Review: A BRONX TALE IS A 'HIT' at The Argyle Theatre

Never in a million years did I think A Bronx Tale would work as a musical, but I stand corrected. Often times, musical versions of classic films don't really translate well to the stage; A Bronx Tale is one of the few recent adaptations that works, which can be attributed to the great source material. It's a hit and I don't mean in the mafia sense. 

A Bronx Tale takes place in an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx in the 1960's. It's the coming of age story of 9 year old Calogero who witnesses a murder in his neighborhood. When questioned by police, Calogero does not name the killer as he "doesn't rat". This action brings young Calogero into the good graces of Sonny, the local mafioso. As the years pass, Calogero grows close to Sonny and becomes completely enamored with Sonny's lifestyle (money and power). Lorenzo, Calogero's father, becomes significantly concerned when he sees their relationship grow and worries his son will live a life of wasted talent. The choice is Calogero's to make, but Lorenzo want to make sure he looks to his heart. 

Now this story should sound very familiar to all of you. Calogero is the real name of acclaimed actor Chazz Palminteri and "this is his story". Back in the 80's,  Mr. Palminteri wrote his story as an autobiographical one man show and performed it in L.A. and off-Broadway. In 1990, Palminteri teamed up with Robert De Niro to bring his story to the big screen. The classic film was released in 1993, with De Niro stepping into the role of Lorenzo and making his directorial debut, and Palminteri taking on the role of Sonny (as opposed to his normal 18 characters) and making his screenwriting debut. The film recevied critical acclaim. In 2008, Chazz Palminteri brought his one man show to Broadway under the direction of Jerry Zaks, where it ran for 18 weeks. Palminteri has been touring his one man show all over ever since. Currently, he has a residency at The Paramount in Huntington; his next performance is June 23, 2024. 

The musical version of A Bronx Tale opened on Broadway in 2016, where it ran for almost 2 years, 700 performances. It took 10 years to bring the musical to Broadway. To ensure its success, Palminteri brought in his entertainment family. Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks co-directed the musical; Zaks also directed De Niro in the film adaptation of John Guare's play Marvin's Room. For the score, Palminteri recruited EGOT Alan Menken, with whom he previously worked with his 2014 film Noel; Menken in turn brought on his frequent collaborator Glenn Slater. Menken and Slater beautifully capture the sound of the neighborhood. It's a perfect blend of doo-wop, Brill building, Motown, jazz and rock and roll. Like Goodfellas, the film version of A Bronx Tale has a perfect soundtrack that helps drive the story; Menken and Slater's score do just that. They perfectly replicate that Phil Spector sound of the time that was the soundtrack of everyone's life. 

A Bronx Tale is not just any story, it's a legendary one with a very powerful message. The Argyle Theatre does a fantastic job re-telling it for new generations. Todd L. Underwood really captures the heart of the piece his direction; you can see how this story hits close to home for Underwood especially as he is a Bronx resident. The scenic design by Elizabeth Olson and Steven Velasquez and lighting design by Eric Norbury is absolutely brilliant. You are literally transported to the streets of the Bronx. I especially love how they made sure Calogero's stoop is always front and center as it alludes to how the stoop is a staple of socialization in urban communities; it's where all the action's at. The orchestra led by Jonathan Brenner was rocking. It sounded like The Wrecking Crew was jamming in the theater. In his Argyle stage debut, Christian Musto assumes the role of Calogero  and proves he's "one of the great ones". It's tough stepping into the shoes of Chazz Palminteri, but Musto proves he's a natural. The same could also be said for Luke Darnell who portrays Sonny. Darnell reminded me of Robert Miano, a great character actor that has become synonymous with mob affiliated characters. The true scene stealer of the night goes to Chris Mauro who portrays Lorenzo. He truly captures the heart of his character and will capture yours too. Mauro's beautiful voice made each of his numbers true stand outs. Also in stron voice was Grace Ellis Solomon as Jane, Calogero's forbidden love. Nino Ruggeri will leave you in stitches with his comical performance as Rudy the Voice. Oliver Cirelli's, who plays young Calogero at certain performances, singing voice will knock you out, especially with his lively performace of "I Like It"

The only flaw I found was that I wish the fight choreography was a little more realistic. Sonny's life is supposed to illicit fear; don't be afraid to scare us within reason; some stronger/louder sound effects may have helped with this.

A common misconception about this piece is it's a mob story and that's really not the case. This is a story about family; how parents will do and say anything to help their children and steer them in the right direction. This is a story about the importance of love. This is a story about racial tensions and civil rights. This is a story about the importance of decision. As the great finale of the shows says, "And all the choices we make, will change our lives forever." One choice you surely won't regret is seeing The Argyle's production of A Bronx Tale. 

A Bronx Tale runs through June 16 at The Argyle Theatre. You can purchase tickets here: 

https://ci.ovationtix.com/34985/production/1162705

Closing out The Argyle Theatre's 2023-2024 season is Bye Bye Birdie (Jul 11 - Sep 1). You can purchase tickets for that production here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/34985/production/1162709

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