Most theater productions start with a carefully written script. Then the script is turned over to a director, who finds an actor to portray each of the characters. According to that formula, a hit play with 18 characters would need 18 actors.
Chazz Palminteri's "A Bronx Tale," an 18-character play, has only one actor: Palminteri.
The one-man show is coming to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., Tuesday, and the Academy Award-nominated actor will be taking the stage. Palminteri, who has an extensive film resume in addition to his work on the stage, wrote the play almost 20 years ago during a difficult time in his life. It was an almost immediate success.
"A Bronx Tale" depicts a young boy's coming-of-age in 1960s New York City. Palminteri's own childhood, much of which was spent in the streets of New York's Bronx neighborhood, provided the inspiration for the show. The characters that Palminteri portrays over the course of the production are all reminiscent of individuals that Palminteri actually knew in his youth.
"Mr. Palminteri wrote and first performed in this show in 1989 in Los Angeles and at Off-Broadway's Playhouse 91," said Connie Place, public relations manager for the Marcus Center. Palminteri went on to adapt his script into a screenplay, and worked on the film alongside actor Robert DeNiro, who made his directorial debut with the 1993 film version of "A Bronx Tale."
The play had a successful run on the Broadway stage in 2007 and 2008, and soon after closing on Broadway the tour was announced. Palminteri will reprise his 18 roles for the tour, which has stops scheduled in major cities across the country.
"The movie version was very popular so people may be inclined to see the actual person the story was based on," Place said. The show, which runs approximately 90 minutes (without an intermission), is a unique theatrical experience that is different from almost all of today's popular theatrical events.
"Ticket sales have been steady," said Place. Student rush tickets are generally available at the Marcus Center box office. "A Bronx Tale" runs through March 29.