Venezuelan puppet theatre founded in 1980 in San Cristóbal. Originally, the company was created in 1976 as part of the cultural programme of the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura (National Council of Culture) of the State of Táchira, under the direction of the puppeteer Armando Armenta. It took on the name Kinimarí in 1980 and was headed by Carlos Tovar before becoming part of the directorate of Culture and Fine Arts of the State of Táchira. The company then performed puppet shows in schools, creating groups with the students’ participation and through training workshops for teachers. Puppet building, costuming, set design, staging and manipulation skills were taught there. Teatro de Títeres Kinimarí has its own permanent auditorium, Canta Pirulero, located in the theatre in Táchira.

The theatre’s repertoire includes: Una flor y dos vecinos (One Flower and Two Neighbours) by Carlos Tovar; El hacha del leñador (The Woodcutter’s Axe), based on Leo Tolstoy; Chimpeto Champata by Javier Villafañe; El peluquero del rey (The King’s Hairdresser), an adaptation of El rey mocho (The One-Eared King) by Carmen Berenguer; and Los caballeros de la devastación (The Knights of Devastation) by Carlos Tovar.

The company has toured in Venezuela and has performed in national and international festivals, notably Muestra de Maracaibo in 1986, the Barinas Festival in 1987, and the Meeting of Artists, Art Critics and Media in Pamplona (Colombia) in 1992.

(See Venezuela.)