Santa Monica Puppetry Center closing
A rent increase is forcing the closure of the tiny Santa Monica Puppetry Center, a museum, theater and workshop that set up shop nearly 10 years ago.
The center, on 2nd Street in Santa Monica, has hosted such performers as master puppeteer Phillip Huber and the late ventriloquist Paul Winchell.
Founder Steve Meltzer said that the decision to close was made after he was notified that the property owner was raising the center’s monthly rent and maintenance costs to $4,922 from just under $3,500. The center had survived previous rent increases with birthday party entertainment, weekly public shows, puppet rentals and film puppetry.
Meltzer must now find a home for his collection of more than 400 puppets. He will reopen the center if he can find another affordable small storefront space, he said, and in the meantime may tour his puppet shows.
“Sometimes things just have to play out their own course. It’s been really good here. It’s given me my show and my following, and that’s not lost on me, but if I had my druthers, we’d continue. I’d planned to be here until they put handles on the sides.”
The final performances of Meltzer’s signature show, “Puppetolio,” will be held July 4.
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