Former Production Manager & Stage Manager
Thomas J. Coppola was part of the American Shakespeare Center from 2015 to 2025. This page reflects their contributions and work during their time with the organization.
Production Manager, 2022–2025
Stage Manager, 2022–2025
Tour Manager, 2015–2020
Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz (American Family Theatre, National Tour) The Fall of The House of Usher, The Most Dangerous Game (Chamber Theatre Productions, National Tour) Spamalot, Les Miserables, They’re Playing Our Song, Falsettos, and Next Thing You Know (Sharon Playhouse); CATS, Hairspray, Crazy For You, HAIR, Once on This Island, Sunset Boulevard (Cohoes Music Hall); Into The Woods, All Shook Up, Seussical, Laramie Project: Epilogue (Barrington Stage Company)
Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
A cheating husband. A clever wife. A scandal rewritten. Hannah Cowley’s A Bold Stroke for a Husband lights up Madrid with secrets, social satire, and a woman in disguise who’s three steps ahead.
Sherlock Holmes’ most chilling mystery gets a gloriously funny twist. In this madcap comedy, The Hound of the Baskervilles unleashes slapstick surprises, rapid-fire quick changes, and theatrical chaos that will leave you howling with laughter.
Shipwrecked and disguised, Viola stumbles into a love triangle in a clockpunk Illyria that spirals out of control. Add wild parties, forged letters, and yellow stockings, andTwelfth Night becomes Shakespeare's most mischievous comedy of mistaken identity.
Celebrate the holiday season with A Christmas Carol, a heartwarming production that reminds us of the joy, generosity, and togetherness of the holiday season.
Two legendary pirate queens come to life in a museum, crash through the fourth wall, and pull one teen into a story of rebellion, sea shanties, and charting your own course. The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read is bold, brash, and ready to set sail.
How far would you go for love - and would your best friend forgive you? In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, friendship collides with romance in a fast-paced tale of loyalty, love, and the foolish choices we make along the way.
Fall into the rush of first love in the early 2000s with Romeo and Juliet—Shakespeare’s iconic story of passion, defiance, and connection that can’t be stopped. When two young hearts find each other at the turn of a new millennium in a world built on hate, they risk everything to hold on to what feels true.
Discover Shakespeare's tale of jealousy and redemption in The Winter's Tale, a story that spans realms and time. Witness the journey from tragedy to forgiveness in a production that will leave you moved by the power of love and reconciliation.
Experience the elegance and wit of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility at the Blackfriars Playhouse. Follow the Dashwood sisters as they navigate love, heartbreak, and the constraints of their world in a timeless tale of resilience and romance.
As two sets of twins unknowingly cross paths, chaos and confusion erupt in this fast-paced farce, making it a must-see for fans of comedy and Shakespeare alike. Laugh out loud at Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors at the Blackfriars Playhouse, where mistaken identities, slapstick humor, and a heartwarming family reunion take center stage.
Watch as family ties unravel and power takes a dark turn in Shakespeare’s King Lear at the Blackfriars Playhouse. When Lear’s decision to divide his kingdom spirals into betrayal and madness, father and daughters are pitted against each other in a story of loyalty, loss, and redemption. This gripping tragedy will leave you reflecting on the fragile bonds that hold families together.
Discover the heartwarming journey of the March sisters at the Blackfriars Playhouse, where family, love, and dreams are tested in the backdrop of Civil War-era America. In this fresh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, follow Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy as they grow together, face life’s challenges, and celebrate the unbreakable bonds of family. Whether you're new to the story or a longtime fan, this production will remind you of the power of family to shape who we are.
In the treacherous mountains of Transylvania, a meek English real estate agent takes a harrowing journey to meet a new and mysterious client, who also just happens to be the most terrifying and ferocious monster the world has ever known: Count Dracula! Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is a Bram-new comedy by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen filled with clever wordplay and anything-goes pop culture references. This 90-minute, gender-bending, quick-changing, laugh-out-loud take on Bram Stoker’s iconic story is perfect for audiences of all blood types.
In this uproarious comedy, Sir John Falstaff finds himself entangled in the shrewd schemes of two clever Windsor wives who unite to outwit one of Shakespeare's most endearing scoundrels. Set against the backdrop of Elizabethan domestic life and featuring an eclectic ensemble of zany characters, this irresistible comic confection weaves together romance and farce to create a joyful story of community and family.
This internationally acclaimed (and hilarious) [and beloved] distillation of all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays is returning to the Blackfriars Playhouse with an all-new cast of ASC veteran actors, after a successful run in 2023! In a rush to glory, three madcap players weave their wicked way through Shakespeare’s comedies, histories, and tragedies in one wild ride that will leave audiences breathless and helpless with laughter.
In this beguiling comedy, no one ends as they began. Magic-wielding fairies, yearning lovers, and foolish clowns swap one role for another as they romp through an enchanted wood—with their antics set down in some of Shakespeare’s most glorious and indelible words. “Lord, what fools these mortals be”….and how we love them! "It’s always a pleasure to see the company at its comedic best, and this production is no exception..." - Andrew Walker White, DC Theater Arts
In Elizabeth Bennet's iconic journey toward love, she learns the pitfalls of hasty judgment and discovers the difference between superficial and genuine goodness. The sharp wit and irresistible romance of Jane Austen’s masterwork has won generations of fans—now see it come to life on stage in a lively new adaptation by ASC veteran playwright Emma Whipday!"Whipday’s stage adaptation is spot-on, as is the show itself." - Andrew Walker White, DC Theater Arts
Hail Caesar, home from the wars…what darker fate awaits him? Suspicion, conspiracy, and power lust boil up in a rush to murder in Shakespeare’s gripping political masterpiece. As friendships are sundered and loyalties are tested, guilt pursues the killers to their dark ends. "A fresh take, and a welcome one, on a classic political drama" - Andrew Walker White, DC Theater Arts
The ultimate tale of transformation, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol transports miserly Ebenezer Scrooge high above the streets of Victorian London, where Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future haunt his dreams…accomplishing, in one fateful night, what a lifetime of grasping and greed could not do: the warming of his cold, cold heart. Join a holiday tradition beloved by families and friends of all ages!
Shakespeare’s Coriolanus pits a leader whose pride places him so far above his subjects that he can scarcely hide his disdain. When hunger drives the people to sedition, Coriolanus wins back their regard in feats of battle—only to lose their faith and his life. Unbending pride and untrammeled power make a deadly mix in this riveting political tragedy.
A royal family unravels in this thrilling drama. Shattered by his father’s murder and horrified by his mother’s hasty remarriage to his scheming uncle, Prince Hamlet plots revenge, feigning madness that soon consumes him. Sponsored by Paul G. Beers of Roanoke, VA.
Beatrice loves Benedick. Benedick loves Beatrice. So what’s the problem? Feel the joy of love won and the ache of love lost as this story makes you laugh, breaks your heart, and then somehow puts it back together again.
Ruhl’s wildly imaginative bittersweet comedy Eurydice reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice not through Orpheus’s infamous pilgrimage to retrieve his bride, but through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost life.
Awash in wit and exuberant in a bedrock belief that love conquers all, this beloved Shakespeare comedy races toward a happy ending and four – count them, four – weddings.
This beloved tradition—an audience and company favorite—returns!
This mordantly funny adaptation tilts The Tempest on its head, approaching the story of Prospero and Caliban from a post-colonial perspective.
A good man confronted by evil and loss, Pericles is driven to the sea again and again in this epic tale of heroism and the quest for love.
Political exile, revenge, and magic meld in this edge-of-your-seat thriller, capped by a master manipulator’s calculated lesson in the folly of hatred.
This compelling new drama was a sensation on Broadway in 2021. In Pass Over, Moses and Kitch hang out on the corner – talking trash, passing the time, and hoping that maybe today will be different.
An epic tale about the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, in which gender-nonconforming 18th-century herb woman Jeanne Baret sets out on an 11-year voyage across lands and seas.
Sea-tossed siblings set out for adventure in this laugh-out-loud look at gender, love and longing.
This “heart-wrenching, hilarious play” (The Guardian, UK) explores the lengths we will go to for those we love.
Two pairs of infant twins, separated by shipwreck…what else could go wrong? One of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies overflows with mistaken identities, slapstick and puns, ending with a government pardon, a mended marriage, and a hilarious family reunion. Directed by Jenny Bennett.
The power of love and the perils of hate write the destiny of these young lovers, in a new production directed by José Zayas.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The beloved tradition is back.
In this final, epic installment of Shakespeare’s Henriad trilogy, ASC veteran Brandon Carter leads “once more unto the breach” as King Henry V—one of the greatest monarchs in English history. Swashbuckling adventure and romance burst at the seams of this the most exciting of Shakespeare’s histories, which ends, as so many of the great stories do, in a wedding.
If truth has lost its meaning, how long can love survive? Evil is everywhere in Shakespeare’s great tragedy of racism and jealousy, as the love of Othello and Desdemona is destroyed by envy and fact is twisted by innuendo. You’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat as the deadly machinations unfold. Click 'More Info' to learn more!
Shipwrecked Viola is in love with Orsino...who is in love with Olivia…who is in love with Cesario…who is secretly Viola disguised as a man. In a world turned upside down, what could possibly go wrong (or right?) Shakespeare’s beloved comedy of (mis)identity arrives in a 90-minute, no intermission romp! Click 'More Info' to learn more!
A deeply affirming tribute to the endurance of the human spirit, Steinbeck’s Depression-era masterwork is a classic of American literature...
ASC’s New Orleans-flavored production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream wades into a bayou of masked hobgoblins, enchanting nymphs, and imps who sing the blues. This playful comedy is a tribute to imagination, magic, and true love.
Cymbeline’s daughter Imogen finally gets star billing in ASC’s take on Shakespeare’s fairy-tale classic.
Marley, the three Christmas ghosts, the Cratchits, and Tiny Tim are all back to take Scrooge on the ride of his money-grubbing life. Expect to be right in the middle of this beloved tale with new twists, surprises, and a production filled with music and cheer for the whole family.
Princess Imogen is catapulted onto an epic journey when her father, King Cymbeline, banishes her soulmate. Featuring a band of tough but loveable woodsmen, an evil queen, noble battles, and unexpected plot twists, this late Shakespearean play enchants audiences with a story about a powerful princess who will do anything for love.
An Oklahoma drought during the Great Depression forces the Joad family to flee their home for the promise of a new life in California. Will hope prevail through the hardships and heartbreak? Steinbeck’s classic novel comes to life in this Tony-award-winning stage adaptation.
SPRING SEASON ONLY Just how long does it take a jealous heart to cool? And how do you pass the time while it does? Spinning a world out of the 16-year gap at the heart of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, Mary Elizabeth Hamilton’s play 16 Winters, or The Bear’s Tale traces the journeys of the exiled queen and her loyal attendant, the jealous king and his dead son, and the abandoned princess and her rebellious artistic cohort.
The 2018/19 Hand of Time Tour takes a break from touring the country to give you some ghostly season’s greetings. Marley, the three Christmas ghosts, the Cratchits, and Tiny Tim are all back to take Scrooge on the ride of his money-grubbing life. Expect to be right in the middle of this beloved tale with new twists, surprises, and a production filled with music and cheer for the whole family.
In this rollicking farce, Shakespeare elevates Roman comedy to dizzying heights. Two long-separated twins, their two tricky servants (also twins), a jealous wife, and her lovelorn sister romp through this fast-paced comedy. Filled with mistaken identities and slapstick humor, The Comedy of Errors will have audiences laughing from the first confusion to the last.
Shakespeare’s magnificent late play is a roller-coaster ride from romance to tragedy to comedy and finally to a place of transcendent beauty that few other works of art have ever gone. “A sad tale’s best for winter,” but after unleashing a wintry tempest onto his characters, Shakespeare ultimately conjures spring’s miraculous rebirth.
In the aftermath of her brothers’ bloody war, Antigone is left torn. Her brother Eteocles will be honored, but her brother Polyneices will be shamed and denied funeral rites. In this ancient tale, Antigone stands for morality in spite of punishment as one of the earliest heroines in drama. Sophocles’s drama from 441 BC holds startling relevance today, examining divinity, obedience, and law – and how love overcomes them all.
After their father dies, the Dashwood women must learn to embrace a new life, for better or for worse. Sisters Marianne (a hopeless romantic) and Elinor (a stoic realist) experience the pitfalls of society, the generosity of new friends, and the passion of unexpected love in this world-premiere adaptation of Jane Austen's exquisite early work. By battling through vicious gossip, relative poverty, and silly characters (not to mention countless set-ups by the "helpful" Mrs. Jennings), these sisters learn the importance of both sense and sensibility.
This hilarious comedy is much more than a "battle of the sexes"; it is also a profound look at the necessity of "play" in our lives. This production includes Shakespeare's "Induction," which presents the Kate and Petruchio story as a play within the play. Blending romantic comedy and outlandish farce, Shakespeare gives us a love story of psychological liberation and the mysteries of being married.
From the first words of the play until the title character loses his head, Shakespeare's shortest tragedy is also his most unrelenting examination of the dark side of humanity. Driven to bloody deeds by their lust for power and supernatural predictions, Macbeth and his Lady fight to hold on to their ill-gotten throne, their sanity, and each other by any means necessary.
The 2017/18 Wicked Folly Tour takes a break from touring the country to give you some ghostly season's greetings. Marley, the three Christmas ghosts, the Cratchits, and Tiny Tim are all back to take Scrooge on the ride of his money-grubbing life. Expect to be right in the middle of this beloved tale with new twists, surprises, and a production filled with music and cheer for the whole family. ASC veteran J.C. Long dons Scrooge's top hat for the first time.
When long-distance love tangles the heartstrings of the play's title characters, it takes two clever women, a pair of devoted servants, and a dog to make things right. Shakespeare tries out some of his most popular ideas for the first time in this early comedy. Jealous lovers, a cross-dressing heroine, and a daring escape into the forest make The Two Gentlemen of Verona simultaneously a familiar and completely refreshing trip.
With its ravishing language and uproarious comedy, Romeo and Juliet celebrates love's triumph and its trivialities. Verona's walls embrace the volatility of youth as well as the wisdom and restraint that often escapes young and old alike. Thumb-biting, dance, and swordplay share the stage with sonnets, bawdy wit, and soul-searching speeches in this profoundly human and always surprising treasure.
A moving look at life in the small town of Grover's Corners, Our Town examines what it means to grow up. Through three acts: "Daily Life," "Love and Marriage," and "Death and Eternity," Thornton Wilder studies the deeply personal yet remarkably universal lives of the Webb and Gibbs families. This poignant American tale explores friendship, love, and death, but most importantly, what it truly means to live.
What if you could give Shakespeare's tragic couples a "happily ever after"? Constance Ledbelly, scholar and self-defined "old maid," is about to find out, after being dragged head-first into the worlds of Othello and Romeo and Juliet. To get back home, Constance must decode an ancient text while fending off overzealous lovers, navigating Cyprus and fair Verona, and discovering the truth about herself. Delight in this new-ish play that critics have called: "lots of clever fun"; "full of brilliance, wit, insight, and theatricality"; and "a dazzling romp."
In this charming and effervescent romantic comedy, the leading lady must decide who her hero will be. Is it her blustery and seemingly heroic fiancé or the pragmatic soldier-for-hire who appears in her bedroom? Witty, ironic, and incredibly modern, this wonderfully entertaining play asks the question, "Is all fair in love and war?"
In this profoundly moving, breathtaking, and deeply human play, Shakespeare shows us a world on fire; a world turned upside down; a world where some of history's most famous men commit horrific crimes in the name of patriotism and honor. Julius Caesar is a dazzling thrill ride of betrayal, violence, and perhaps most surprisingly – love.
The 2015/15 Dangerous Dreams Tour takes a break from touring the country to give you some ghostly season's greetings. Marley, the three Christmas ghosts, the Cratchits, and Tiny Tim are all back to take Scrooge on the ride of his money-grubbing life. Expect to be right in the middle of this beloved tale with new twists, surprises, and a production filled with music and cheer for the whole family. ASC veteran Allison Glenzer plays Scrooge for the first time.
Shakespeare's mischievous comedy is a tribute to humankind's power of imagination, and reveals that the "course of true love" can alter with just one touch of magic. Available as a 90-minute or full-length production.