Tony n' Tina's Wedding

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding
Written by Artificial Intelligence comedy troupe
Characters Anthony Nunzio, Jr.
Valentina Lynne Vitale
et al.
Date premiered February 6, 1988 (1988-02-06)[1]
Place premiered New York City
Original language English
Genre Environmental theatre
Interactive theatre
Setting Italian American wedding
Wedding reception
Official site

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is an "environmental theatre" event based on a traditional Italian-American wedding and reception with warm and intrusive stereotypes pushed to the limit. Audience members are treated as guests at the wedding by the interactive, improvisational comedy cast.

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding was first performed in an American Legion Hall on West 14th Street on November 11, 1985. [2] It opened Off-Broadway February 6, 1988 with the Artificial Intelligence Company; the wedding was held at the Washington Square United Methodist Church in Greenwich Village and the reception at another location, Carmelita's, a reception hall at 150 East 14th Street.[1][3] It then played at St. John's Lutheran Church on Christopher Street before moving to a long run at St. Luke's Theatre then at the Edison Hotel and finally at Sweet Caroline's before ending its 22-year continuous New York run on July 25, 2010. It has been staged in over 100 locations worldwide, including cities in Canada, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, and Australia.[4]

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding shares some similarities with a 1969 Australian play called Dimboola, written by Jack Hibberd.

Contents

History

The interactive, environmental comedy Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is the creation of the Artificial Intelligence comedy troupe. Thirteen original cast members also share copyrighted authorship: Kevin Alexander, Tom Allen, James Altuner, Elizabeth Dennehy, Mark Campbell, Nancy Cassaro, Chris Fracchiolla, Jack Fris, Mark Nassar, Patricia Cregan Navarra, Larry Pellegrini, Susan Varon, and Moira Wilson.[5]

The original cast also included: Joe Corcoran, Eli Ganias, Jacob Harran, Jennifer Heftler, Elizabeth Herring, Monica Horan, Denise Moses, Phil Rosenthal, Kevin A. Leonidas, Joanna Cocca, Mickey Abbate, Tom Hogan, Vincent Floriani, Michael Winther, Kia Colton, Charlie Terrat and Towner Gallaher.

Originally produced by Joe and Dan Corcoran, Hofstra alums who were just starting out on Wall Street and took a chance.

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding has been hosted in many cities including New York City, Las Vegas, Vancouver where it had a run of 14 years, closing only due to the 2010 olympic games, Toronto, Montreal, Detroit, Dallas, Orlando, San Francisco and Chicago.

As of May 2006, Tony n' Tina's Wedding on tour is represented by Mills Entertainment of Ballston Spa, New York.[6]

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding: The Movie[7]
Directed by Roger Paradiso
Produced by Tony Travis
Michael Tadross
Mark Lipsky[7]
Written by Roger Paradiso
Starring Joey McIntyre
Mila Kunis
Adrian Grenier[7]
Distributed by Emerging Pictures
Release date(s) November 30, 2007 (2007-11-30) (limited)[8]
Running time 106 minutes (theatrical version)[8]
110 minutes (DVD)[7]
Country  United States

Film adaptation

The play was "freely"[9] adapted for film by writer-director Roger Paradiso— "filmed primarily from the point of view of a lisping videographer"[8]—with Joey McIntyre and Mila Kunis playing the title characters.[10] According to the Internet Movie Database, the film premiered on May 3, 2004 at the Tribeca Film Festival and received a limited theatrical run three-and-a-half years later.[8][10]

Upon its release, Slant Magazine gave the film ("no stars"), calling it a "relentlessly unfunny detonation" of the play, and a "tin-eared disaster" featuring "profanity delivered at a Mamet-like rate."[9] The New York Times called the film a "dated sendup of low-class comportment" and, noting the film's limited release, said "exactly how limited will depend on your tolerance for tasteless behavior, extravagant overacting and a decibel level to rival the unveiling of Oprah's Favorite Things."[8]

The film has since been released on DVD.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Mel Gussow (February 23, 1988). "The Stage: 'Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding'". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/23/theater/the-stage-tony-n-tina-s-wedding.html. Retrieved 2010-02-16. "Neighbors across the street must have been wondering why this same couple was marrying every Saturday and Sunday afternoon for the last three weeks. Beginning this week, they will also marry on Thursday and Friday evenings." 
  2. ^ B. Isenberg (October 08, 1989). "'Tony n' Tina' Married to Their Work". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-08/entertainment/ca-474_1_wedding-reception. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 
  3. ^ Stephen Holden (February 5, 1988). "Avant-garde Antics for Fearless Audiences". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/05/theater/avant-garde-antics-for-fearless-audiences.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  4. ^ http://www.tonylovestina.com/tony_tina_show_info_1.cfm
  5. ^ "About the Show - Tony n' Tina's Wedding - Credits". Official website. http://www.tonylovestina.com/tony_tina_show_info_1.cfm. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  6. ^ "Tony n' Tina's Wedding". Mills Entertainment. http://www.millsentertainment.com/booking/tonyntinaswedding.php. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  7. ^ a b c d e "Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding: The Movie". Emerging Pictures. http://www.emergingpictures.com/tony_&_tina.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  8. ^ a b c d e Jeannette Catsoulis (February 5, 1988). "Here Comes the Bride With Chewing Gum". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/movies/30tony.html. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  9. ^ a b "Tony n' Tina's Wedding". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/tony-n-tinas-wedding/3256. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  10. ^ a b Tony ’n’ Tina’s Wedding at the Internet Movie Database

External links