater, which won the Parents' Pick award in 2010, provides comedic entertainment in a family-friendly environment. Part instruction, part performance, the theatre teaches children improv, sketch, stand-up and more. This is a working theatre and there are four scheduled weekend comedy variety shows and two specialized shows every 10 weeks.

The Los Angeles Children's Theater

The Little Theater LA
12420 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 622-4482
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The LA-based playhouse hosts an intimate audience, seating just 49 for its productions which are specifically geared towards children. The stories are entertaining and offer meaningful life lessons. Performances run about an hour and are perfectly suited for younger children.

Nine O'Clock Players Theater for Children

1367 N. St. Andrews Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 469-1973
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For over 80 years, the organization has worked to bring live theater to children and families in Los Angeles. The spacious playhouse seats over 300 and is located in Hollywood. This season's performances include Jack and the Giant, based on the book by the same name.