Shows

Once Upon a Time in New Jersey

Once Upon A time In New Jersey is an Italian American Fairy Tale. True to its name, the musical has had a fairy tale existence from its initial inception at the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theater Festival in Allentown, PA., premiering there in 2002 in a critically acclaimed run directed by Charles Richter. With a Book and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson Award-winning writer Susan DiLallo and Music by Stephen Weiner, New Jersey captured two coveted awards for writing in the Musical Theater in 2003; first came the Richard Rodgers Award, followed by Susan winning the prestigious Kleban Award for her book to New Jersey. Following a series of developmental readings at the Director’s Company, directed by Patricia Birch, the show played to sold out houses at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater in Chicago, the Village Theater in Seattle and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts in Liverpool, England. The show was one of six selected shows worldwide to win the Global Search for New Musicals Competition in Cardiff Wales, and also got rave notices at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was performed by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

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Synposis

Once Upon a Time in New Jersey (Hoboken, 1956), Deli man Vinnie LoBianco is in love with Angie… who’s in love with ROCCO, the town stud. Vinnie wonders what it would take to win the heart of A GIRL LIKE HER.

As Angie plans A QUIET LITTLE DINNER for Rocco, Celeste Castiglione is planning A QUIET LITTLE DINNER of her own for her husband Billy, the town thug. But when Billy leaves unexpectedly, Celeste decides to teach him a lesson, and invites Rocco instead.

Rocco’s friends are shocked to hear he’s messing around with the wife of Billy Castiglione — the guy who, in high school, was voted “Most Likely to Fry.” Just then, Celeste bursts in with some horrific news: Billy overheard them on the phone, and he’s vowed to break Rocco’s legs. They all think Rocco’s a goner (KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE) until he gets an idea. Billy may know his name…but that’s all he knows. He’ll get someone else to pretend to be him for a week, just until the whole thing blows over: sweet, shy, unsuspecting Vinnie.

Rocco goes to Vinnie with a proposition (HOW’D YA LIKE TO BE ME?). Vinnie wants no part of it, until Rocco discovers the magic word: Angie. "Be me," he tells Vinnie, "and she could be yours." In a moment of weakness, Vinnie accepts.

As Vinnie gets his “makeover” (haircut, leather jacket, boots), Billy enlists the help of the local hitman, Ed Vendetta. Meanwhile, Rocco teaches Vinnie everything he knows about women (ONE OF A KIND), and has his pals call on Vinnie’s mother, disguised as priests, saying they’ve taken Vinnie on a spiritual retreat. (GOD KNOWS, MRS. LOBIANCO)

Angie is upset about being in love with the wrong kind of guy (SOMEONE THAT I HATE), as Vinnie (disguised as Rocco) wows the ladies in the bowling alley. (LITTLE GIRL, BEWARE) But when Angie snubs Vinnie in the deli, the real Rocco (disguised as Louis, a nerdy deli man) sings a love song to push them into each other’s arms for one magical moment. (QUANDO SCUNGILLI)

Meanwhile, Rocco’s other women begin to notice a change in him, (not realizing it’s really Vinnie in disguise). Suddenly, he’s a kinder, gentler Rocco. To their way of thinking, this can only mean one thing: he’s in love. (MAMA, MAMA)

Convinced she’ll never win the man of her dreams, Angie plans to leave town. (A GOOD JOB), until Celeste talks her out of going. She tells Angie that Billy is about to kill someone to prove his love…but doesn’t tell her who it is. Knowing Vinnie is disguised as Rocco, Celeste urges the lovesick Angie to give Rocco one more chance. As Angie shows up at his door, Vinnie panics. Desperate for advice, he calls Rocco, who urges him to tell her what’s in his heart. So he does.(I ALWAYS KNEW IT WAS YOU)

It works. She’s smitten. She’s ready to offer herself to him. It’s the moment Vinnie has always dreamed about…but not like this. Filled with love, he sends her away. But as she leaves, she sees a note from Celeste, and realizes Rocco is the guy Celeste was talking about. As she runs out, she inadvertently tells Ed where Rocco lives, as a downhearted Vinnie decides to go back to his old life at the deli. (SANDWICHES TO MAKE)

But Billy and Ed are lying in wait. They follow him…as does the entire cast. (IN THE DELI). In a comic turn-around filled with mistaken identities, death threats and some quick thinking, Vinnie manages to save the day…uncover the truth…reunite Celeste and Billy…impress the women…put Rocco in his place, and win the heart of the woman he loves. The story ends…but not without a moral, loads of laughs, and several surprises as we learn what happened in the end, ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW JERSEY (FINALE).