Death of Colette Nucci, great lady of the theater

Alexis Michalik owes him the success of his play Bearer of stories. Colette Nucci had a knack for spotting young talent. At the head of Theater 13 for twenty-two years, the one who was also a remarkable actress thanked the “good alignment of the planets” when she looked at her journey.

Born April 16, 1950 in Marseille, she had spent her childhood in Algeria. Back in France, she took theater lessons in Le Mans and then entered the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. She follows the teachings of Louis Seigner of the French comedy. The beautiful and long brunette lady had opened a theater school in Bougival after having lived in Spain with her husband, the painter Jose-Luis Penamaria and their two children who in turn became actors. Their mother plays Labiche, Tennessee Williams or Marivaux. His last role dates back to 2001, it was in Thirteen Hands based on Carol Shields, directed by Rachel Salik. She interpreted several characters with mastery.

From 1999 to 2020, Colette Nucci made Théâtre 13, located boulevard Blanqui, where she was appointed by Jacques Toubon, then mayor of the 13th arrondist of Paris, a place of rich and varied creations. Attentive to the expectations of the public and emerging talents, it had added a second room which attracted both the inhabitants of the district and curious spectators from the other side of Paris enticed by the programming.

In addition to Alexis Michalik, Thomas Jolly, Fabian Chappuis, Xavier Gallais, Ladislas ChollatBenoît Lavigne or Salome Lelouch had plenty of time to show their works in this municipal theatre. Their “godmother” had created the Théâtre 13 prize. “She was one of the few to give emerging companies a chance, she left them a stage to express themselves, says Ladislas Chollat. She was curious about all private or public theatres. She had a strong temperament, she said what she thought, was very direct and whole.

“Colette, like the “fairy theater”was able to invent a laboratory for exploration and creation“greeted the current mayor of 13^e district, Jérôme Coumet. A ceremony will take place on Friday May 19 at 10:30 a.m. at the Père Lachaise crematorium. “She will be missed”, concludes Ladislas Chollat.