Founded in December of 1990 by two ladies, Daw Ma Ma Naing (Main Founder) and Daw Naing Yee Mar (Co Founder) who were the junior assistant teachers at government schools. Daw Ma Ma Naing is the eldest daughter of Gonduu Myanmarsar U Thein Naing, the writer of Burmese Theatre who won the National Prize in 1968.

Luckily these two young ladies discovered the two old puppet players U Pan Aye and U Mya Thwin (passed away in 1995) and started the theatre with a high level of attraction for visiting tourists. They are the former pupils of the Marionette artist Shwe Bo U Tin Maung, one of the remaining descendents of the ancient professionals. They have gradually built up their team with experienced artists as well as young artists (puppet players, musicians, and a human dancer). Our artistic team is supervised by Dr.Tin Maung Kyi, U Pan Aye and U Shwe Nan Tin who is also the former pupil of the Marionette artist Shwe Bo U Tin Maung.

Mandalay Marionette Theatre has participated in many World-wide Festivals of Puppet Theatre in different countries, such as Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, USA, France, Switzerland, Holland, Finland, Morroco, Mexico, Germany and Belgium.

The name of the “Mandalay Marionette Theatre” has been changed into a new name as the “Myanmar Marionette Theatre” starting on the 1^st January, 2015.

The brand new Musée du Quai Branly was created in 2006 by the previous French President Jacques Chirac -on the banks of the River Seine at the foot of the Eiffel Tower- in order to promote the greatest arts and cultures of Africa, Oceania, Asia, and the Americas from all times with almost 300 000 artifacts in its collections.

The Musée du quai Branly is an innovative cultural institution – museum, educational and research centre, and public living space all in one, promoting an interdisciplinary approach, associating anthropology, archaeology, linguistics and history, along with art history aesthetics. The Musée du quai Branly also carries out in-the-field operations designed to rescue and protect cultural heritage.
Under the august patronage of UNESCO, the Musée du quai Branly has already welcomed over 3.5 million enthusiastic visitors.

As part of a cycle on the theme of the Body, related to various permanent exhibitions, enhancing as well wonderful masterpieces from Myanmar. In order to seduce the largest possible audience (children and adults), the museum plans to organize from Thursday 12th to Sunday 16th march 2008 various performances of:
– Nat-Pwe Celebration
– Classical dance
– Classical music (Saing Waing orchestra)
– Puppet Show (Yok Thai Pwe)

As part of the process of production, it may also require the expertise of the French Embassy in Yangon (Cultural Cooperation Department). Besides, the Mandalay Marionette Theatre, which has promoted since the year 2000 the art of Burmese puppet throughout the world successfully, may assume an artistic and administrative part in the project.

A specific mission for the project, leaded by
Mr. Alain Weber (Head of the Performances Department of the Musée du Quai Branly)
Ms Isabelle Gruet (artistic counselor, USA)
Jean-Herve Vidal ( Director of Zaman Art)
Kyaw Myo Ko (Director of Mandalay Marionette)