Chazz Palminteri proves a one-man show can still thrill an audience with his stirring performance in "A Bronx Tale," an entertaining "fictional memoir" about growing up in a gangster-ridden Italian section of New York City in the 1960s.
"A Bronx Tale," directed by four-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks, focuses on the relationship between an adolescent Palminteri and the infamous Sonny, a neighborhood gangster who takes the boy under his wing and teaches him about life, love and power. The young Palminteri is torn between listening to the wise guy philosophies of Sonny and the humble advice of his bus-driver father, Lorenzo.
Playing the role of 18 characters, including JoJo the Whale and Frankie Coffeecake, Palminteri creates a gripping plot that stresses wisdom, integrity and loyalty. With plenty of memorable comic monologues, the seriousness of Palminteri's harsh Italian world is juxtaposed with a generous amount of sarcastic humor.
Palminteri begins his joke-cracking streak during his first major monologue. He describes playing on his building's steps most Saturday nights as a child watching the Italian men romancing their ladies. He then offers an example of his neighborhood's affectionate dating scene - "Marie, get the fuck in the car!" - enter audience laughter.
Palminteri treats the audience to his fun and captivating stories about his eventful first date, intimate chats with his father and his witnessing of multiple murders. As an energetic New Yorker, Palminteri will remind you of the loud, wise and loving grandfather that you (may have) never had.
Palminteri successfully holds the audience's attention from his opening lines to his final bow. The show is unique, heart-warming and easy to fall in love with. Viewers will see themselves as one of Sonny's gangsters playing dice in the bar and a member of Palminteri's posse hanging out on the corner of Belmont Street.
Viewers may recognize Palminteri for his films roles as Primo Sidone in "Analyze This" (1999) and interrogation agent Dave Kujan from "The Usual Suspects" (1995). He also earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Cheech in Woody Allen's "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994). Palminteri made his directorial debut with "Noel" (2004), a holiday film starring Penelope Cruz, Susan Sarandon and Paul Walker.
"A Bronx Tale" first appeared off-Broadway in 1989 and established Palminteri's career as a writer and actor. After turning down several offers to adapt the play into a film, Palminteri finally signed on when Robert De Niro offered to direct the show's 1993 motion picture version.
"A Bronx Tale" is playing at the Warner Theatre through March 8. Tickets are available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
