The Pied Piper Comes To the New Victory
In a stunning display of enchanting artistry, Carlo Colla & Sons Marionette Company (Sleeping Beauty, New Vic 2013) will tell  the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It is a cautionary tale of a town overrun by greed, corruption and rats.  The show will make its  U.S. Premiere from 
May 6 – 15, 2016.
Carlos Colla & Son is one of Italy’s oldest and most respected marionette companies. Their show tells the mythical legend of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin†using a combination of traditional marionette puppetry, music and lyric opera.
We saw their show Sleeping Beauty when it premiered at the New Victory in 2013 and it was wonderful. Â My then 5 year old was transfixed by it and the amazing story they told.
ELEVEN PUPPETEERS, OVER FOUR HUNDRED PUPPETS IN THE PIED PIPER
The story of the mysterious town of Hamelin was first recorded around 1300 AD.  Since then it has been told many times in different mediums. This show will be performed by 11 expert puppeteers who will skillfully manipulate 410 handcrafted marionettes—including 300 ravenous rats—each with their own handcrafted collection of marionette couture.
The ornate scenery and intricate puppet design are also conceptualized and made entirely by hand in the Collas’ workshop in Milan, utilizing the same 18th-century techniques used by the company’s founders.
Over the past 300 years, the Colla studio has built a collection of more than 3,000 marionettes. They all begin as blocks of wood that are carved into figures. Â Each one is roughly two and a half feet tall and given delicate facial features, realistic eyes, wigs and costumes.
The process of creating each marionette is a skill that has been passed down through many generations. Each puppet takes roughly one week to create and is the handiwork of many people, all of whom are also puppeteers.
To find out more, or to get tickets visit http://www.newvictory.org/Show-Detail.aspx?ProductionId=6960