Peter Dizozza Coppelia

The Burlesque Version

Peter Dizozza adapted Coppelia into a surrealist burlesque show, and why not, from the ballet story, itself adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman's The Sandman, for La MaMa's 1998 Reading Series.

It first appeared as a 3 1/2 minute mini-play during The Copellius Concert at SideWalk on August 2nd, 1998. Go ahead, HAVE A LISTEN TO IT!

We introduced the full play on Saturday, November 21st, 1998 at La Mama La Gallaria, New Voices/New Works Reading Series with

REBECCA EMERY (Swanilda)

DENISE POSPISIL (Narrator/Coppelia)

TOMMY SWEENEY (DROSSELMEIER)

STEPHEN ROSENBERG (Dr. Coppelius)

CHRISTOPHER GAMBINO (FRANZ)

MARILYN MAJESKI (Director)

Produced and Directed by Marilyn Majerski at the Gene Frankel Theatre on Bond Street....with Steve Lopez, Juliete Howe, Sarah Preusker, E.F. Merrill, Joseph Ross

View stills from the Gene Frankel Theatre production HERE.

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In a message dated 3/2/2005 11:09:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, JefHilburn@aol.com writes:

Hello, I just wanted to write and find out more about your script for Coppelia. I realize it's now been a few years ago for you, but I am considering it as a project for one of my high school classes. Not for profit, or even for public consumption, but am wondering if your script is available?

Thanks for your time,

Jeff Hilburn Kamiak High School Stagecraft Teacher Mukilteo, Washington

Subj: Re: Coppelia Date: 3/2/2005 11:32:04 PM Eastern Standard Time From: Dizozza600 To: JefHilburn@aol.com

Hi, Jeff,

From Mapquest I see that Mukilteo must be very beautiful. What brought you there? Tell me about your class.

I can offer you the script and some incidental music. The script continues beyond the ballet story to include a second withdrawal of Franz into Dr. Coppelius's world of dolls, and the further charade of Swanilda who arranges for Franz to unknowingly sire a battalion of children while in there. The children eventually march in to disassemble the doctor's doll shop and drag Franz out to be their father... Some of the language requires modification for high school students....

Thank you for your inquiry.

Best regards,

Peter Dizozza 917-915-7635

An article reporting on the original reading is here:

Section: ENTERTAINMENT; Entertainment FP

Byline: Coppélia is an adaptation of "The Sandman," a story written by the German romanticist E.T.A. Hoffman.
The ballet, with music by Leo Delibes, first performed more than 100 years ago in Paris, was choreographed by Arthur Saint-Leon, ballet master of the Paris Opera at the time. Over the years, there have been many different productions of Coppélia all over the world.
The play, as a staged reading, was directed by Marilyn Majeski and first performed as part of La Mama E.T.C.'s reading series, "New Voices, New Works," at La Mama La Galleria in New York City's East Village on Nov. 21, 1998. The cast featured Rebecca Emery, Christopher Gambino, Denise Pospisil, Stephen Rosenberg and Tommy Sweeney.
This humorous story takes place in the storybook village of Galicia in Southern Poland. It's about a clever young girl named Swanilda, her silly boyfriend (Franz), a beautiful mechanical doll (Coppélia), and a funny old toymaker (Dr. Coppelius), who dreams of making a doll who would come to life.

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