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Nicolas Coppola, Artistic Director of Puppetworks Inc, first saw the Suzari Marionettes as a 3rd grader at Brooklyn's PS 200, inspiring him, with the help of his seamstress mother and tailor uncle, to create his first cloth marionette.
In 1954, at the age of 19, he auditioned to be a professional puppeteer with that very same Suzari Marionettes, and was hired by them. In 1962, on his 27th birthday, he was elevated to Artistic Director, and the company became the Nicolo Marionettes, touring as many as 5 different productions simultaneously throughout much of the United States.
Nicolas Coppola & Pinocchio at the Atlantic Antic
Scenery by James Racioppi
In the Spring of 1976, the Nicolo Marionettes began a residency at Washington D.C.'s Smithsonian Institution with 7 productions & a tour, through 1978, a highlight of which was an acclaimed production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" for children.
Puppet by Kevin Frisch
In the fall of 1976, Nicolo Marionettes began a holiday tradition at Macy*s (Herald Square), when Macy*s built a puppet theatre especially for Nicolo Marionettes.Nick produced 30 Holiday shows for Macy*s, as well as 3 Easter shows, 6 Specials and Tours , ending in 2013 with "Yes, Virginia," narrated by Puppetworks' Whoopi Goldberg puppet.
Nicolas Coppola (l.) receiving Macy*s Santa Land Legend Award from Macy*s Vice-President Bill Schermerhorn, because he "always embodies the spirit of Macy*s Santa." (2008)
Nick directs "Hansel & Gretel" in rehearsal
In 1980, as economics made it more and more difficult to turn a proifit in touring puppet theatre, Nick founded the not-for-profit company, Puppetworks Inc, which eventually replaced the Nicolo Marionettes.From 1997 to 2000, Puppetworks presented productions at the Children's Aid Society's Greenwich Village Theatre.Puppetworks is currently a full-time resident puppet theatre in Brooklyn's Park Slope historic district.
In concert, Puppetworks has appeared with the Little Orchestra Society, St Luke's Chamber Ensemble, the Orchestra da Camera and the Brooklyn Philharmonic, in such works as Debussy's "Toy Box," Ibert's "Divertissements," and in highly-praised performances of Haydn's marionette opera, "Philemon and Baucis (Jupiter's wanderings on Earth)."
With the Sylvan Wind Quintet, Puppetworks has developed productions of Prokofiev's "Peter & the Wolf" and Humperdinck's "Hansel & Gretel."
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Philemon and Baucis in performance
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Nick Coppola (top) with Allan Jones (r.)
in "Naughty Marietta"
Further appearances include featured prominence in the Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ) production of Herbert's "Naughty Marietta," New Jersey State Opera performances of Mascagni's "Iris" and Sullivan's "Ivanhoe," and the New York State Early Music Association's production of Mozart's "Bastien and Bastienne."