This is a Bronx tale, and yes, it is different from the others you’ve seen on the musical stage. Really, the star of this show is Chazz Palminteri, whose original film, A Bronx Tale, and one-man show adaptation is a passionate story with just enough conflict and vulnerability to make for a captivating drama. Besides providing some excellent dance turns and the occasional emotional height, the Glenn Slater and Alan Menken’s musicalizing of this title does little to add to the impact Mr. Palminteri’s book already has. However, it certainly is an entertaining hit that deserves its place in the modern musical repertoire, currently a touring production you and the family should be making time to see.
The San Francisco leg of the tour brought the seriously talented Joey Barreiro in the lead role of Calogero. Mr. Barreiro’s vocals and tough guy-Bronx demeanor played well as the show’s narrator and central figure, expertly displaying Calogero’s growth in song and scene. His temperament and attention to the two father figures is a chemistry that is grounded in truth and nuance. Mr. Barreiro’s ease and approachability served him well in the opening, “Belmont Avenue,” and kept building with his various interludes and then Act Two takeover as the coming-of-age Calogero. Even in the extraneous love story, Mr. Barreiro teams up with the talented Brianna-Marie Bell, as Jane, for a beautifully sung and connected “Out of Your Head.” The two’s leadership of Act Two’s “In a World Like This” is a perfectly staged and developed number, culminating the story’s lessons in one of the sole well-composed numbers.
Richard H. Blake and Joe Barbara are stalwart father figures to Calgero as Lorenzo, Calgero’s actual father, and Sonny, the streetwise authority figure, respectively. Mr. Blake’s blue-collar, ever-devoted patriarchal disposition served as a fully-realized, grounded, expertly delivered performance. Mr. Blake’s vocals in the emotionally-driven, “Look to Your Heart,” were pure and loving, while showcasing Mr. Blake’s charisma and vocal gifts. Mr. Barbara did well with his sprinkled solos, namely in the Guys and Dolls-esque, “Roll ‘Em,” and especially in a stirring, vulnerable “One of the Great Ones.” Not just a sturdy singer and power figure, Mr. Barbara delivered the show’s best monologue when describing to Calogero how to tell if a girl is date-worthy or should be dropped immediately. Frankie Leoni was a great Young Calogero, sans diction, in his breakout tune, “I Like It.” I must commend Mr. Leoni’s acting chops, because at such a young age, he has already mastered the art of nuance, timing, and how to engage the audience.
Supporting highlights came from Michael Barra’s robust, good-voiced performance as Jojo the Whale, Michelle Aravena as Calogero’s mother, Rosina, in her show stopping lament, “Look to Your Heart (reprise),” and the aforementioned Ms. Bell as Jane, Calogero’s love interest. Her vocal timbre and intense commitment to a role that serves more as contextual function rather than emotional investment is given its due time in the “Out of Your Head (reprise)” and in the company-wise “Hurt Someone.” “Belmont Avenue” kicks off the story with fashionable choreography by Tony-nominated Sergio Trujillo, executed with flare and excitement by the stellar ensemble through the rest of the production.
Beowulf Boritt’s excellent set design translated perfectly to the tour, being a fluid, New York-stimulated design that attracts and serves the staging well. Robert DeNiro and Jerry Zaks’ direction holds up in giving audiences the details of the story while still painting the big picture in a way that is equal parts gravitating and entertaining. A Bronx Tale continues telling its story across the country, so swing by their site to see when you can join Sonny, Calogero, and the gang. Go see this show!
"There is something great about every show. Some, it’s that the music is my favorite show that I ever had to sing. Some shows have the best people. Some shows have my favorite costumes. There is something about all of them that’s been great." Read the rest of Richard H. Blake interview here: http://broadwaywiz.com/richard-h-blake-on-his-broadway-tale/ #ABronxTaleTheMusical #BroadwayWiz #RichardHBlake
"There is something great about every show. Some, it’s that the music is my favorite show that I ever had to sing. Some shows have the best people. Some shows have my favorite costumes. There is something about all of them that’s been great." Read the rest of Richard H. Blake interview here: http://broadwaywiz.com/richard-h-blake-on-his-broadway-tale/ #ABronxTaleTheMusical #BroadwayWiz #RichardHBlake
