Nancy Cooperstein facts for kids
Nancy Cooperstein Charney is an American producer and director. She works on plays for the theater and shows for television. She has helped create many well-known productions.
Directing and Producing Work
Nancy Cooperstein Charney has produced several important plays. She produced Talley's Folly, a play by Lanford Wilson. This play won the Pulitzer Prize, a very famous award for writing. She also produced Snow in August, a TV film. This film was nominated for an Emmy Award and won a Wilbur Award.
In 1966, she produced Viet Rock, a play written by Megan Terry. This was one of the first plays in New York City that shared feelings about the Vietnam War.
As a television director, Cooperstein Charney has also achieved a lot. She directed Pioneer Women, a film that won an Emmy Award in Los Angeles. She also directed an ABC Afternoon Special called UNDER THE LIMIT.
In 1992, she directed an episode of the popular TV show The Wonder Years. The episode was called "Carnal Knowledge." Her film work includes a short film called Private Debts. This film was shown at major film festivals around the world. These included Sundance, London, Deauville, and Toronto. Private Debts won the Golden Hugo Award at the Chicago Film Festival. It was also shown on SHOWTIME.
Cooperstein Charney is also the producer and director of a full-length documentary film. It is called WHO’S NEXT?. David Rothenberg, a well-known activist, said this film is important for people who care about democracy.
Early Life and Career
Nancy Cooperstein Charney was born on July 8, 1939. Her parents were Grace and Harry Cooperstein. She grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts. She started her acting career at a young age. When she was just 11, she acted alongside Edward Arnold in a play called The Apple of His Eye.
After acting, she began producing and directing. She also narrated a weekly radio show called Juniors Speak. Later, in New York City, she continued her radio work on WEVD. There, she wrote, directed, and produced a weekly program. It was called Women in the News.
She also continued her acting career. She appeared in plays like Elaine May's Name of a Soup and A New Leaf. She also acted in Jean Claude Van Itallie's King of the United States and Mystery Play. Another play she was in was Connie Kaiserman's My Little Girl.
Cooperstein Charney was an acting member of Andre Gregory's Manhattan Project. She was also an acting and teaching member of The Working Theatre. This was a project by Joe Chaiken and Kristin Linklater. Because of her teaching skills, she was named a “Master Teacher” by the Rockefeller Foundation. She has taught acting to prisoners at Riker's Island. She also taught teachers how to use acting as a teaching tool. This was through the Teachers and Writers Collaborative.
Nancy Cooperstein Charney graduated from Bennington College. She continued her studies at The Neighborhood Playhouse, The Berghoff School, and Columbia University.
Family Life
Nancy Cooperstein Charney is married to actor Jordan Charney. They have two children together. Their names are Allison Charney Epstein and Daniel Charney. They also have five grandchildren.
