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There is a reason that Grand Opera is associated with the Italians. Take it from one; opera isn't nearly as dramatic as everyday life is for fellow paisanos. Imagine, then, a wedding. Put together dozens of naturally overly-dramatic, highly-strung Italians and their friends, add to the mix an ex-boyfriend of the bride who is a recovering alcoholic, a singing Irish priest who has never thought of recovering, the groom's father's stripper girlfriend, and the Jewish catering staff from Hell, and you've got the makings for an evening that would make Puccini proud. This, and more, await the daring souls who attend Tony n' Tina's Wedding.
There are two ways to take in this sensory-overload of an evening. You can, as Tribune critic Max McQueen and Phoenix Home and Garden's critic Chris Curcio did, plant yourself in a seat and observe, or you can do as I and Arizona Republic critic Kyle Lawson did, and jump into the fray. Either way, you'll be inundated.
Anthony Angelo Nunzio (broadly played by Don Conte) is the kind of excitable guy you expect to see working the streets of Flatbush, and Valentina Lynne Vitale (nasally performed by Kelly Cinnante) is the kind of girl you expect to populate Brooklyn's hair salons. Everyone here is a stereotype, and there's no apologizing for it. From Grandma Nunzio (quietly played by Carol Pisano), the little old Italian grandmother of the groom, to Joseph Vitale (hilariously played by Doron Toister), the gay brother of the bride, nothing is left to subtlety, and while in a conventional show, this would be a sacrilege, in this high-blown dinner theatre production, not only is it acceptable, but it's downright welcome. Subtlety would be lost when trying to act over the cover band of Donnie Dulce & Fusion.
Word of warning; this show will not be to everyone's taste. What maybe hilarious and side-splitting to some will be overblown and overwhelming to others. If you think you'll enjoy lots of drinking, screaming and fighting, overcooked pasta and boxed wines, doing the Alley Cat, the Macarena and the Hora, and the occasional table dance from the stripper girlfriend (believably played by Carolyn Cox), then this evening is for you. If you're easily overwhelmed or offended, you may want to wait for the musical Big to roll into town instead.
Still, there's something for everyone. Pal around with wild man Barry Wheeler (Joe Dallo), the best man and bad boy of the evening. If you're lucky, he might share his stash of Sambucca with you. You could always chat with gawky Marina Galino (Julia Brandeberry), who swears she remembers you from somewhere in the old neighborhood. Share complaints about the caterer and today's youth with the bride's mother, Josephina Vitale (uproariously played by Toni Perrotta) Or, you could talk about spiritualism with Aunt Rose Domenico (Penny DiMarco). There are many paths to take, and the inability to take all of them in one evening is my only minor complaint about the show and format. While you're dancing with one character, there are twenty-nine others doing interesting things.
To try and explain all of the intricate subplots would be a spoiler, but it's interesting to note that this show gives you the opportunity to interact with your fellow audience members as well. At our table, we had a group of women from Chicago who, before they came to see the production, went out to the Salvation Army and bought themselves dresses at less than $10 a piece, and they looked perfect for the evening. They danced and flirted with the cast, and had a great time. On the other side, though, some of the other audience members began filtering out after nine-thirty, nearly an hour before it was over. Just like a real wedding, there were some who left early, and others who closed the place down.
Audience participation shows are not to everyone's liking. Conspicuously missing from the proceedings was New Times and KJZZ critic Robert Pela, a self-avowed crusader against such productions. For those of us who are Italian, or naturally hammy, this evening is the perfect time to let loose, slide into a different persona, and grab for the bouquet or garter. Whether you're sitting and watching, or actively participating, theatre is rarely this exhilarating and exhausting.
Production Details:
Tony n' Tina's Wedding by Artificial Intelligence
ASU Public Events/MasterCard Valley Broadway Series
ASU Memorial Union, Tempe
965-3434
February 3-March 29, 1998
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