Puppet Parlor says farewell to Des Plaines

Fire displaced the Puppet Parlor the first time.

Now, a lack of support -- from customers and city officials -- has chased the theater from its refuge in downtown Des Plaines back to Chicago.

Starting this weekend, Ralph Kipniss will relocate the theater to a Chicago Park District facility after two years at the old Masonic Temple in Des Plaines.

It's a homecoming of sorts for the theater.

In 2005, a fire ravaged the theater that had housed the Puppet Parlor for 17 years in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood. Kipnis suffered a further loss when his longtime theater partner died later that year.

Now, his 4,000 marionettes will take up residence in a 400-seat theater at Pulaski Park near Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

The move will be swift, as performances of one of the theater's classics, "Babes in Toyland," are set for Tuesday.

Kipniss, a Chicago resident, had trouble paying the rent at 620 Lee St. and pleaded with Des Plaines officials to pitch in to keep the theater in town.

While shows for the city's annual New Year's Eve celebration downtown drew packed crowds over two years, the theater was hurt by a dwindling customer base after moving to Des Plaines.

"We're so sorry that we have to leave Des Plaines because we had no help," Kipniss said.

In exchange for the park district space, Kipniss will teach classes. Until that starts, he will have to pay $75 a performance -- a much sweeter deal than the $1,000 monthly rent at the Des Plaines site.

A $2,100 grant from a foundation also will help the puppet theater, he said.

Performances of "Babes in Toyland" will start Tuesday. The shows will be at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. at 1419 W. Blackhawk St.

Weekday performances will continue through Dec. 28. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7 for children.

Kipniss says he plans to have no further contact with the suburb he's leaving behind.

Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, while saying he was sorry to lose the theater, opposed Kipniss' request for public money to keep it in town, saying it's not the city's place to dole out money for such private ventures.

He called puppeteering a "dying art" because young people have other interests.

"I personally was brought up on puppets. They had 'Lamb Chop.' They had 'Howdy Doody,'" the mayor said. "Nowadays, kids' mindsets are a lot different."