Interview | Bebook: The Bus That Brings Stories to Life

The now-famous bus wheels into the corner of the street, a blue owl curiously peeking its head out of the front. Bebook is a mobile theater that brings puppet shows around numerous neighborhoods in Armenia. Their mission is simple: to bring the art of theater – and its infectious joy – to children who may have limited access to such wonders. I am immediately entranced by the fact that their theater runs on wheels. Though it's hard not to find yellow buses charming, this one felt straight out of a cartoon, like it had leaped out of the pages of a children’s book.

Their co-founders Ruzanna Petrosyan and Ani Yeremyan and the puppet team greet me as they start to quickly transform the bus into a theater. First, they pull the stage down, revealing a set of maroon curtains. Then come the two styrofoam apple trees that have ripe little green and red apples hanging on them. The styrofoam trees are ruby red and bright as they lean against the real trees that decorate the park. I adore the contrast in artificiality, it feels like I am seeing a tree from a 2D animation film against our dim live-action world. Lastly, the curtains are drawn to reveal a cheerful, sunny, forest backdrop, the quintessential location for fairy tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood” or “The Three Little Pigs”. Cinderella's pumpkin patch and mice transform into a carriage with horses, the little bus is now a set ready to host similar fairytales.

The Bebook team is excited because they are preparing for the debut of their new Ratatouille show, an adaptation of the Academy Award-nominated 2007 animated film. I am unapologetically biased to puppetry in any shape or form, a proud finger puppet connoisseur since childhood. But having the show be about Ratatouille somehow made it even more magical. I find it easy to forget that outside of cartoons and live-action adaptations, there is a whole world of theater and puppetry that awaits these stories. I was curious to know how they had come to choose puppetry in the first place and how it had eventually led them to Ratatouille.

Lilit Davtyan: What drew you to puppets? How did you come to learn the arts?
Ruzanna P: Dolls and puppetry art are methods that effortlessly engage children, as they easily identify with the puppet and feel free to communicate without shyness. During our performances, we encourage the audience to interact freely with the puppets, allowing them to explore and engage with the characters.

LD: When did the idea of a theater bus come to fruition and how has it been running?
RP: The idea of a theater bus has been with us for quite some time, but it truly came to life during the Artbox Incubator program. Now, it has evolved into a well-established initiative that continues to grow and explore new, exciting directions.

LD: What drew you to Ratatouille in particular? What elements of the story did you try to highlight the most?
RP: The core message of Ratatouille aligns closely with our theater's philosophy: just as the story suggests that anyone can cook, we believe we can perform anywhere, even in the most challenging locations. During public performances, the interactive element is adapted, but for smaller groups, we include a special cooking area where children can cook with their own hands and assist Remy, the hero of the play.

Bebook’s performance process is unique because of how much they involve the audience during their shows. There are moments when the kids have a say in where the story takes its course, holding up signs for the characters to help determine which direction they should move toward, or shouting warnings at the pigs if the big bad wolf is hiding behind them. Even when they perform the same show, the kid’s reactions and interactions make each performance distinct and of its own. Sometimes the children are more eager to see the Little Red Riding Hood find her way to her grandmother and some crowds are more drawn to what advice Bebook the owl has to offer.

A little girl who is walking around the block as we are conversing happens to notice the puppets from afar and stops with her grandmother. I see her joy blossom in real time as she interacts with the pig puppet, asking her grandmother if she could take a closer look at their homes that were set on the stage. She was then standing on the stage, excited to be taking photos with the puppet cast. I wanted to know just how much of an influence the giggles and snickers of the crowd had on a show.

 

LD: What is the performance process like? Do you improve and play off of the children’s interactions or do you usually try to stick to a script?
RP: Our performances are highly interactive, as always. Children's involvement is paramount to us, which is why we often change the plot of fairy tales, sometimes during the performance itself, with active participation from the audience.

LD: What impact do you want to have on kids? How do you want them to feel when they attend your performances?
RP: Through our interactive puppet and shadow performances, we aim to introduce children to art and theater, believing that a culturally educated generation is crucial for a strong nation. Armenia, with its rich cultural heritage including theater, is a country that emphasizes these values. The Bebook mobile theater seeks to contribute to this important cause. We want children attending our performances to feel they have bridged a cultural gap, learning the nuances of theater art and puppetry.

They begin to set the stage for Ratatouille. The props include a bright yellow styrofoam block of cheese, copper-colored pots and pans, and a rainbow assortment of plastic fruits and vegetables. Though I am initially aware that there are two people dressed in baby blue overalls controlling the puppets, I eventually start to believe that Remy the rat is scurrying about before my eyes. The rat puppet duo is impressively articulated, their two buck teeth hold onto the block of cheese with ease.

I ask Bebook who is the mastermind behind their puppets, “There’s a woman who is an expert at bringing our ideas to reality, she even makes our props and set pieces. But if you look closely at our assortment of puppets, you will notice that our older ones were made by a different person. They have more of an old school feeling to them because their faces are made out of paper mache and are characterized by their hand-painted expressions”. I look at the furry, softer, Remy puppet, and then turn my head towards the older grandma puppet. Though the Remy and Emile puppets were more fluffy, mobile, and plush, there was just something about the grandma’s paper mache smile that made me feel nostalgic. I was then introduced to their owl puppet which is also the logo of their brand. Bebook’s character inspiration is from an Armenian legend about a girl who turned into a bird. Similar to the Bebook the Owl, the theater “flies” around the world to collect fairy tales for children.
 

LD: What are your plans regarding reaching different regions of Armenia? How has the theater bus helped make this an actual reality?
RP: Starting in July, we will launch an exciting project in the Tavush region to bring the magic of theater to local children. Additionally, we have several ongoing agreements with our partners to visit other regions of Armenia throughout the summer and early autumn. Since many regional areas lack suitable venues for performances, our theater bus solves this challenge effectively by bringing the theater directly to them.

LD: How has your journey and current collaboration with the Yerevan Municipality been going? What benefits has it brought to your business? What neighborhoods have you been able to reach due to this?
RP: We have been working with the Yerevan Municipality for the second year in a row, and the results have been fantastic. In 2023, our project featured just four test performances in four districts of Yerevan. However, from May 1st to June 30th, 2024, we’ve delivered around 60 performances across all 12 districts. This included shows in public courtyards, gardens, and the outdoor areas of schools and kindergartens, enabling Bebook to reach various parts of Yerevan and engage children with our performances. This year, we have also included public figures in our program to give interactive fairy tale readings. This collaboration has been highly effective, helping us attract new audiences and surprise our loyal supporters with new experiences. It has increased our confidence and popularity, making us more self-sufficient and firmly established.

 

LD: Since your involvement with Artbox, how has your business progressed? What aspects of your business have you seen the most improvement in?
RP: Thanks to Artbox, our business has developed clear self-financing mechanisms, transforming into a self-sufficient theater that now receives numerous collaboration offers from significant organizations and government entities. In terms of marketing and business management, we have achieved substantial growth, inspiring us to pursue new dreams and goals.

LD: Where would you like Bebook to progress in the future? What are your main aspirations regarding the expansion/outreach of your theater?
RP: In the future, the Bebook mobile theater will continue its mission of bringing culture and theater to underserved areas. We're also planning to expand beyond Armenia to reach the Armenian Diaspora, where thousands of children are eager to connect with and experience Armenian culture and theater firsthand.
 

It is hard not to be smiling from ear to ear the whole time. Whether it is from witnessing Remy and Emile cook with styrofoam blocks of cheese or from seeing a little girl elated that she is meeting Little Red Riding Hood. Every child, regardless of where they reside in this world, deserves such moments of pure bliss. They are not just turning the page of their fairytale book after they finish reading, they are now playing and interacting with the characters themselves. This little bus has made their fantasy into a reality.