"Every weekend, at 12:30 or 2:30 p.m., children gather on foam mats and colored blocks to watch wooden renditions of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio and Aladdin for exactly 45 minutes - the length of one side of a cassette tape. "This isn't a screen! It's for reals happenin' back there!" Alyssa Parkhurst, a 24-year-old puppeteer, says before each show. For most of the theater's patrons, this is their first experience with live entertainment."
"Puppetworks has served Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood for over 30 years. Many of its current regulars are the grandchildren of early patrons of the theater. Its founder and artistic director, 90-year-old Nicolas Coppola, has been a professional puppeteer since 1954. For just $11 a seat ($12 for adults), puppets of all types - marionette, swing, hand and rod - take turns transporting patrons back to the '80s, when most of Puppetworks' puppets were made and the audio tracks were taped."
Every weekend at 12:30 or 2:30 p.m., children gather on foam mats and colored blocks to watch wooden renditions of classic tales for exactly 45 minutes, the length of one side of a cassette tape. Puppetworks serves Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood and has operated for over 30 years. Many regulars are grandchildren of early patrons. Founder and artistic director Nicolas Coppola, 90, has performed since 1954. For $11 a seat ($12 adults), marionette, swing, hand and rod puppets perform nostalgic shows, some updated to reflect modern sensibilities. Programming adapts to cultural moments and streaming trends. School visits and word-of-mouth draw families seeking screen-free live entertainment.
Read at Georgia Public Broadcasting
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