Interview: Daisy Hernandez’s a Jill of All Trades for BOB BAKER’S NUTCRACKER

Bob Baker’s perennial holiday favorite Bob Baker’s Nutcracker opens November 30, 2024, at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s production manager Daisy Hernandez managed to find some time out of her very busy puppet responsibilities to answer a few of my queries.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Daisy!

You’ve been the stage manager for BBMT since 2021, but you have a long colorful history with the company since you were a kid. Can you list all the positions you’ve filled in for the company over the years? What’s your favorite position?

I started working for the theater at the age of 17 as the second spotlight operator. I was trained by the spotlight operator at that time who just so happened to be my sister. With a few shows under my belt, I was able to wiggle my way into helping out backstage. I would help with lighting for shows as well as puppeteer for a number or two. Years later, I am now the production manager for the theater, a puppeteer, & the lighting designer/programmer.

Through all the positions I’ve held at the Theater, my favorite would have to be puppeteering. There is nothing like looking at a child joyfully smiling at a puppet that just sat on their lap, creating a memory that’ll last forever.

You’ve been with BBMT since you’re 17. How many times have you worked a puppet in the annual The Nutcracker? Which puppets do you handle in The Nutcracker? How many puppets are usually in The Nutcracker show?

I’ve been part of Bob Baker’s Nutcracker for the past 10 years as the spotlight operator, puppeteer, lighting designer, & production manager. The production has a cast of about 100 puppets, and I’ve been fortunate enough to puppeteer all of them. My favorite would have to be Mysterio, our flying blue dog.

Why did you choose Sierra Madre Playhouse as The Nutcracker venue instead of having it at BBMT’s home base in Highland Park?

Being able to partner with Sierra Madre Playhouse gives us the opportunity to expand our offerings and to reach new audiences throughout Los Angeles! We’re now able to offer two holiday shows this year — Holiday on Strings at BBMT and Nutcracker at Sierra Madre Playhouse!

What words of wisdom did Bob Baker give to you?

There’s a saying that Bob would always say that has stuck with us to this day, “Be happy, be healthy, & always, always keep a smile on your face.”

Have the puppets changed over the years? What kind of maintenance is required for your puppets?

Our puppets are constantly changing. Sometimes it’s updating the clothes, the music, or the puppets themselves. Since some of our puppets were made over 60 years ago, we have a whole team of fabricators in our workshop that help maintain them in addition to making new puppets every day.

For example, when Bob was making puppets years ago, he would make them out of available materials, so some of our puppet’s interiors are made out of foam which, years later, is deteriorating. Our team of fabricators found a way to mimic the same shape & feel with a different material that’ll last longer and give them life for many more decades.

During our ¡Fiesta! show revamp, we were able to re-costume our puppet mariachi players to better represent the mariachi culture, as well as adding a Day of the Dead sequence to the show & creating seven new skeleton marionettes.

Do you take advantage of any new technology or are you old school in presenting your puppet shows?

The theater is a bit of both, old school & new school. When we moved to our new home in Highland Park, we were able to upgrade our lighting fixtures from old self-made coffee can fixtures to newer LED color mixing fixtures as well as a newer lighting console. Although we might incorporate new technology, we always remain true to the original feeling of the shows, honoring Bob's vision while innovating.

How is BBMT’s partnership with PlayHouseLive streaming The Circus working out? Any plans to stream other programs? Or are your efforts more focused in providing YouTube videos as part of BBMT’s “At Home Happiness” campaign?

We are so happy that we got to offer streaming shows with Pasadena Playhouse in addition to our At Home Happiness digital content during COVID. It was a great way to reach people all across the world!
We continue to offer fun, digital content online and on our social platforms! We love that we can share puppetry with more people than ever before!

Do you still see yourself working at BBMT in ten years?

I don’t picture myself anywhere but at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in the future. The Theater is such a treasure that I will always try to be a part of, and I want others to experience it as well.

Thank you again, Daisy! I look forward to experiencing the Christmas magic that is BBMT.

For tickets to Bob Baker’s Nutcracker through January 5, 2025; click on the button below:

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